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Commentary
Commentary Ocean City Today June 18, 2021 Page 41 How others view us is what counts
A year ago on May 31, a video went viral after an Ocean City police officer slugged a young man in the head and put him in a chokehold for, ostensibly, resisting arrest.
The youth was seated on a Boardwalk bench at the time and his crime leading to that confrontation was that he cursed and insulted the officer as the latter arrested his friend for a minor infraction.
The officer who threw the haymaker was cleared roughly three weeks later, after a review of his actions found that he acted within the department’s use-of-force policy. The youth, against whom charges were also dropped, was White.
The police overreaction shown on that video — it can be found in this paper’s online archives at oceancitytoday.com — would seem to answer the question being asked all over the country this week regarding two Boardwalk incidents involving police use of force against two young Black men: would the police have treated these men as harshly if they were White?
It’s a sorry defense, but the actions some officers have exhibited over the years strongly suggests that the answer would be “yes,” and that last weekend’s Tasering of one man and the repeated knee-to-the ribs of another were not the racist incidents they have been made out to be in national news coverage. It could have happened to anyone.
In the meantime, the local debate over the propriety of the kneeing/Tasering takedowns over vaping infractions is pointless in one respect: what we think doesn’t really matter.
We can argue all we want that these kids had it coming or that the police were wrong, but — outside any ramifications the police department and its personnel might experience because of our opinions — it’s what the rest of the country believes about Ocean City that counts.
We can blame whoever and whatever we want for our public relations difficulties, including wise-ass kids of all colors, bad elements coming to town, the police — who need to apply the use-of-force Goldilocks principle of not too much, not too little, but just right — and local officials who say everything is under control when it isn’t.
But, like it or not, Ocean City is a business, a well-known commercial enterprise (that happens to have a residential population) that operates under a spotlight.
People here are free to disagree in the most strenuous terms if they want, but it remains that this is just one more damn thing Ocean City doesn’t need out there when the city is spending $5.6 million a year trying to build a familyfriendly brand.
It’s time to recognize that everyone is watching everyone else these days, that people are predisposed to believe whatever supports their suspicions or already established take on things, and that every day has to be an image-building day when the nation has its eye on you.
Thumbing our noses at critics elsewhere in the country by contending we’re right and they’re wrong, doesn’t make them and the considerable influence they wield go away. Ocean City has to accept that and respond accordingly.
PUBLIC EYE Perils of speaking up
By Stewart Dobson
I am not, by the way, anticop, nor am I racist, and I operate according to the belief that people can be or do whatever they want as long as they don’t do it to me.
Or do it to others who can’t stand up for themselves.
It’s a character flaw that’s gotten me into big trouble over the years: a long time ago, a galoot of a guy on the other side of a crowded club insulted a woman sitting at a table near him just because he could, and here I am standing up when I should have shut up.
It was, as they say, the old alligator mouth overloading the hummingbird rear-end scenario.
“What did you say, you ********?” I yelled over the heads of a hundred other people. At least that’s what I heard coming out of my mouth, while my mind was advising me to run for my car and get out of Dodge before this character curled me around one of his big fat hairy knuckles and compressed me into a shot glass.
He was, in terms of scale, a full-course meal to my side salad, and yet, the big mouth gene clouded my thinking.
The only thing that saved me was so many people were in the room that the galoot couldn’t tell exactly who said what and therefore settled down just in case the voice belonged to an even bigger someone who was looking to perform a little shot-glass compression trick of his own.
Writing editorials doesn’t offer that kind of cover, unfortunately. You say what’s on your mind and suffer the consequences.
On the editorial next door, for instance, I’m fairly certain everyone will find something they don’t like. Some members of the police department won’t care for it because I am critical, and the people who see racism in the actions of local police won’t like it because I disagree with them as well.
You might say, in fact, that I have stayed the course of rarely agreeing with anyone, because taking things at face value is like reading the dust jacket and presuming you know what’s in the book. We’ve seen a lot of that in recent years.
By now, you’re probably wondering if I ever had the you-know-what beaten out of me because I didn’t shut up.
The answer is my head ended up sporting more knots than a crocheted circus tent after one episode. I would have had more of them, too, had not the police arrived to break up that brawl.
You gotta love them, when they’re right.
EDITOR Stewart Dobson MANAGING EDITOR Lisa Capitelli STAFF WRITERS Greg Ellison, Neely James, Greg Wehner, Jack Chavez, Mallory Panuska ASSISTANT PUBLISHER Elaine Brady ACCOUNT MANAGERS Mary Cooper, Vicki Shrier CLASSIFIED/LEGAL MANAGER Nancy MacCubbin SENIOR DESIGNER Susan Parks GRAPHIC ARTIST Kelly Brown PUBLISHER Christine Brown ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Gini Tufts
Ocean City Today
P.O. Box 3500, Ocean City, Md. 21843 Phone: 410-723-6397 / Fax: 410-723-6511.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Police source of comfort in world of lawlessness
Editor,
I would like to send a heartfelt thank you to the police, not only in my new home town of Ocean City, but everywhere.
You brave men and women are such a source of comfort when we are hurt, afraid, injured, and in danger. I don’t know why anyone would want to be a police officer anymore but what I do know is that we as a society need to voice our support or find ourselves adrift in lawlessness.
When groups of people feel that their race gives them a pass on following rules and allows them to fight police, spit on them and resist compliance knowing that their defenders will always find them victims, we as a culture are doomed.
No one ever wants to condone excessive force but we are at a place now where snippets of video are used to immediately condemn officers who face violent situations and do their best to keep it from escalating.
We are going to be in a world of hurt collectively if the unruly element determines the way of the future. And it is already starting to happen. We’d better start turning this tide or Thunderdome is just around the corner.
Janet Kurtz Ocean City By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (June 18, 2021) The final lingering state mask mandates and pandemic orders issued in response to the covid-19 pandemic are on the way out, both statewide and in Worcester County.
On Tuesday, Gov. Larry Hogan announced that the State of Emergency first issued on March 5, 2020 and renewed multiple times since will terminate July 1.
Around the same time, the Worcester County Commissioners voted unanimously to “follow the governor’s lead” — as Commissioner President Joe Metrcic put it — and lift the State of Emergency countywide.
The action lifts mask mandates still in place for schools, camps and child care facilities. However, it does not include mandates on public transit, which remain under a federal order.
The change also jumpstarts a 45-day grace period to begin phasing out a series of provisions and extensions issued to help soften the effects of the pandemic. The provisions include everything from eliminating the extension for driver’s license renewals and lifting the moratorium on evictions, to isolating and testing travelers and exempting Santa Claus from quarantine.
Hogan said the state’s robust vaccination rate and low positivity and hospitalization numbers prompted the action.
Travis Brown, the public affairs officer for the Worcester County Health Department, said via email that the county’s vaccine numbers, while not as high as the statewide metrics, are in line with most other individual counties across the state, thus indicating an overall positive outlook.
“Statewide is 72 percent but I don’t believe any single county has hit 70% individually,” he said. “When you combine first doses with single doses, looks like Worcester is at 55.8 percent, which puts us around the upper-middle amongcounties, I believe.”
Vaccine numbers and info: • As of Thursday, Maryland providers have administered more than 6.58 million covid-19 vaccines and a total of 72.7 percent of Marylanders had been vaccinated. • As of Wednesday, AGH had received a total of 16,445 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and 900 of the Johnson & Johnson. • Hospital personnel had administered a total 11,495 covid vaccines as of Wednesday at hospital vaccine clinics and mini clinics provided to patients within Atlantic General Health System’s physician practices. • A total of 123 second dose vaccines were given to adolescents last week at Stephen Decatur Middle School, Berlin Intermediate School, Snow Hill Middle School and Pocomoke Middle School just prior to school ending. In total, 460 people between the ages of 12 and 16 had been vaccinated as of Wednesday. • The hospital scheduled another second dose adolescent clinic for Wednesday at Atlantic Health Center. Personnel will also go to Pocomoke Middle School, Snow Hill Middle School, Berlin Intermediate School and Stephen Decatur Middle School for second dose Pfizer clinics.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced June 15 that the covid State of Emergency will be lifted July 1.
PHOTO COURTESY PATRICK SIEBERT
See COUNTY Page 43
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Things to consider when buying first condo
By Lauren Bunting Contributing Writer (June 18, 2021) Purchasing a condominium differs from buying a single-family home in more ways than the obvious.
Of course, condo ownership offers buyers the convenience of maintenance free living, but when looking into purchasing a condo, it’s important to consider more than just price, size and view.
Association’s Stability: Buyers should always receive what’s called a “Resale Packet.”
The Maryland Condominium Act protects buyers where a condo association is involved by requiring numerous items to be provided to a buyer prior to settlement including: Declaration, Bylaws, Rules and Regulations, as well as a current operating budget, among other things.
Buyers also have an unconditional seven-day right of rescission after receiving this packet of information.
Buyers should review this packet closely looking at the total amount of outstanding debt owed to the association and the percentage of owners who are not paying their dues, as well as the amount of reserve funds the association has set aside for large repair projects. It’s also a good idea to request a copy of the most recent meeting minutes. Building’s Insurance: Insurance coverage is another important factor when buying a condo.
Condo owners are typically responsible for insuring just a portion of their property on their own, commonly referred to as an H06 policy, and the building carries a master policy; however, rules differ from building to building, and it’s important that buyers ask the right questions to know how much coverage is needed as the condo unit owner, and how much that will cost annually.
One recent change important for buyers to note is that a unit owner will be held liable for $10,000 per occurrence for the insurance deductible if a covered loss originates from his/her unit. This used to be $5000.
Percentage of Investors vs. Owner Occupants: Just as the borrower must qualify for a loan, in the case of condos, so must the condo association qualify for a loan, and the percentage of units owned by investors vs. owner occupants is a crucial factor.
Lenders follow guidelines from the Federal Housing Administration, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for condo mortgages. Among Fannie Mae’s requirements are that more than half of the condo units must be owner-occupied; no owner may own more than 10 percent of the units; and no more than 15 percent of owners can be delinquent on condo dues to name a few of the lending requirements. – Lauren Bunting is a licensed REALTOR®/Associate Broker with
Atlantic Shores Sotheby’s International Realty in Ocean City.
County also votes to follow suit
Continued from Page 42 • This week, the hospital has one clinic scheduled for second doses of the Pfizer clinic to individuals who received their first vaccines on the Boardwalk the Friday before Memorial Day. • The Worcester County Health Department holds vaccine clinics each week. For information about when and where they will be held visit worcesterhealth.org/protect-menu/1726-worcester-county,-md-coronavirus-covid-19-in formation-2020.
Covid case numbers: • As of Thursday, Worcester County’s covid-19 positivity rate was 2.59 percent, an increase from 1.68 percent last week. The state’s rate was 0.76 percent. • Also as of Thursday, Maryland reported 461,549 confirmed cases of covid19. • Worcester County has confirmed 11 new cases since last week, bringing the county’s total cases since March 2020 to 3,683. • Ocean Pines and Berlin had 1,483 cases and Ocean City had 938 Thursday. • Worcester has recorded a total of 106 deaths from covid-19. • As of Wednesday, the hospital reported one covid in-patient and 10 who had come off ventilators. *Info from Gov. Larry Hogan; the
Maryland Department of Heath; Atlantic General; Worcester County
Health Department; and the CDC*
Call 410-449-4090 Today for more information or to schedule a visit to our on-site showroom.
PHOTO COURTESY BANK OF DELMARVA Bank of Delmarva staff and local officials, including State Sen. Mary Beth Carozza and Del. Wayne Hartman, celebrated the opening of the bank’s new 26th Street location with a ribbon-cutting on June 10. The branch, which officially opened in May, is the bank’s 12th location. The full-service bank offers drive-thru banking, multiple consumer products and year-round Saturday service.
Bank of Delmarva opens in downtown OC
By Jack Chavez Staff Writer (June 18, 2021) The Bank of Delmarva expanded into downtown Ocean City on 26th Street in May and celebrated the new branch with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 10.
The Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce helped put on the event, which was attended by State Sen. Mary Beth Carozza and Del. Wayne Hartman.
“It’s all about serving our customers and being accessible to them,” branch manager Jessica Johnson said. “The 26th Street location fills in the gap between our North Ocean City location on 125th street and our West Ocean City location in Park Place Plaza.”
The full-service community bank boasts drive-thru banking and multiple consumer and business products available. It offers year-round Saturday hours. The branch is the 12th location for the 125-year-old bank.
“(The bank) was chartered as the Bank of Delmar (on) December 14, 1896, by a group of businessmen and farmers in Delmar, Maryland — then a thriving railroad town,” Johnson said. “The bank remains committed to serving the local community.”
Johnson said that, currently, there are no plans for further expansion, but that “the bank constantly looks for new growth opportunities and ways to better serve its customers.”
Dine Stay & Play United to run through Labor Day in OC
(June 18, 2021) United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore (UWLES), in partnership with the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association (OCHMRA) announces that Dine Stay & Play United has kicked off for the 2021 summer season.
This program brings together local hospitality organizations to engage in a fun and fierce competition while giving back to the community and creating local impact. It will run through Labor Day.
Ocean City restaurants, hotels and new this year, entertainment and sporting venues, participate by offering promotional menu items, hotel stay and entertainment specials, designating a portion of those sales to UWLES.
All proceeds from this program stay local for UWLES and its nonprofit partners to help neighbors in Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset and Dorchester counties with financial stability, education and health supports.
Residents and visitors can join in on the action by choosing to dine, stay or play at one of the participating locations in Ocean City. By choosing to visit these community-minded businesses this summer, patrons can help an industry heavily impacted from the covid-19 pandemic and also support one in three local neighbors on the Lower Shore. See UWLES Page 45
PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN YOUNG Richard Klender’s song “Ocean City Nights,” from his new album “Anthem” is a tribute to the resort that he grew up visiting and performing in during the summer. Klender, a native of Catonsville who now owns and operates both a recording studio and vineyard in Paso Robles, California, said he’d like to come out to Ocean City for one more show. He said he’s hoping to do so in 2022.
Md. songwriter touts single as ‘Ocean City’s new anthem’
By Jack Chavez Staff Writer (June 18, 2021) A Maryland singer-songwriter who’s now California winemaker recently released a song he calls Ocean City’s “new anthem.”
Richard Klender, a native of Catonsville with 50 years of experience in the music business, wrote “Ocean City Nights” as a tribute to the town he loved spending summers in growing up.
“Ocean City brings out the very best audiences in the country,” Klender said. “They sure know how to relax and party. I miss the people and have so many friends and great memories there, so I just had to tell this true story.”
Klender, who now owns and runs a vineyard and recording studio in Paso Robles, Calif., said the idea came to him while he and his writing partner Bob Huff wrote their album “Anthem.” Klender’s musical act frequented several establishments in the 1970s and 1980s around the coastal area the Sheraton, Carousel, Fenwick Inn and the Wharf.
The song itself contains references to Ocean City landmarks like Lighthouse Club Hotel, Macky’s Bar and Grill and Fager’s Gazebo on the Bay.
Klender said these days he doesn’t come out to Ocean City much anymore, but he would like to do one more show — perhaps next summer, he said.
“It’d be fun to play one more night in Ocean City as a farewell,” Klender said. “I’ve been doing this for 50 years so I have a lot of friends back there, locals that I know and who have been so supportive over the years. It’d be fun to come back and play one more night for them.”
“Anthem” and the rest of Klender’s discography can be found at https://richardklender.com.
UWLES event aids OC community
Continued from Page 44
To learn more and get a full list of participants and specials, visit uwles.org/DineStayPlayUnited. Businesses and sponsors may opt into the program at any time throughout the summer.
The public is encouraged to share how they Dine Stay & Play United by following and tagging UWLES on Facebook @DineStayUnited.
For more information on how to get involved or become a participating business in the 2021 Dine Stay & Play United program, contact Amanda Hailey, UWLES at amanda@uwles.org or 410-742-5143.
United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore has been serving all communities in Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties for over 75 years.
United Way helps Lower Shore residents obtain educational success by reducing the achievement gap between low- and middle-income students; financial stability by advancing the economic security of families and individuals; and good health by improving access to and awareness of local health and wellness services.
United Way collaborates with organizations and stakeholders to strengthen the community and provides support for about 80 programs and community initiatives annually, impacting one in every three individuals on the Lower Shore.
UWLES is also the volunteer center for the Lower Shore, connecting over 140 nonprofits with thousands of community members who want to get involved. For more information on United Way or to help make a difference, visit www.uwles.org, www.ShoreGetConnected.org, or on Facebook @uwles and Instagram @unitedwayles.
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(1 mile west of Rt. 1) Next to Wild About Birds By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (June 18, 2021) The Ocean City Police Commission met on Monday morning and discussed the following:
Police coverage
Ocean City Police Chief Ross Buzzuro said his department is focusing on getting through June and that 90-95 percent of the force is dealing with issues that arise.
Obviously, he said, there is a lot of attention on the lower end of the Boardwalk but there have also been efforts to ensure the department is giving adequate coverage on the north end of Ocean City.
Many of the issues on the south end of the Boardwalk have been mitigated, and the staff, he added, is working hard, and putting in extra hours.
Councilman Matt James told the commission he was down on the boards over the weekend and saw a more officers down there compared to previous years. He added that the police presence is making a noticeable difference.
Taxi medallions
City Attorney Heather Stansbury said code concerning the fees associated with taxi medallions has been cleaned up and will be presented to the mayor and city council soon.
Last month, the police commission decided to lower the annual fee owners must pay for the medallion from $250 to $50 and the transfer fee from $1,000 to $100.
When drafting the new code, Stansbury said she noticed that the city manager had the ability to revoke the business license, yet another portion of the code allowed the police commission to do so. She recommended either keeping the power with the police commission or change the process of revocation and give it to the city manager completely.
Councilman Lloyd Martin said he was in favor of keeping the authority in the police commission’s hands while Councilman Peter Buas said it did not make sense for the commission to have that authority since it only meets once per month.
If needed, Mayor Rick Meehan said, the commission could meet to discuss revoking a license.
Ultimately, the commission decided to keep revocation duties with the police commission and take the city manager out of the equation. “We probably just made Doug happier,” Meehan said of City Manager Doug Miller.
After the comment, Miller was seen chuckling.
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Crime stats
Buzzuro said his department fielded 6,703 calls for service in May compared to 7,834 in 2019. Of the calls last month, 2,310 were from citizens and 4,393 were from officers.
Most of the calls for service were traffic stops, with 956 being conducted in May compared to 1,721 in 2019. There were 295 9-1-1 hang-ups this past month as opposed to 328 in 2019.
OCPD made 333 arrests, 24 of which were connected to drugs and 47 which were DUIs. Buzzuro said they were on par with previous years, where there were 24 drug arrests and 37 DUIs in 2019.
What has gone up, he noted, were weapons arrests. In 2019 there were only eight arrests made in connection to illegal weapons, were this past month, there were 31. Of the 31, there were 9 firearms, 11 knives, and 13 classified as “other.”
Three arrested for stealing car then fleeing OC police
By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (June 18, 2021) Three individuals face serious charges after stealing a car and driving it to Ocean City before being stopped and arrested.
The license plate reader on Route 50 notified police that a stolen vehicle was entering Ocean City, and officers quickly spotted the car after it crossed the bridge and turned onto Baltimore Avenue at N. Division Street.
Police said officers tried to stop the vehicle near Third Street, but it did fled north at a high rate of speed. Once the vehicle reached 45th Street, for safety reasons, OCPD called off the pursuit,
Officers spotted the vehicle turn onto Hitchens Avenue, when all three occupants – Jasmine Rolonda Carter,
19, of Valley Lee; Shaekwon Talib Jackson, 20, Lexington Park; and Antonius Austin Cartnail, 20, Lexington Park – got out of the car and fled on foot. Jackson, Cartnail and Carter were all located near the vehicle and taken into custody without incident. Carter, the driver of the car, was charged with stealing a vehicle Jasmine Carter Talib Jackson valued at $1,500 to $25,000, reckless endangerment, obstructing, and hindering an investigation, attempting to elude a uniformed police officer, speeding, and various other traffic violations. Jackson and Cartnail were charged with theft of a vehicle valued at $1,500 A. Cartnail to $25,000, obstructing and hindering an investigation, trespassing on posted property, and eluding police on foot. Jackson was released on an unsecured bond of $3,000 and Cartnail was released on his own recognizance.
By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (June 18, 2021)Two people were arrested early Sunday morning after one of them shot a man who fell through the sunroof of their car at a downtown Ocean City hotel.
Police said a 21-year-old man from Reisterstown was walking on the top of what he thought was an unoccupied car, only to find that was no the case. After the 21-year-old man fell through the car’s sunroof, the car’s two occupants, Antonio Jermain Epps, 27, of District Heights and Jameal Dannielle Mcleod, 28, of Capital Heights, got out and confronted him. During the confrontation, Epps, police said, shot the victim twice before fleeing the scene with Mcleod. When officers arrived, witnesses told them the victim fled the scene on foot while the suspects left in a vehicle. A short time later, the victim was located at the 15th Street firehouse where he was treated for his wounds then taken to TidalHealth Peninsula Regional in Salisbury. Police added that he is expected to make a full recovery. Ocean City Police alerted surrounding law enforcement agencies of the shooting, providing them with a description of the vehicle and driver, according to a press release. The vehicle Epps was driving was spotted at a gas station in Berlin, the release read, and officers from the Berlin Police Department, Worcester County Sheriff Office, and Maryland State Police initiated a traffic stop.
When officers searched the vehicle, they found a loaded semi-automatic handgun and large capacity drum-style magazine inside.
As a result, Epps and McLeod were arrested.
Epps was charged with attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and reckless endangerment along with several other charges revolving around possession of a loaded gun and having a gun with a felony conviction. During his initial court date, a Maryland District Court commissioner ordered Epps to be held without bond.
McLeod was cited for gun charges as well as being an accessory to the crime. She was held without bond.
Antonio Epps Jameal McLeod
Downtown OC ruckus leads to gun charges
By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (June 18, 2021) Three young adults were charged with possessing a loaded handgun in a vehicle on Thursday morning after police broke up a large crowd near Seventh Street and Philadelphia Avenue.
Police were called to handle a crowd of 20-30 people who were gathered on Philadelphia Avenue and saw several of those people arguing near a parked car in one of the traffic lanes.
As the officers approached the car, police said, they saw the rear passenger – identified as Lazairus A. Smith, 19, of Baltimore – loading a magazine into a semi-automatic handgun. He was removed from the car without incident.
Smith was in the process of being detained when another man, Jacob E. Anderson, 19, of Manchester, Pennsylvania walked up to officers and became hostile toward them, police said. He was then taken into custody for interfering with an arrest. Cherish M. Glenn, 18, of Westminster was the driver of the vehicle and complied with the officers’ orders to get out of of the car.
When police searched the car, they found two fully loaded magazines and two polymer handguns in the back seat that Anderson and Smith had apparently placed there before the police arrived. Smith, Anderson and Glenn were charged with two counts of having a loaded handgun in a vehicle and possession of firearm ammunition.
Smith was also charged with having a loaded handgun on his person since he was seen loading the gun by officers, and Anderson was charged with obstructing an arrest and reckless endangerment. Glenn was seen by a Maryland District Court Commission and released on her own recognizance, Anderson is being held in custody at the Ocean City Police Department until he can be seen by the district court commissioner, and Smith was being held without bond.
House set ablaze after child lights fireworks inside
Jacob Anderson Cherish Glenn Lazairus Smith
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(June 18, 2021) A juvenile igniting fireworks inside his home led to a fire last Wednesday evening in Snow Hill, the Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office reported.
Snow Hill, Newark, Girdletree, Stockton and Pocomoke City volunteer fire departments responded to a report of a residential structure fire at 5:31 p.m. at 108 Purnell Street.
Firefighters arrived on scene and brought a fire in a second floor bedroom under control quickly. The home is owned by Mohammad Ijaz of Snow Hill and was occupied by two adults and six children under the age of 14.
No injuries were reported and no working smoke alarms were present in the home.
With a second fire in just over a week from juveniles fire play, the Worcester County Fire Marshal urged all parents to have discussions about fire safety with their children and the dangers of playing with fire.
Mary-Christine Strobel, known as Christine is the wife of the love of her life, Michael Strobel. She is the mother of four, stepmother of two, and grandmother to nine. Beginning at an early age, the energetic Christine’s love of competitive swimming shaped her into a self-disciplined, driven, and highly motivated individual, preparing her to face a host of rare adversities that few people could withstand. Christine’s heart’s desire is to share lessons learned on her journey that others can implement, sparing them the heartbreak of trial and error.
GROUNDBREAKING
JACK CHAVEZ/OCEAN CITY TODAY
Officials from Worcester County, Talkie Communications and Commissioners Josh Nordstrom and Diana Purnell gathered in front of the water tower on Dun Swamp Road in Pocomoke City to recognize the groundbreaking of long-awaited broadband fiber cable installation in the lower county. While negotiations for the rest of the project — which would connect thousands of underserved and unserved residents to high-speed broadband internet — are ongoing, if the county approves Talkie’s plan, the internet service provider estimates that the project would take three years to complete.
DONATION
Courtney Blackford, director of sales and marketing for Ocean City’s Residence Inn by Marriott, in her spare time promotes the Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation, which operates two residences in Ocean City and one in Fenwick Island that serve as vacation getaways for families with critically ill children. On May 24 she made a presentation to the membership of Ocean City’s American Legion Post 166 about Believe in Tomorrow and, was given a surprise $2,000 donation toward her 2021 Believe in Tomorrow Prom Queen campaign. Representing the Post’s Donation Committee, from left, are Earl Hewitt, Robert Smith and Bob Gilmore.
THANK YOU
Bethany United Methodist Church thanked the Berlin Police Department for its valuable service to the community with gift cards. Lyn Burr, co-chair of the Outreach Team, and Reverend Bill Sterling, pastor of Bethany UMC, present gift cards to Chief Arnold Downing.
Morgan Matthew Fisher, 27, of Pocomoke City was arrested by Ocean City Police at approximately 1:20 a.m. on June 8 near a restaurant on 60th Street and charged with second-degree assault.
Police said officers were dispatched to the property after Fisher got into an argument with staff and was kicked out. According to staff at the establishment, Fisher tried to get into the restaurant without paying the cover charge, saying he was an “Ocean City Local,” even though his license indicated he lived in Stockton.
Fisher was told he still needed to pay the cover charge, police said, and he explained to staff that he already paid. Twenty minutes later, staff told police, Fisher was asked to leave, and he was issued an indefinite trespass warning. As Fisher walked out, he placed his hand on one of the staff member’s shoulders and said, “thanks a lot, man,” in a sarcastic tone, staff told officers.
The staff member told police Fisher put his hand on his shoulder in an “aggressive manner” that took the staff member by surprise. As a result, Fisher was placed under arrest and charged with assault.
Destruction of property
Jack Robert Gallagher, 19, of Oxford, Pennsylvania was arrested by Ocean City Police at approximately 2 a.m. on June 8 near 7th Street and charged with resisting arrest, destroying property and disorderly conduct.
Police said an officer saw Gallagher grab a stop sign and begin shaking it back in forth before walking over to a white bench in front of a nearby hotel and flipping it over. When police approached Gallagher, he started screaming “at the top of his lungs,” police said, causing a public disturbance.
Officers said they tried to place handcuffs on Gallagher, but he began resisting and making it difficult for
Crossword answers from page 52
Drugs and a 9mm
Valentin Monclova Jr., 20, Dante L. Williams, 20, and Jeremias Tirado, 19 – all from Columbia, Pennsylvania, and Nashawn J. Walker, 19, of York, Pennsylvania were arrested by Ocean City Police at approximately 7:30 a.m. on June 8 near Fifth Street and Edgewater Avenue and charged with possession of more than 10 grams of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and several other charges connected to having a firearm in the vehicle.
Police said officers responded to a complaint of people sleeping in a vehicle with Pennsylvania license plates, and when they arrived, they found four individuals inside the car with Monclova in the driver’s seat.
Police said the officer smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle and asked Monclova, Williams, Tirado and Walker to get out of the vehicle and sit on the curb. As police conducted a search of the vehicle, they found four rounds of 9mm ammunition and began to detain the individuals when Monclova attempted to flee the scene.
Eventually, police were able to detain Monclova and the other three men. Officers continued with the search of the vehicle and found 22 plastic baggies, two partially burn marijuana joints and three round containers containing approximately 3.5 ounces of marijuana each, police said.
Officers also uncovered $822 and a 9mm handgun under the driver’s seat that was loaded with 17 rounds in the magazine. All four men were taken to police headquarters and processed. Monclova, police said, had a pending firearm-related charge in Pennsylvania and was also charged with resisting arrest and hindering an investigation because he attempted to flee the officers.
Burglary and trespassing
Aaron James Feaser, 19, of Bethel, Pennsylvania was arrested by Ocean City Police at 1:33 a.m. on June 9 at a hotel near 20th Street and charged with fourth-degree burglary, trespassing, and various other violations.
Police said officers responded the hotel and spoke with four teenage females who said Feaser scared them when he started banging on their hotel room door with brass knuckles while holding a glass bottle in his hand.
Feaser fled, the girls told police, Continued on Page 50
Continued from Page 49 and pushed open a door of a room without permission before exiting the room and leaving on a bicycle. The girls showed officers a video of Feaser covered in blood and leaving the scene, and he was spotted near 18th Street, in an area blocked off by No Trespassing signs, police said.
Car vs. hotel
Gavin Atwood Payne, 21, of Berlin was arrested by Ocean City Police at approximately 2 a.m. on June 9 at a hotel near 33rd Street and charged with DUI, negligent driving, and various other violations.
Police said a car apparently drove into a hotel, and that Payne was in the car’s driver’s seat when they arrived.
An investigation determined Payne sped north on Baltimore Avenue, struck a brick wall on the north side of the road near the intersection where 33rd Street crosses, then accelerated into the hotel, police said, and a further investigation determined he was under the influence of alcohol.
Hit-and-run
Ricky Ocasio Alford, Jr., 24, of Baltimore was arrested by Ocean City Police at 1:54 p.m. on June 9 near Channel buoy Road and Coastal Highway and charged with theft of a vehicle, DUI, and various other violations.
Police said a hit-and-run accident occurred at Channel Buoy Road and Coastal Highway, where a witness said he watched an argument ensue between two men and an older man and woman.
The witness told police he saw one of the men, later identified as Alford, get back into the car and leave the scene. A short time later, Alford and the other passenger returned to the scene of the crash, where they were detained. An investigation revealed that Alford was impaired by alcohol, police said.
Before being transported, the owner the vehicle appeared at the scene and told officers he had court and left the keys in the car because it was hot and told Alford not to go anywhere, adding he did not have permission to drive the car.
Driving while impaired
Tony Bell, Jr., 30, of Smyrna was arrested by Ocean City Police at approximately 11 p.m. on June 9 near 12th Street and charged with possession of drugs other than marijuana and DUI of drugs.
Police said Bell was stopped after he was seen driving south in the northbound lanes of Baltimore Avenue. When Bell opened his glove box to provide his license and registration to the officer, police said, the smell of marijuana emanated from the compartment.
Bell ultimately told the officer he did not have his license, and he was asked to get out of the vehicle, police said. In the process, Bell reportedly stumbled and needed to grab the door handle to hold himself up from falling. Police said a search of the car revealed a burnt marijuana cigarette, approximately four grams of marijuana and Xanax pills. When asked how much he had consumed, police said, Bell told officers two beers on one cranberry and vodka drink.
Gun possession
Deontay Jamarr Bivens, 29, of Eden was arrested by Ocean City Police at 11:11 p.m. on June 9 near 38th Street and cited for gun-related charges, possession of drugs other than marijuana, possession of a martial arts weapon and DUI, among other charges.
Police said Bivens was stopped for a traffic violation and when officers approached the vehicle, he attempted to exit the driver’s seat and refused to stay in the vehicle.
After smelling marijuana coming from the vehicle, police said, an officer searched the car and found bags of marijuana THS. Under questioning, police said, Bivens provided officers with a false name and when they finally determined who he was, they found he was wanted for failing to appear in court for driving without a license.
Police said Bivens was also found to be under the influence of alcohol. Along with the marijuana officers found in the vehicle, police said, officers located two handgun magazines loaded with 9mm ammunition, a small bag of white powder determined to be cocaine and a 9mm handgun.
Possession of gun
Cameron Zinedine Duke, 19, of Essex was arrested by Ocean City Police at 5:25 p.m. on June 10 near Fourth Street and issued citations for gun-related charges and possession of drugs with intent to distribute.
Police said Duke was in a car parked on Fourth Street when officers approached the vehicle and spotted his passenger, Daryl Eric Norris, holding a baggie with marijuana.
The officers searched the vehicle and found a bag at Duke’s feet that contained a loaded 9mm handgun and approximately 28 grams of marijuana, police said.
Selling magical
Joshua M. Bell, 25, of Salisbury was arrested by Ocean City Police at approximately 9:15 p.m. on June 10 at a convenience store near North Division Street and charged with possession of drugs with intent to distribute.
Police said detectives were undercover when a vehicle pulled into the parking lot with Bell in the passenger seat. One of the undercover detectives asked Bell if he knew where they could “find some stuff to party with,” and Bell responded by asking if he wanted to buy some psilocybin mushrooms.
Bell told the detective the mushrooms went for $10 a gram, and the detective said he wanted to purchase $60 worth, police said. Then, Bell reached down and pulled out a plastic bag containing multiple mushrooms and conducted the exchange. The detective then signaled to other detectives in the area, the report read, and they placed Bell under arrest. He was taken into custody and processed.
Drug possession
Jaymie Rose Kline-Cruciani, 23, of Bellport, NY was arrested by Ocean City Police at 10:06 p.m. on June 11 near Wicomico Street and charged with possession of drugs.
Police said officers saw Kline-Cruciani walking on the Boardwalk with an open can of hard seltzer before putting it into her pants pocket. The officer then approached Kline-Cruciani, police said, and told her to take the open container of alcohol out of her pocket. She complied and was arrested, but a search of her backpack revealed two clear bags continuing a crystalized substance suspected to be methamphetamine, and a small clear glass vile and small clear bag containing what the officer believed to be cocaine. The substances were all submitted to the Maryland State Police drug laboratory analysis
Drug distribution
Isaiah R. Elsey, 19, of Essex was arrested by Ocean City Police at approximately midnight on June 12 near Second Street near Baltimore Avenue and issued citations connected to gun charges and possession of drugs with intent to distribute. Police said detectives stopped a vehicle for having a faulty brake light and that Elsey was the front seat passenger. During the stop, police said, detectives smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle and had all the occupants get out so they could search the vehicle.
The search discovered several burnt marijuana cigarettes as well as a 9mm handgun in the glovebox, approximately 28 grams of marijuana split into different types of packaging, which Elsey said was due to the different “flavors” of marijuana. A scale was also found in Elsey’s pocket, police said, along with clear plastic baggies used to package the marijuana.
Drug distribution bust
ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20
You may be confused about a love interest’s seeming lack of communication this week, Aries. What may seem like silence to you could be patience to him or her. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21
It may be challenging to see the progress you are making when it comes in small quantities, Taurus. Rest assured you are getting things done and moving along. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21
Gemini, others have a lot of interest in you, and that can lift your spirits — especially if you are looking for a new job. Being in demand also can lead to new friendships. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22
Cancer, the praise you deserve finally arrives. After all of this waiting, the recognition can be a bit overwhelming. However, do your best to accept it with grace. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23
Leo, someone you haven’t seen in a while reaches out to reconnect. It may come as a surprise to hear from this person, but welcome him or her with open arms. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22
It seems as if your financial investments and working relationships are moving along smoothly, Virgo. If you have plans to pursue new ventures, now is the time to act. LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23
Libra, you may start to feel at ease in situations that may have put you on edge in the past. This may mean that you’re learning the ropes or that you’ve gotten experience. SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22
Scorpio, with so much high energy, you can accomplish anything that you set your mind to this week. You might even polish off your entire to-do list. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21
Positive new influences may come in your life through a new relationship or a career change, Sagittarius. Embrace the changes and enjoy the results. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20
Capricorn, you have all the support in the world but you may not be ready to embrace it. Accepting help is not a sign of weakness. Rather, it shows you are self-confident. AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18
You can fix problems for others or yourself with ease, Aquarius. In fact, others may start coming to you for help more often. It can be emotionally fulfilling to help others. PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20
Continued from Page 50 proximately 6:10 p.m. on June 12 near Eighth Street and cited for gun- and drug distribution-related charges.
Police said detectives stopped a vehicle that had the sound system playing at “an extremely loud volume.” When the detectives approached the car, police said, the smell of marijuana emanated from the windows and the three subjects inside the car exited upon request.
A search of the car uncovered two handguns – both under the front passenger seat where Christian John Marin was seated, – a plastic bag containing eight fentanyl capsules, another plastic bag containing 20 small plastic containers with crack cocaine, several cellphones and digital scales, and a small plastic bag containing marijuana, according to police.
Mad Dog and guns
Tyjaire Jermiah K. Bennefield, 24, of Laurel, Delaware, Zaire Maurice Frisby-Felder, 22, of Bridgeville, Delaware, and Breon Dyniece Baltimore, 19, of Salisbury were arrested by Ocean City Police at 11 p.m. on June 12 near Third Street and charged with possession of a loaded handgun.
Police said officers approached a group of people, some of whom were holding alcoholic beverages . FrisbyFelder reportedly gave police his license but then backed away and handed Baltimore an object, later determined to be a handgun.
Police said Frisby-Feler, and Baltimore were ordered to drop the gun – they complied and were handcuffed along with seven other individuals. When the officers went to handcuff Bennefield, he told them he carries and that he had a gun in his waistband, police said. Police removed the 9mm handgun in Bennefield’s waistband, which was loaded. They were all arrested and processed.
Eric M. Veal, 19, and Avanti L. Lockhart, 19, both of Reading, Pennsylvania were arrested by Ocean City Police at 9:41 a.m. on June 13 near 11th Street and charged with criminal possession of drugs with intent to distribute. Police reportedly saw Veal and Lockhart sleeping in a car and when they approached the car, the officers asked them to get out of the vehicle.
After smelling marijuana coming from the car, police said, the officers conducted a search of the vehicle and found a pint of “Wockhardt” Promethazine with Codeine Oral Solution, concentrated THC, a silver scale, a vape pen cartridge and a syringe with THC, various types of marijuana concentrated THC cartridges, mushrooms, and marijuana, according to police.
Additionally, police said, officers found a backpack with 61 plastic bags used to distribute drugs.
Himmler inspecting a prisoner of war camp
Blitzkrieg bop frozen over in USSR: Operation Barbarossa
By Nick Wahoff Contributing Writer (June 18, 2021) This week, 80 years ago, German dictator Adolf Hitler declared, “When Barbarossa is launched, the whole world will hold its breath.” On the morning of June 22, 1941, exactly one year after the French armistice, more than 150 divisions with 3.2 million men, 500,000 horses, 3,550 tanks, and 2,000 combat aircraft of the German Wehrmacht launched an attack on the USSR. Continued on Page 52
