Motorcyclist who struck Tyler Walsh and left him severely injured on Philadelphia Avenue last September gets jail time after entering pleas in circuit court — PAGE 22
Was a backdoor offer made on raise amount?
Teachers rep says yes, commissioner says no. — PAGE 70
When commissioners found they couldn’t lower piggyback rate, they cut property tax more. — PAGE 14
By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor
(June 6, 2025) A draft of Ocean City’s updated comprehensive plan will go before state agencies for review.
On Tuesday, City Planner Bill Neville presented members of the Ocean City Planning Commission with a completed draft of the city’s updated comprehensive plan, which will now advance to the state level.
Following a 60-day review, he said, city officials will schedule a hearing to gather public comments on the planning document.
“At this point, I think we have a version of the plan that does advance it from where we were in 2017,” he said this week. “I think we made some good progress on updating the plan, including new information with this go around.”
Over the last year, city staff, planning commission members and City Council members have reviewed the comprehensive plan as part of a 10-year update. And on Tuesday, staff presented the planning commission with a completed document.
“We completed a process of reviewing each chapter and determining whether or not changes were necessary to update the information or change the messaging of the plan,” Neville told the commission. “And so, this is the first chance that you’ve had to receive a complete set of all
the chapters with the revisions made.”
With the commission’s support, Neville said the draft comprehensive plan would be submitted to the state next week. From there, state agencies will have 60 days to review the document and provide feedback.
While the city awaits those comments, Neville said planning officials could present the mayor and City Council with an update on the comprehensive plan. He also encouraged commission members to review the document in its entirety.
“This is a chance for you to take your time, go ahead and go through, and look at it with a fresh set of eyes,” he said.
Once the state provides its feedback, Neville said the city would hold a public hearing, which is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 16. Planning and Community Development Director George Bendler added that Ocean City was well ahead of other municipalities in updating its planning document.
“We’re in good standing right now in our timelines,” he said.
Neville agreed.
“There’s maybe eight or 10 communities across the state who have actually updated their plan within the last year or so,” he said. “And then there’s going to be a whole host that will be reviewed this year, along with us. The deadline had been moved to 2025.
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By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor
(June 6, 2025) Ocean City representatives will travel to Baltimore next week to attend a motions hearing in its lawsuit against the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
Since the city filed suit against the federal government last October, the case has slowly made its way through the court system. And next Tuesday, a U.S. District Court judge will hear arguments on motions to dismiss.
“There are two different motions,” City Manager Terry McGean said during this week’s mayor and City Council meeting, “one by the federal government, which is a motion to dismiss two of the seven counts of our lawsuit, and one by US Wind that is looking to dismiss the entire lawsuit.”
Last fall, the Town of Ocean City –joined by the Worcester County Commissioners, Town of Fenwick Island and several other named co-plaintiffs – filed a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s process for approving the US Wind project, which will involve the construction of 114, 938-foot-tall wind turbines located nearly 11 miles off Ocean City’s coast.
Specifically, the lawsuit alleges the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the National Marine Fisheries Service failed to conduct a transparent approval process and meet statutory and regulatory requirements. Since that time, however, the federal government has filed a motion to dismiss two of the city’s claims under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Coastal Zone Management Act.
“Plaintiffs fail to state a MBTA claim for which relief can be granted because BOEM is not required to obtain MBTA authorization when it acts in a regulatory capacity,” a motion for partial dismissal reads. “Similarly, Plaintiffs’ CZMA claim fails to state any violation of law by Federal Defendants.”
US Wind has also joined the lawsuit as an intervenor. McGean said the company has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in its entirety.
A motions hearing has been set for June 10 at 11 a.m.
By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor
(June 6, 2025) Resort planners this week agreed to extend their site plan approval for a 135-room Boardwalk hotel.
On Tuesday, attorney Joe Moore came before the Ocean City Planning Commission on behalf of his client, Harrison Group Hotels, to seek a site plan extension for 2600 Baltimore Avenue.
While the company’s site plan for a new, 135-room hotel expires in September of this year, he said he was seeking an extension to Dec. 15, 2026.
“At my own risk, I’m going to exceed my authority and ask for a longer extension to December 15 of 2026,” he told the commission this week. “The reason is we understand that the application would be extended for the issue of the building permit. But because September is so close to the season … with your permission we would ask for an extension to December 15, 2026.”
In March of 2024, the planning commission voted to approve the site plan for a redevelopment project at 2600 Baltimore Avenue, currently home to the Flagship Oceanfront Hotel.
Officials at the time said the plan was to construct an eight-story Springhill Suites by Marriott.
As proposed, the new hotel will
feature 135 rooms with 26 suites, a 3,800-square-foot public restaurant, pool facilities, and both onsite and offsite parking.
“The situation is we are conditionally making this property so much better,” Moore said at the time. “The Flagship Hotel was built in 1964. We are redeveloping the property substantially.”
Back on the commission agenda this week, Moore reiterated his client’s commitment to creating a new hotel.
“We intend, of course, to redevelop the property into a very nice, upgraded suites facility,” he said, “and we are asking for an extension.”
With no discussion, the commission voted 6-0 to extend the site plan until Dec. 15, 2026.
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By Brian Shane Staff Writer
(June 6, 2025) Just as summer crowds are arriving, a federal hiring freeze is preventing the National Park Service from staffing any lifeguards at Assateague Island National Seashore.
Lifeguards have not been deemed “public safety” personnel, thereby disqualifying them for an exception to President Donald Trump’s April 17 overall hiring freeze. That directive, an Executive Order, was a follow-up on a freeze Trump imposed Jan. 20. The order adds that the federal Office of Personnel Management department may grant exemptions.
The U.S. Interior Department, which oversees the National Park Service, also issued notice of an indefinite freeze on personnel actions in a May 2 internal memo. The freeze includes promotions, reassignments, schedule changes, hardship transfers, and any new hiring.
“This decision has been made to ensure stability during our current employee data review processes and to streamline our operational focus associated with potential reductions in force,” wrote Stephanie M. Holmes, acting chief human capital officer for the Interior Department.
The Interior Department issued another notice on April 3, clarifying that some seasonal and public safety positions would be exempt from the freeze. The list included 55 jobs in the categories of emergency response, firefighting, law enforcement, security and aviation. Lifeguards did not make the list.
Assateague Island National Seashore Superintendent Hugh Hawthorne and a spokeswoman for the Interior Department both declined to comment for this report. An emailed inquiry to the Office of Public Affairs at the National Park Service on May 30 turned up a terse and unsigned response: “We have no further information to share at this time.”
First response for water rescues falls to Berlin Fire Company, which is unchanged from the status quo, according to President David Fitzgerald. He’s also reached out to the office of U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen for confirmation whether any lifeguards will be staffing the federal beach this summer.
Rep. Andy Harris, whose First Congressional District encompasses the entirety of the Maryland side of Assateague Island, has not received any citizen inquiries about the life-
guarding situation at the National Seashore, according to spokeswoman Anna Adamian.
Lifeguards at nearby Assateague State Park will continue to monitor emergencies on the National Seashore and will respond and assist if available, according to Gregg Bortz, a spokesman for the state’s Department of Natural Resources.
“The Maryland Park Service strongly cautions visitors not to swim in unguarded areas,” he said. “Assateague State Park is fully staffed and we encourage island visitors who want to swim to use the state beach or remain very close to it.”
Assateague Island National Seashore typically staffs 12 to 13 lifeguards. This includes one head lifeguard as supervisor and dozen seasonal guards – six each on both the Maryland and Virginia sides of the park. The lifeguard crew usually drops to eight or nine at summer’s end when some go back to school.
The Maryland side of the park doesn’t guard all 22 miles of its shoreline, as the top half contains pockets of guarded recreational beach, and the bottom half is the over-sand vehicle area, which is unguarded. In the meantime, visitors are urged to exercise caution at unguarded beaches.
With no clear resolution in sight,
advocates warn that national parks like Assateague are at a breaking point, with essential staff positions unfilled and no guarantee of relief on the horizon.
The hiring freeze has created a “cloud of uncertainty” for those still employed by the National Park Service (NPS), according to Ed Stierli, senior mid-Atlantic director for the National Parks Conservation Association, an advocacy organization.
He said the NPS as an agency is still facing looming consolidation, reductions in force, and deferred resignations after having already lost about 13% of its workforce.
“We're in this kind of Orwellian atmosphere where the Park Service staff can't even inform the public about what might be potential lifethreatening or emergency information, other than posting a sign saying, ‘no lifeguards,’” he said in an interview.
Many probationary employees already have been cut loose by this presidential administration; Stierli says this impacted hiring in national parks because many of the probationary workers were the ones doing the hiring.
“All of a sudden, the National Park Service and the federal government doesn't really look like a stable emSee HIRING Page 14
County schools were approved for $113.8 million in funding, or $7.5 million more than last year, including a boost of about $150,000 for after school programs.
By Brian Shane Staff Writer
(June 6, 2025) Worcester County officials approved their 2026 operating budget this week, one that increases spending on education, public safety, and employee pay while cutting the property tax rate.
Buoyed by millions in new revenue from income tax and property tax, the finalized $281.4 million operating budget represents a 7% increase over the prior year, or $19.4 million.
Expected revenue exceeded projected expenses, resulting in a surplus of about $2.8 million. Officials also moved $3.8 million into reserves.
“I believe this budget has been struck with everyone in mind,” Ted Elder, president of the county’s Board of Commissioners, said at Tuesday’s commissioners’ meeting. “Everybody got something. Very few places in the state of Maryland can boast of that.”
Elder also said he was pleased to “give back to our constituency” by lowering the property tax rate by 3 cents, dropping it from $0.845 to $0.815 for every $1,000 of assessed value. That decrease means the county will lose about $2.4 million in revenue. Worcester’s property tax rate is the second lowest among all 24 Maryland counties.
New revenue for fiscal 2026 includes $11.7 million in property taxes, $6 million from income tax, and $1.2 million more from recordation and transfer taxes. Residential property tax revenues jumped this year because assessed real estate values increased by about 21% statewide, according to the state’s Department of Assessment and Taxation.
It’s an amount that still landed $2.7 million shy of the Board of Education’s $115 million ask, meaning its budget will be short $1.1 million on salaries and $1.6 million for materials of instruction and other expenses, according to school board president Todd Ferrante.
“Those four commissioners felt like they did what they needed to do, and that they felt like they did the right thing. I just, I don't agree with them – I respect their positions, maybe not their decision,” Ferrante said. “Certainly, I don't think the school system can continue to produce the kind of results that it's produced without getting the adequate funding that it needs.”
For weeks, commissioners had fiercely debated – both at public meetings and in the court of social media – the school board’s plan to offer an across-the-board $4,000 salary increase for teachers and $2,000 for support staff.
Those raises were part of a twoyear budgeting strategy to comply with a state-mandated $60,000 minimum starting teacher salary. School leaders have said about three-fourths of all school districts have met this minimum already ahead of a July 2027 deadline.
Unions for both teachers and support staff had approved those raises in contract negotiations. However, because the county did not fully fund the Board of Education budget, it means the school board and the teacher’s union will have to go back to the bargaining table.
Because teachers got raises, the commissioners decided to share the
wealth and give a $2,500 cost-of-living increase to all county employees. Technically, this COLA also includes teachers, though it’s not up to county officials – who can only approve or deny the overall school board budget request – to dictate how schools compensate employees.
Salaries for the sheriff’s department also were a point of contention in this budget. Sheriff Matt Crisafulli had asked for about $20 million in funding. That included pay grade increases for active deputies and a salary bump for recruits.
The commissioners declined to fund about $224,000 in deputy overtime, but did agree to fund higher rookie-level pay, which will increase from $55,037 to $62,632. They also approved a pay grade increase that takes effect July 1.
Crisafulli’s final budget for 2026 comes in around $19.3 million, or $2.4 million over last year. “We feel we are moving in a positive direction with our budgetary needs,” he said in a statement. “We must stay competitive as other law-enforcement agencies continue to increase their salary packages.”
The county typically offers unrestricted grants to its four municipalities, as well as the Ocean Pines homeowner’s association. Commis-
sioners initially said they would flatfund those requests but ended up changing course and instead gave Berlin, Ocean City, Snow Hill, and Pocomoke City each $50,000 more than last year. Ocean City’s request for another $1 million for police recruiting was denied.
The commissioners also had given the go-ahead to cut the income tax, from a rate of 2.25% down to 2%, but this effort failed because the county’s current income tax rate – lowest in Maryland – is already at the minimum level allowable by state law.
As a result, the county ends up with more income tax revenue than first projected under a 2% income tax rate. “We weren't able to help the workers get more in their paychecks because the state blocked us on that,” Commissioner Elder noted.
Special projects funded include upgrades to the county’s fire training center ($1.8 million) as well as roof replacements for both the Government Center building in Snow Hill ($2.8 million) and Pocomoke Elementary School ($1.7 million). Public safety grants included $2.9 million for fire companies and $9.6 million to bolster ambulance service.
And, while not technically a part of this year’s budget, commissioners
Continued from Page 13
ployer, because they're constantly downsizing at random. You have no idea what it's going to be like working there. And there's been just delay after delay, which has led to this point where we’re past Memorial Day weekend and there's not a single lifeguard at the park,” he said.
Stierli said he worries the national parks are “hitting a breaking point” and he’s worried many will be shuttered. “You're just going to run out of people to work there, and they'll just have to close the gates. It’s bleak,” he said.
A group of two dozen Democratic U.S. senators, including Maryland’s Van Hollen, shared their concerns in a Feb. 7 letter, urging Interior Department Secretary Doug Burgum to immediately re-issue seasonal employment offers to NPS workers. Despite increased visitation, they say the agency is still operating below staffing levels following budget cuts in the 2010s.
“Americans showing up to national parks this summer and for years to come don’t deserve to have their vacations ruined by a completely preventable – and completely irresponsible – staffing shortage,” the letter says.
The Trump administration’s proposed 2026 budget cuts more than $1 billion from the National Park System, which oversees 443 park units in all 50 states.
Last month, Burgum told a Senate panel that any NPS unit without “National Park” in its name, such as a historic or cultural site, shouldn't be managed by the park service, instead being transferred to the states.
also decided to drop the homestead tax credit from 3% to 0%. It means qualifying homeowners could effectively lock in their property tax bill for as long as they own the home. This will take effect in summer 2027 after the commissioners officially make the change in early 2026, according to county spokeswoman Kim Moses.
Commissioners approved the budget in a 4-3 vote, with majority support from Caryn Abbott, Chip Bertino, Jim Bunting, and Elder. “No” votes came from Joe Mitrecic, Diana Purnell, and Eric Fiori.
The two groups evolved into cliques, and showed a clear philosophical split as the months-long budget process unfolded – mostly over how to allocate their revenue windfall – with tempers flaring at times and snide comments slipping out during heated discussions.
The three commissioners who voted down this budget had vocally supported fully funded budget requests for both teachers and police, saying that the county’s coffers were more than flush enough to accommodate everyone’s request and still leave a surplus.
By contrast, the other four approached the surplus with more careful hesitation, saying there could be bigger bills coming down the pike.
Elder in particular said he’s been told that the Maryland General Assembly is likely to call a special session in October, when lawmakers could foist new unfunded mandates onto counties.
Commissioner Purnell – who doesn’t often speak at length, or even at all during commissioner meetings – scolded her peers for several minutes for not opening the county’s pocketbook in light of the revenue windfall. She talked about how everything is more expensive, including day care and rent.
“I’ve had so many emails from voters that are saying, don’t take away things from my children or our seniors. We need these things,” said Purnell (District 2, Central). “We’re in better shape than a lot of people in this state.”
Commissioner Bunting (District 6, Bishopville) said this budget – his 15th since being elected in 2010 –“addresses something fairly for everybody in the county.”
“I’ve been on the side that approved the budget, and I’ve voted against the budget. And I definitely didn’t sit here and act like a child, like some people have,” he said. “Four people can’t be wrong or right all the time, and three people can’t be wrong or right all the time. Apparently, four people decided something today.”
City council to ban tents on the beach outright, develop restrictions for canopy sets
By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor
(June 6, 2025) Ocean City officials agreed this week to ban beach tents and to set restrictions on beach canopies.
On Monday, the Ocean City Council voted 4-2, with Council President Matt James and Council Secretary Tony DeLuca opposed, to adopt a ban on beach tents.
The ordinance, passed on second reading, also includes language regulating where beach canopies can be placed and how big they can be.
“There are no perfect ordinances. There are always going to be some things that you have to work around,”
Mayor Rick Meehan said. “But I think all of this is very clear, and I think that this will be a season, a summer, of education. And when you look at the future, I think we’ll be glad, when we look back, that we passed this or-
In early May, the mayor and Ocean City Council expressed interest in addressing the increased number of tents on the beach during peak times. City government staff also found that the number of complaints regarding tents had increased as well.
The topic was revisited later in the month, when staff presented the City Council with several examples of ordinances adopted by surrounding municipalities, including a Dewey Beach ordinance that outlaws tents but stops short of banning canopies.
hibit beachgoers from erecting beach canopies before 10 a.m. and then leaving those canopies unattended; prohibit beach canopies larger than 10-by-10 feet; require a 3-foot separation around a canopy’s perimeter; and require the anchoring for such canopies to be contained within the canopy’s footprint.
‘There are no perfect ordinances. There are always going to be some things that you have to work around’ Mayor Rick Meehan
With public safety and viewsheds in mind, the council agreed to develop similar regulations, which were introduced for first reading on May 19. And after a lengthy discussion, the council majority agreed to pass legislation that would ban all beach tents with the exception of baby tents; pro-
Back on the agenda for adoption this week, DeLuca asked why the ordinance did not prohibit sides on canopies and umbrellas. City Manager Terry McGean responded that any portable structure with one or more sides would be defined as a tent, and as such would be prohibited on the beach.
“If a canopy has sides, it makes it a tent,” James added.
Regardless, DeLuca said he would not be supporting the ordinance as presented. He said the ordinance was “very confusing” and had “too much
detail.”
“I just think it’s not enforceable,” he said, “so I won’t be voting for it.”
During public comments, resident Brian Papiernik questioned why the city placed certain restrictions on canopies, arguing that such structures were safer than umbrellas and worked well for his large yearly gatherings on the beach.
Papiernik also questioned the city’s proposed regulations on canopy setups before 10 a.m. In response, officials noted that anyone can set up a canopy before 10 a.m., so long as it remains attended.
After a brief discussion, the council voted 4-2, with Councilman John Gehrig absent, to adopt the ordinance on second reading.
“I think if you look at the beach and where we’ve evolved and what we’re really trying to do, we are trying to make sure that Ocean City stays a welcoming, safe, family friendly beach for generations,” Meehan said. “This will provide better access, fairness for everybody, and create a better environment on the beach.”
McGean says solution may not be found before current police agreement expires
By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor
(June 6, 2025) As both the city and its police union work to establish the terms of a new three-year contract, City Manager Terry McGean said a resolution might not be found before the current agreement expires at the end of the month.
With an impasse declared in its triennial contract negotiations, the Town of Ocean City is now working with Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge #10 to select an arbitrator to settle a dispute over what is reported to be pay and benefits.
McGean said the goal is to select a third-party mediator to hear the case before the union’s current contract expires June 30. However, it remains to be seen if some resolution can be reached before then.
“If the dispute is not resolved prior to June 30 then after that date all salaries and benefits remain frozen at current levels,” he said. “Once the arbitrator’s decision is made or the dispute is resolved then employees’ salaries would be adjusted based on the decision and back pay (if any) would be calculated from July 1.”
In March, Lodge #10 President Justin Hoban announced that the police union would go to arbitration with the Town of Ocean City, as the two parties had reached a standstill in contract negotiations. Hoban declined to elaborate further on the impasse at the time, but implied the dispute was over pay and benefits.
Officials painted a clearer picture
in April, when, during budget discussions, they outlined the city’s final offer to the police union – a step increase, an 8% cost-of-living adjustment and a phased-in, take-home vehicle program for all active officers. That offer would require an additional $1.8 million in general fund expenditures, a figure included in the fiscal year 2026 budget, which was adopted last month.
McGean said last Friday both parties are seeking an arbitrator to “hear the case in a timely manner.” Should an arbitrator side with the police union, the budget will have to be amended to reflect additional pay and benefits for the department.
In 2002, Ocean City voters supported a referendum allowing Ocean City police to participate in collective bargaining. And two years later, police entered their first union-negotiated contract with the Town of Ocean City.
Every three years since then, a new contract has been ratified. However, the possibility of arbitration has loomed over negotiations twice in the last decade.
In 2015, for the first time since the police department unionized, Lodge #10 notified the city of its intent to go to arbitration. The process was ultimately avoided when both parties reached last-minute concessions. Three years later, the union again declared its intent to pursue arbitration before the matter was settled amicably.
Hoban has not responded to requests for comment since the FOP announced it was headed toward arbitration. McGean also declined to comment on what the police union’s demands included.
County calls on Army Corps to dredge Ocean City Inlet before White Marlin Open
By Brian Shane Staff Writer
(June 6, 2025) Worcester County officials are pressing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to perform emergency dredging at the Ocean City inlet ahead of the White Marlin Open.
“It is critical that these boats are able to get through the inlet. That ability is in jeopardy unless summer dredging occurs,” County Commissioners President Ted Elder wrote in a May 27 letter to the Army Corps’ Baltimore office.
There’s urgency here because the usual dredge vessels, the Murden and Currituck, will be unavailable to clear sediment ahead of the Aug. 4-8 fishing tournament, leaving county leaders looking for other options.
The Murden is in drydock and won’t be available until July, while the Currituck is currently out of service, according to Bob Mitchell, the county’s director of environmental programs.
He said the Army Corps’ Baltimore District will make an emergency request to the Wilmington District to schedule the use of the sidecaster dredge Merritt to clear sediment before the White Marlin Open.
More frequent inlet dredging is crucial to keep ahead of shoaling and erosion, which has only gotten worse since Hurricane Sandy in 2012,
Mitchell told county officials in a May 12 internal memo.
He stressed to the County Commissioners that they must explain “the seriousness of the situation here in the inlet” to the Army Corps, and emphasized the need for another maintenance dredging pass before the White Marlin Open.
“This dredging event not only benefits our tournament visitors,” Mitchell wrote, “but the dredge visit also provides a measure of safety with sediment removal accommodating the vessel drafts for our commercial fishing fleet as well.”
‘We got a lot of boats that are over 50 feet in draw – pretty good depth. You sure as heck don’t want them running aground where they can’t come in or leave the harbor…’
White Marlin Open founder Jim Motsko
Two Army Corps initiatives maintain the channel. One is the Assateague Long Term Sand Management Project, where a boat dredges the inlet and the ebb shoal just offshore of the inlet, and deposits the material on the beach at Assateague Island. Funding for that program is split evenly between the Army Corps and the National Park Service.
The second program is the maintenance dredging of the inlet, also known as the Navigational Program. Funded entirely by the Army Corps, this effort is constrained by dredge availability and the federal budget, according to Mitchell.
Once the Murden is out of the boatyard, the Corps hopes to bring the vessel back into a season cycle for maintenance dredging and the Assateague sand management program.
With a local economic impact of about $30 million, the iconic White Marlin Open brings hundreds of boats to Ocean City as anglers compete for millions in prize money. The event is considered the largest billfish tournament in the world and has a massive economic impact on the resort.
An undredged inlet puts some very expensive boats at risk of running aground at the mouth of the West Ocean City commercial fishing harbor, said White Marlin Open founder Jim Motsko.
“It would be a major issue if it wasn’t dredged,” he said in an interview.
“We got a lot of boats that are over 50 feet in draw – pretty good depth. You sure as heck don’t want them running aground where they can’t come in or leave the harbor. If these folks don’t dredge it, it would really, really hurt us.”
Motsko said he expects upwards of 400 boats in this year’s tournament. So far, he’s booked about 80 boats, with the majority of entries expected to come in closer to the tournament date.
By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor
“Your voluntary choices are what got you here today,” Judge Brian Shockley told Schneider at the conclusion of this week’s plea hearing.
cles.
Immediately following the collision, Stewart said Schneider encountered two witnesses, who testified to Schneider fleeing the scene of the accident. Stewart said Schneider failed to provide assistance to Walsh.
(June 6, 2025) A Worcester County Circuit Court judge has sentenced Michael Scot Schneider, 52, of Ballston Spa, New York, to 10 years in prison, with all but seven-and-a-half suspended, for his role in a hit-and-run accident that inflicted life-changing injuries on local teen Tyler Walsh.
Schneider faced 10 charges, including three criminal charges and seven traffic charges, for his involvement in a Sept. 13 hit-and-run accident in Ocean City.
On Tuesday, Schneider entered an Alford plea on two of the 10 counts he faced in relation to the accident –causing a life-threatening injury to another person while operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, and failing to stop where he knew or reasonably knew that an accident might result in serious bodily injury and injury occurred.
An Alford plea acknowledges the state has enough evidence to prove the defendant guilty beyond reasonable doubt should the case proceed to trial.
The collision occurred just after 9:30 p.m. in the area of Philadelphia Avenue and 12th Street. According to police, a motorcyclist, later identified as Schneider, was driving on southbound Philadelphia Avenue at a high rate of speed when, according to witness statements and video footage, he struck a 16-year-old pedestrian walking across the road in a marked crosswalk.
The teen, later identified as Walsh, sustained extremely severe injuries and was flown by Maryland State Police Aviation to R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for treatment.
During Tuesday’s plea hearing, Assistant State’s Attorney Brittani Stewart said an investigation revealed Schneider was driving his motorcycle in excess of 70 mph when the collision occurred. She said the collision was so severe that Schneider was ejected from the motorcycle, which then collided with two parked vehi-
“He was left at the scene and cared for by other bystanders,” she said.
Using social media and eyewitness statements, police later found Schneider at the West Ocean City Park and Ride. There, police observed Schneider exhibiting signs of impairment and injuries consistent with a motorcycle collision.
“When asked what occurred this evening, he stated ‘You already know,’” Stewart said.
Schneider was then transported to the hospital, where he received treatment for his injuries. Stewart said a blood draw at the hospital revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.11, or well above the legal limit of 0.08.
From there, Schneider was arrested on charges related to driving under the influence and fleeing the scene of the accident.
“The defendant’s actions in this case are nothing short of egregious," Stewart said.
In court this week, Schneider entered an Alford plea to one misde-
See DEFENDANT Page 24
meanor count and one felony count.
On behalf of the state, Stewart asked the court to impose a maximum sentence of 10 years for the two counts, with all but five years suspended, in addition to supervised probation and special conditions.
She pointed to a prior alcohol-related offense Schneider had from 1995, as well as his “selfish” and “cowardly” actions on the night of Sept. 13.
“All he was thinking about was himself,” she said.
However, Schneider’s attorney, Anders Randrup, sought a lesser sentence for his client, noting that the sentencing guidelines for the offenses ranged from probation to two years. He also asked the judge to consider mitigating circumstances, including
Schneider’s lack of any other criminal charges and his decision to not proceed to trial.
“I think he has great remorse for this particular situation,” Randrup said.
For his part, Schneider admitted to speeding the night of the accident, which he said prohibited him from avoiding Walsh. After the collision, Schneider said he did not see a pedestrian in the roadway.
“If I did see Mr. Walsh in the road, I would not have walked away,” he said.
Schneider said a concussion he received in the accident had impaired his memories of that night. However, he acknowledged his remorse before the court.
“I hope someday his family, his friends, will have it in their hearts to forgive me,” he said.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Tyler Walsh joined his father, Cory Walsh, who provided the court with a statement on the physical and emotional toll the incident had on both his son and his family. He noted that the accident has left Tyler with an amputated leg, paralysis in the left arm and partial vision loss among other injuries.
“One drunk driver robbed us of Tyler’s health,” he said.
In his sentencing, Judge Shockley acknowledged the “profound” injury and damage inflicted on the Walsh family, as well as Schneider’s “reckless” actions the night of the accident.
Shockley ultimately sentenced Schneider to five years for the misdemeanor count and five years for the felony count, with all but two-and-ahalf years suspended.
“This is a very difficult case …,”
Shockley said.. “Some are harder than others. This is extremely difficult.”
In total, Schneider was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for the two counts. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised probation with special conditions upon his release.
Stewart said the state was not seeking restitution, as it would be handled in a “parallel case.”
By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor
(June 6, 2025) City officials this week denied a request to revisit parking standards and nonconformity, among other things.
At the end of Monday’s regular meeting, Ocean City Councilwoman Carol Proctor sought the council’s support to revisit the city’s garage parking standards for attached housing, as well as nonconforming redevelopment and the conversion of LC-1 commercial properties for residential use.
She said she was bringing up the three issues after observing several new developments, particularly at the north end of Ocean City.
“I think that while these are three separate issues, they are complex and interconnected,” she said. “And I think we need to look at that, for the future of our town, especially for the sustainability of our communities and our residential communities.”
On the topic of parking standards, Proctor called out specific examples of recent townhouse projects with inadequate parking and traffic flow. She said those design flaws, coupled with exceptions from the Ocean City Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA), had changed the landscape in north Ocean City. To that end,
she asked the council to take another look at garage sizes, aprons and drive aisles.
“Just simple design changes to our current code, I think, is needed” she said, “because I believe the townhouse communities are going to continue because they are more desirable for people post-COVID.”
Proctor also took issue with the BZA for granting exceptions to the very garage parking standards the council had sought to change last year. She called on the board to consider the impact such parking exceptions would have on the surrounding community.
“I'm only speaking for myself, but if we address these things and we take the recommendations from our planning and zoning [department] and we debate it and we come up with a solution, I feel like it undermines the entire process if our BZA department comes behind and makes an exception for 144 townhouses, reducing the garage door that we just increased,” she said.
Proctor this week also sought the council’s support to revisit the city’s code on nonconformity, as well as the conversion of LC-1 local commercial properties into residential developments. She said most of the residential development in Ocean City over
the last several years has taken place on commercial lots.
“And when you redevelop a commercial property for residential use, there’s no guardrails,” she said. “I would think that we could possibly add a conditional use so that the developer has to follow the residential standards.”
After further discussion, Proctor made a motion to have staff explore the three issues and bring back “viable solutions” to the City Council at a future work session. However, the motion failed for lack of a second.
In his comments Monday, Mayor Rick Meehan said he agreed with some of the concerns Proctor had pointed out. However, he noted that recommendations from planning and zoning staff on some of those issues were not recognized by the council.
“I would hope that some of those things will come back at some point, but the council will need to be more amenable to addressing them,” he said. “And if they're not, there's really no reason to bring it back.”
Meehan also acknowledged Proctor’s disapproval with the BZA. However, he said Deputy City Manager JR Harmon and attorney Maureen Howarth have taken efforts to “reeducate” the board on its roll.
“Working with JR and with Maureen, they've taken a different approach as to how they addressed exceptions,” he said. “But we can't tell them not to make exceptions, because it's their function and it's codified in the state law that that's their function, to allow people to appeal.”
(June 6, 2025) The Art League of Ocean City is partnering with Bethany Resort Furnishings to offer a series of workshops presenting ways to use original art in home decorating.
“We are pleased to team with Bethany Resort Furnishings for their workshops on using art in your home,” Jessica Bauer, Art League Development Director, said. “The Art League offers so many choices in original art, and the designers at Bethany know how to put it all together. We are also excited to establish brand partnerships and engage the community in different ways with art.”
The first workshop is free on Thursday, June 12, 2025, entitled “Creating a Mood Board to Inspire Your Space,” and will be held at the Ocean City Center for the Arts, 502 94th St. bayside. Designers from Bethany Resort Furnishings will talk about how to make a mood board and how it can inspire personal style in the home.
On Thursday, June 26, 2025, designers from Bethany Resort Furnishings will cover art selection, displaying art like a pro, balancing color and pattern, and making art the focal point of the space. This workshop is also free and at the Arts Center,
During the free First Friday event at the Arts Center on Aug. 1, 2025 and throughout the month of August, Bethany Resort Furnishings will take over Studio E. Designers will create two installations inspired by the Pantone Color of the Year, Mocha Mousse. Guests can walk through space, chat with designers, and receive inspiration for their own home. All items on display will be available for purchase. “It will be a lively spectacle, and people will be excited to view it,” Bauer said. “This is a completely new idea for us, and we hope it will be an inspiration to everyone.”
For those interested in diving deeper into using art in their home decorating, Bethany Resort Furnishings is hosting a “Pairing Party: Art X Furnishings,” on Aug. 29, 2025, 5-7 p.m. at their location in Bethany Beach. Guests will stroll through room vignettes displaying art from the Art League’s “Artist Paint OC” event and enjoy a keynote talk, drinks, and hors d’oeuvres. Tickets are $50 per person, and benefit the nonprofit Art League.
Space is limited for the free workshops to 20 guests and to the paid event, 50. The Art League suggests early registration at
(June 6, 2025) Wor-Wic Community College has earned the 2025-2026 Military Friendly School Silver Award designation in the small community college category by VIQTORY, a veteran-owned company that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities. Institutions earning the designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the survey. Methodology, criteria and weightings were determined by VIQTORY with input from the Military Friendly advisory council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.
At Wor-Wic, veterans, active-duty members, National Guard, reservists and eligible family members can use one of several Veterans Administration G.I. Bill educational benefits while attending college. In addition to educational benefits, eligible military students can use their active duty and reserve tu-
ition assistance while attending Wor-Wic. Jason King is Wor-Wic’s director of veterans services and is available to help current and prospective students who are veterans or active military personnel.
“Wor-Wic takes pride in our veteran students and the services we provide for them,” said King. “Every year, we have an average of 300 veteran, military and eligible dependent students.”
“Military Friendly is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process,” said Kayla Lopez, vice president of Military Friendly. “Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, exceeding the standard.”
Annually the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City awards scholarships to students at the three Worcester County high schools. At the graduation of Pocomoke High School seniors, five scholarships were awarded. Recipients are Theresa Guo, $1,000; Tony Martin, $1,000; Joshua Energy, $1,000; Alana Gordy $750; and Cortasia Schoolfield received the $1,000 Patricia Winkelmayer Memorial Scholarship.
The following student achievements were forwarded to this publication.
• Eileen Eslin of Berlin graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cinema from McDaniel College.
• Casey Mull of Ocean City was recently named to the Spring 2025 President's List at Georgia State University.
• A total of 1,741 students have been named to the Dean's List at East Stroudsburg University for the Spring 2025 semester including Berlin residents Sadie Kauffman, a Early Childhood Education (PreK-4) major, and Madelyn Poltrack, a Exercise Science major.
• Shenandoah University women's lacrosse student-athlete Julianna Fohner was selected to the 2025 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Senior All-Star Game that took place on May 31 at Tierney Field at the USA Lacrosse Headquarters in Sparks, Md. On the defensive side of the ball, Fohner started in all 20 games in 2025 and accumulated 53 ground balls and 41 caused turnovers, both of which ranked in the top five for the ODAC. The senior from Ocean City had five games with at least five ground balls and added 11 games with multiple caused turnovers.
This year’s winners of the Berlin Lions Club $1,000 scholarships are pictured. Lions Club representative Tommy Hinkle is pictured at Stephen Decatur’s awards night, top, with seniors Clay McCabe, Matt Holland and Aaron August, and, below, with Addison Conley and Frankie Buxbaum, who each could not attend the ceremony due to sports.
(June 6, 2025) The Art League of Ocean City invites the public to attend the opening night party of new art shows on First Friday, June 6, 5-7 p.m., at the Ocean City Center for the Arts, 94th St. bayside. Admission is free with complimentary beverages and hors d’oeuvres.
During First Friday, the Art League will also announce its 2025 scholarship winners, continuing its support of local students who are seeking a higher education in the arts. Since the Art League first began granting scholarships in 1991, the nonprofit has awarded 100 scholarships to date, including this year’s winners.
The Thaler Gallery hosts an exhibition of mixed media artwork by Michel Demanche, retired Professor of Art at the University of Maryland
Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md., entitled “The Yellow King … Residuum.” This exhibition presents residuum of hope or delusion through acknowledgement of the many layers of meaning presented in The Yellow King and The Yellow King 2.0. “What we live in at present, another new reality,” Demanche said. “Residuum is something that remains after a reaction or process has taken place, normally a substance remaining after a physical or chemical reaction. Delusion is a false opinion about a matter of fact which need not necessarily involve, though it often does involve, false perceptions of sensible things.”
A group show entitled “Game On” fills the walls of the Sisson Galleria in June. The all-media group show includes artwork inspired by games,
sports, hobbies, and amusements. Also on display are the winners of the United Way’s annual Lower Shore Addiction Awareness Visual Arts Competition.
The annual Clay-a-Palooza event includes a takeover of the Arts Center on First Friday, including Studio E, the Spotlight Gallery, and the Artisan Showcase, displaying fun and functional ceramics created by the Clay Guild of the Eastern Shore. Founded in 2005, the Clay Guild serves the southern part of the Eastern Shore with members in Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. Work shown includes hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind ceramics made by local potters including Robbie Johnson, Imogene Halcott, Sarah Halcott, Patricia Rose and others.
During First Friday, attendees can explore the Clay Guild marketplace and sculpture garden all evening. Special events include Pottery Ping Pong from 5-7 p.m. where guests toss a ping pong ball into a piece of pottery and get to take the piece home if they land the shot.
The Ocean Pottery Throwdown will be from 5-6 p.m. where guests can compete or watch as participants – some blindfolded - throw tea bowls and pitchers. The Pottery Speed Trials will be from 5:30-6:30 p.m. where guests can try the potter’s wheel for
two minutes.
The Staircase Gallery at the Arts Center continues a show by artist Abi Lightner.
PKS Investments is sponsoring the beverages, and the Hilton Garden Inn is providing desserts for June’s First Friday. The Princess Royale satellite gallery, 9100 Coastal Hwy., continues to host the artwork of Angela Vinson. The Coffee Beanery satellite gallery at 94th St. and Coastal Hwy. continues to display the artwork of Patricia Farley.
(June 6, 2025) OceanCity.com has announced the winners of the 2025 Best of Ocean City® Awards, recognizing the most beloved restaurants, bars, activities, and boardwalk businesses in Ocean City. For over a decade, the annual tradition has celebrated the local favorites that make Ocean City a premier East Coast destination.
Thousands of voters — both locals and returning visitors — cast their ballots throughout the year to choose their favorites in four main categories: Best Restaurants in Ocean City, Best Bars in Ocean City, Best Things to Do in Ocean City and Best of the Ocean City Boardwalk.
In each category, winners were named by popular vote and by a locals' editorial panel, ensuring a well-rounded list of must-visit spots for summer 2025.
“Every year, the Best of Ocean City® Awards showcase the heart and soul of our town,” said Ann Hillyer, Publisher of OceanCity.com. “It’s not just about the most popular spots, but also about celebrating the hard work of our independent businesses and the places that create lifelong vacation memories.”
The full list of 2025 winners is now live on OceanCity.com/Best-ofOcean-City, including categories like
Best Seafood Restaurants, Best Happy Hour Spots, Best Craft Beer Bars, Best Things to Do, Best French Fries - Yes, it is Thrasher’s with 93% of the votes; and Best Candy on the Boardwalk.
In addition to bragging rights, each Best of Ocean City® winner will receive a custom metal plaque featuring the winning image from this year’s Best of Ocean City® Photo Contest — a stunning sunrise captured by local photographer Jenn Perry. The photo, taken from the beach in Ocean City, perfectly captures the beauty and spirit of the town. These coveted plaques are proudly displayed by winners year after year, marking them as true Ocean City favorites.
To make exploring even easier, OceanCity.com has also launched a free mobile pass program — the Best of Ocean City® Trails — which includes the Best Restaurants Trail, Best Bars Trail, Best of the Boardwalk Trail, and the Best Things to Do Trail. Users can check in at participating winners, earn points, and be entered to win gift certificates to top Ocean City hotels. Learn more and download your trail at https://www.oceancity.com/find-thebest-of-ocean-city-winners/
By Kristin Joson Contributing Writer
(June 6, 2025) As summer kicks off, Ocean City’s beaches become a favorite destination for newly graduated seniors eager to celebrate their achievements. Known fondly as “June Bugs,” these enthusiastic visitors often bring high energy and occasionally risky behavior to the shore.
Ocean City’s Surf Rescue Technicians (SRTs), commonly known as lifeguards, are always on high alert during this time. One of their most vital skills is a constant visual sweep of their surroundings. Their area includes a 360-degree range around their stand, referred to as the primary and secondary scans which include not only in the front but also in the back to the dune line. Lifeguards are trained to spot signs of danger before they develop, and during June, that often means keeping an extra close eye on overexcited beachgoers.
Warm weather and inviting water can be a recipe for fun but also for danger when mixed with youthful overconfidence. Graduates may feel invincible, letting excitement cloud their judgment. That’s where the lifeguards come in,
working tirelessly to keep everyone safe. Typical graduates are full of confidence and feel immune to any dangers. They sometimes allow the excitement of the atmosphere to impede their judgment just enough to get them into trouble. When we get a warm sunny day, the water temperatures are inviting. If you add a town full of celebrating graduates to the mix, the lifeguards have their work cut out for them. At no other time of year do we see more teenagers chase each other down the beach and into the ocean only to end up diving into shallow water. The more experienced among them dive shallowly and usually do not suffer any consequences of this risky behavior. The less fortunate will spend the rest of their vacation trying to explain the scabs on their forehead and nose. The extremely unfortunate will not be able to run or dive, ever again. This has occurred too many times. While Beach Patrol members respond to spinal injuries every year, none are more tragic than those that occur when young people are injured from diving into shallow water. It is not their age so much, but the fact that these injuries are so preventable that they make them particularly tragic. Beach Patrol "Rule Number One" is: "Keep your feet in the sand until the lifeguard is in the stand." Rule Number Two is: “Feet First, First Time" which is
a reminder to check the water depth with your feet, not your head. Our ocean water is not as clear as pool water, and we don't have the depth printed along the edge in big black numbers like it is at the local swim club. While lifeguards try to stop accidents before they happen, even whistle blasts sometimes don't catch the attention of those playing around. Surf Rescue Technicians are often hoping that those who just dove into the foot-deep water will pop up unscathed. This is usually followed by what we call an impromptu beach safety presentation as the closest lifeguard explains the dangers of their actions. While 40 percent of spinal injuries occurring in the surf are caused by people diving into shallow water, the majority result from body surfers and body boarders riding waves that are breaking too close to shore. We encourage people to keep their arms stretched out in front of them when body surfing, and to avoid riding waves that are breaking close to the sandbar or beach.
The Ocean City Beach Patrol has worked with trauma doctors to develop a specialized technique to manage suspected head, neck, and back injuries. Although every surf rescue technician is trained and skilled in the use of these techniques, it is far better for our beach patrons to have injuries prevented rather than treated. Taking responsibility for your own actions and spreading the caution about spinal cord injuries is
the greatest form of prevention. Many people do not realize that wet sand is just as un-yielding as concrete and that it is the bones of the spinal column that cause the damage and possible paralysis that results from the impact of your head, neck or back with the beach. Most people would never think of attempting a flip in the middle of a parking lot, however, many of these same individuals will attempt aerial maneuvers on the beach or into a few inches of ocean water. This too often results in witnessing our spinal injury management technique firsthand.
An additional factor that has an influence on risky behavior on the beach is the addition of alcohol. Not only is this an illegal activity that could follow someone for many years, but it is also a factor for most of the risky behavior exhibited by a minority of these youthful visitors. These recent graduates have worked to achieve this newfound freedom, and we do not want that freedom to end in Ocean City. Graduates, remember to have fun but please, “Play it Safe!” We hope that everyone who visits our beach will enjoy many happy, healthy returns.
As added protection for you and your friends, always locate the nearest stand with a guard and swim on that beach. If you think you could handle the responsibility of being a Surf Rescue Technician, check out our employment information at JoinBeachPatrol.com.
12-14
The Morgan’s Message wall came to life on Tuesday when members of the Stephen Decatur High School student body and faculty applied colorful paint to the mural.
By Tara Fischer Staff Writer
(June 5, 2025) A new art project at Stephen Decatur High School, in conjunction with a few community partners, aims to promote mental health among student athletes.
This week, members of We Are Limitless Studios, a Salisbury-based team dedicated to public art throughout Delmarva, began painting a mural at SDHS behind the school’s football stadium. The ball wall depicts a teal butterfly logo with a semicolon to represent suicide prevention, resilience, and hope. Surrounding the butterfly are images showcasing the plethora of athletic teams at SDHS.
The design was created by Decatur’s Morgan’s Message chapter, a nonprofit that works to destigmatize mental health challenges in the student athlete community. The group, with participating colleges and high school campuses throughout the nation, was kick-started in response to a university lacrosse player who died by suicide at 22 years old in 2019.
“The mural showcases the Morgan’s Message butterfly logo with the semicolon body, which was derived from Morgan’s artwork and inspired by her love of the color teal,” said Wendy Shirk, a school social worker at SDHS. “At her memorial, many people noticed they were surrounded by butterflies, which they believed was Morgan’s way of saying she’s always here, embracing others with love. To us, the semicolon means that when things feel hard, we should allow ourselves to pause and get the help we need to move forward, but never stop.”
We Are Limitless Studios created and outlined the design and assisted in the painting, which took place this week, with help from students and community members.
Shirk said that the mural will help normalize mental health resources and encourage students, student athletes, and staff to seek help if they need it. The art initiative will eliminate the stigma that often comes with asking for assistance, particularly regarding mental well-being, among young athletes and beyond.
“We believe that although Morgan’s Message has a foundation in athletics, all of our students, teachers, staff, and families can benefit from the overall message: we all struggle, help is available, and it’s okay to ask for help,” Shirk said.
The project was created after Decatur’s Morgan’s Message chapter received a grant from the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation in December for a community art initiative. Following the award, the decision was made to construct an athletic, con-
crete ball wall with a mural to normalize mental health conversations.
Shirk said that the initiative’s planning included researching and securing a construction company to build the concrete wall, which ended up being completed by Hayward Construction, and outreach work to garner donations and grants, totaling just over $20,000, for the mural.
Construction of the wall took place from May 1 to May 19. On June 2, the mural was primed and outlined, painted by students and community members on June 3, and finalized with a seal-coating was planned on June 4.
Students from the Morgan’s Message group did the artistic project with guidance from Shirk and teachers and coaches Lindsay Owens and Shannon Bone, who coach Unified sports in the fall and winter at Decatur as well as varsity women’s lacrosse in the spring.
The initiative leads are excited about what the wall will add to the Seahawk community.
“At its foundation, [the mural] serves as a practice tool for our various athletic teams and physical education students,” Shirk said. “But more importantly, it is a conversation piece for students and community members that will highlight the importance of having honest and safe conversations about mental health that include resources and support. The beauty of it is that it holds value to all students and extends beyond our school community. It also highlights the importance of the arts and community partnerships.”
Students’ work in Decatur’s Morgan’s Message chapter made the mural’s conception possible. According to Shirk, the nonprofit was founded to honor Morgan Rodgers, a Division I lacrosse player at Duke University who suffered a knee injury and subsequent mental health challenges. The young athlete died by suicide in 2019.
Morgan’s friends and family started the nonprofit to prop up her story and create a platform for those going through similar challenges to share their struggles.
“Morgan’s Message is clear: as an athlete, there is no shame in seeking physical healthcare — the same should be true for mental healthcare,” Shirk said. “To close the gap, we must eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health together.”
Decatur’s new butterfly mural aims to foster a safe space for each member of the Seahawk family to open up about their struggles by normalizing mental health conversations and promoting the available resources for those that need it.
BUXY’S SALTY DOG & DRY DOCK 28
410-289-BUXY
28th Street Coastal Hwy.
Sundays: Local Party w/ DJ Deogee
CAPTAIN’S TABLE
410-289-7192
15th & Boardwalk
In The Courtyard Marriott
Fridays & Saturdays: Phil Perdue
CARIBBEAN POOL BAR
410-289-6181
In The Plim Plaza Hotel
109 N. Atlantic Ave.
Fri., June 6: Endless Ember Duo & Lost Figures
Sat., June 7: Keith & Chris & Mercury Agenda
Sun., June 8: John Cardo & TBA
Mon., June 9: Dave Sherman & Ryan Jackson
Tues., June 10: Kasey Briggs & Nick Hundley
Wed., June 11: Fil Rhythum & Ben Davis
Thurs., June 13: Lost Figures & Mercury Agenda
COCONUTS BEACH BAR
410-289-6846
Oceanfront At Castle
In The Sand Hotel
37th & 38th Streets
Fri., June 6:
Opposite Directions & Monkee Paw
Sat., June 7: Whisky Train & The Everafter
Sun., June 8: Margot & Val & Mutt Sanders
Mon., June 9: Sean Loomis & The Rogue Citizens
Tues., June 10: Shortcut Sunny & Local Crew Duo
Wed., June 11: Kevin Poole & Lime Green Band
Thurs., June 12: Kevin Poole & Homeskool Droupouts
COINS PUB
410-289-3100
28th Street Plaza On Coastal Hwy.
Fri., June 6: Cup Of Joe
Sat., June 7: Jim Long Party & On The Edge
CRABCAKE FACTORY BAYSIDE
302-988-5000
37314 Lighthouse Rd., Rte. 54, Selbyville, DE
Sun., June 8: True Country
Wed., June11: Jack Bannon
CRAWL STREET TAVERN
443-373-2756
Wicomico St., Downtown O.C.
Fri., June 6: Charred Mac
Sat., June 7: Rogue Citizens
FAGER’S ISLAND
410-524-5500
60th St., In The Bay
Fri., June 6: Making Waves, Mark Bray & DJ RobCee
Sat., June 7: Other Brother Darryl, No Go Romeo & DJ Vybe
Mon., June 9: DJ Wax, Decade 80 & DJ Hector
Tues., June 10: Bryan Clark & DJ Hector
Thurs., June 12: DJ Groove
OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS
Coconuts Beach Bar: Friday, June 6
Harborside: Sunday, June 8
Fish Tales: Tuesday, June 10
ON THE EDGE
Coins Pub: Saturday, June 7
ROGUE CITIZENS
Crawl Street Tavern: Saturday, June 7
Coconuts Beach Bar: Monday, June 9
NO GO ROMEO
Fager’s Island: Saturday, June 7
Caribbean Pool Bar: Friday, June 6 & Thursday, June 12
Harborside: Saturday, June 7
Jolly Jellyfish Beach Club: Tuesday, June 10
MARGOT & VAL
Coconuts Beach Bar: Sunday, June 8
FULL CIRCLE
Seacrets: Friday, June 6 & Wednesday, June 11 (Duo)
JACK N T
Jolly Jellyfish Beach Club: Friday, June 6
GARDEN STATE RADIO
Seacrets: Thursday, June 12
FISH TAILS
410-289-0990
22nd St., & Bay
Sun., June 8: Rymac & Friends
Tues., June 10: Opposite Directions
Wednesdays: DJ Wax
Thurs., June 12: Joe Wood
GREENE TURTLE WEST
410-213-1500
Route 611, West OC Sat., June 7: TBA
HARBORSIDE 410-213-1846
South Harbor Rd., West End O.C.
Fri.,: DJ Billy T Sat., June 6: Lost Figures & DJ Harvey Cinco
Sundays: Opposite Directions & Charlie Travers
Wednesdays: DJ Billy T
Thursdays: Dust N Bones
JOLLY JELLYFISH BEACH CLUB
443-664-6147
98th Street Coastal Hwy., Plaza Condominium
Fri., June 6: Jack N T
Sat., June 7: Dust N Bones
Sun., June 8: Big Deck Energy Party
Featuring The Rockoholics
Mon., June 9: First Class
Tues., June 10: Lost Figures
Wed., June 11: Joe Mama & The Friends
Thurs., June 12: Beach Bandits
PICKLES PUB
410-289-4891
8th St. & Philadelphia Ave.
Fri., June 6: Beats By DeoGee
Sat., June 7: The Dunehounds
Sundays: Beats By Styler
Mondays: Karaoke w/ Wood
Tuesdays: Beats By Wax
Wednesdays: Beats By Madame Dutchess
Thursdays: Beats By Connair
PURPLE MOOSE SALOON
410-289-6953
Between Caroline & Talbot Sts. On The Boards
Fri. & Sat., June 6 & 7: Doc Marten & The Flannels
Sat., June 7 (2pm): Steve O’Boyle Sun., June 8 (2pm): Keith & Ralph Duo
Wednesdays: Balkan Party w/ DJ Papi
SEACRETS
410-524-4900
49th St. & Coastal Hwy. Fri, June 6: DJ Connair, Full Circle, DJ C-Miller, DJ E-State, DJ Mary Jane, Dear Zoe & Turning The Tide
Sat., June 7: DJ Connair, DJ Flight, Dear Zoe, DJ Bobby O, DJ E-State, Tommi Boi & Stealing Savanah
Sun., June 8: DJ Davie, DJ E-State, DJ Flight, South Penn Dixie & No Filter
Mon., June 9: DJ Wax & Blake Haley
Tues., June 10: DJ C-Miller & John McNutt Duo
Wed., June 11: DJ E-State, Full Circle Duo & The Way Outs
Thurs., June 12: Faith Noel, DJ E-State, DJ Flight & Garden State Radio
THE WEDGE 410-289-5121
806 S. Atlantic Ave.
Sun., June 8: Jason Lee
Thurs., June 12: Joe Esham
LODGE SCHOLARSHIPS
SUBMITTED PHOTO/OC TODAY-DISPATCH
Worshipful Master Eric Voges, center, of Evergreen Lodge #153 in Berlin presents Masonic Charities of Maryland and Evergreen Lodge scholarship awards to Lucas Magathan, left, and Payton Piercey, both graduates from Stephen Decatur High School this spring.
ELKS AWARDS
SUBMITTED PHOTO/OC TODAY-DISPATCH
The Ocean City Elks Club recently presented its annual scholarships to Stephen Decatur High School graduates. Pictured, from left, are Scholarship Committee Co-Chair David Poore, recipients Marley Noonan, Anika Karli, Peyton Piercey, Evan Todd, Bryce Gill, Brooke Berquist, Keagan Shump and Daisey Pugh and Scholarship Committee Co-Chair Pat Flynn.
SUBMITTED PHOTO/OC TODAY-DISPATCH SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED
The Ocean City Berlin Optimist Club presented seven “Friends of Youth Scholarships” and two “Future Teachers Scholarship” at the Senior Awards Ceremony on May 22 totaling $100,000. Pictured, from left, as Friends of Youth Scholarship recipients are Dena Holloway, scholarship committee member; Teresa Guo, $14,000; Maddison Biggers, $14,000; Hailey Cowger, $9,000; Tony Martin, $9,000; Keeyonie Coston-Planter, $7,000; Eli Scott, $7,000; and Lee Holloway, scholarship committee member. Receiving the “Future Teachers Scholarship” were Curtasia Schoolfield, $15,000, and Zoey Caldwell, $15,000.
“Yee-Haw!” Students in Ms. Burbage’s second grade class at Ocean City Elementary School wowed their friends and families with their incredible showmanship during their western-themed music performance on May 15.
KIWANIS SCHOLARSHIPS
SUBMITTED PHOTO/OC TODAY-DISPATCH
Two scholarships were awarded to Snow Hill High School students by the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City. Snow Hill High School was just one of the three Worcester County high schools where Kiwanis Club awarded the 2025 scholarships. Pictured, from left, are Kiwanis Club Scholarship Chair James Maratea; Kiwanis Club President Tom Southwell; scholarship recipient Abigail Gaskill, who received the $2,000 Ralph Chinn Memorial Scholarship; and recipient Summer Young, who received a $1,000 General Excellence Scholarship.
NEW RWWC MEMBERS
SUBMITTED PHOTO/OC TODAY-DISPATCH
On May 22, at the luncheon meeting of the Republican Women of Worcester County, four new members were welcomed. Pictured, from left, are Jennie Allen, RWWC Membership Chair; new members Annette Pennewell Furst, Alice Wigfield, Susan Wilgus-Murphy and Barbara Firchak; and Jean Delcher, RWWC president.
WitH Bunk Mann
In the fall of 1969 Ocean City residents could drive to 112th Street and watch the beginning of a new era in the town’s history. There on the beachfront a uniquely designed building was being constructed by visionary developer John Whaley’s Caliban Corporation.
Known as the High Point (and later as the High Point South when the neighboring High Point North opened in 1972) at 11 stories high, it replaced the George Washington Hotel as Ocean City’s tallest building. Within a few years 17 other high-rise structures would go up between 94th and 118th streets and the area would become known as the Gold Coast. Construction abruptly ceased in the fall of 1973 as the gas crisis and overbuilding put an end to the heyday of condo sales. Within a year only a few of the existing high-rises would escape the auctioneer’s gavel. Today the Gold Coast is thriving again and property values are high.
While the High Point South is no longer Ocean City’s tallest building, it will always claim a place in history as the town’s first high-rise condominium.
To purchase one of Bunk Mann's books, click over to www.vanishingoc.com. Photo of High Point South courtesy of Gail Whaley
By Steve Green
Last weekend’s rainbow after the hail
Finally feeling like summer this week
Tuna poke bowls
A rainy day spent working
Scanning book shelves in a house
Burgers on a charcoal grill
Edgewater Avenue sunsets
An old laptop that still works great
My teenagers goofing around together
Berlin’s farmers market after church
Uneventful road trips
(June 6, 2025) Seacrets recently welcomed a new addition to its bayfront locaitons – the new Hideaway nestled among a sea of palm trees and located directly behind the Atlantic Beverage Center on the Assawoman Bay.
While Hideaway debuted last year with a soft opening as an outdoor craft cocktail lounge, it has now expanded into a fully operational fine dining restaurant.
“I wanted this design to be uniquely different from Seacrets, and to me, it’s art …and the food is too,” said owner Leighton Moore said.
Offering refined cuisine alongside an extensive wine list, the menu has been meticulously curated with attention to every detail, ensuring a delicious and unique dining experience.
“We are proud of the menu…because it reflects our philosophy of house-crafting fresh, vibrant, cuisine,” said Head Chef Paul Suplee. “From our fried green tomatoes to our now-famous flash fried whole snapper with duck fatfried fingerlings and tomato-pineapple salsa, we take pride in the craftsmanship of our crew and their ability to create world class memories.”
Whether guests choose to dine at one of the elegant tables or relax at a bar adorned with deep blue glass blocks imported from Europe, Hideaway presents a new standard of dining on the Eastern Shore.
“Guests will experience exquisite service paired with unique cocktails… ,” said Hideaway General Manager Adam Peix.
“The blue blocks and the white and warm-stained wood architecture, nestled on a private beach, will transport anyone to the Mediterranean. It’s a true destination experience.”
Hideaway is open every day from 4-11 p.m.. Guests are encouraged to make a reservation online or by calling in advance, however, walk-ins are welcome as well.
For more information or to make a reservation, visit seacrets.com/seacrets-hideaway or call 410-524-2929.
"I am extremely excited and proud to be part of the building and opening of Hideaway. You will see the pride, time and effort we have all taken to make this unique space happen.
“We look forward to sharing our Hideaway with you,” said Rebecca Moore, wife of owner Leighton Moore.
EXPERIENCE YOU CAN TRUST
We have generations of experience and are well known for our exceptional dental care. We want to help you keep that bright and beautiful smile every season!
COSMETIC & FAMILY DENTISTRY
by Steve Green
don’t drive long distances by myself much, but I did this week and had a lot of time to think, probably too much honestly.
I was leaving Towson University after dropping Beckett, 17, off for a long weekend as an ambassador for a leadership conference. Since he was not allowed to drive, we learned we had to drop him off.
The alone hours gave me time to reflect on him and the exciting period ahead, as he continues to move through a memorable chapter of his life.
Time doesn’t stop and I feel like we are on a high-speed train currently. Everything is and will continue to be fast and furious over the coming year. I know full well one year from now the week after graduation is going to blow my mind.
As I ate my Chick-fil-A in my truck, I sat in silence for several minutes thinking, then I got to scrolling on my phone and this article popped up. Whether it’s AI at work or just pure coincidence, this was the first thing I saw on my Facebook feed. It hit my heart.
The column was by Allison Taylor Tate on grownandflown.com
If there is anything I could tell the parents of teenagers right now, it would be this: It doesn’t matter.
I am a mom of four, a college counselor for high school students, and a journalist who has covered college admissions and parenting topics for almost a decade, and I am here to tell you that it just doesn’t matter.
It doesn’t matter if your child earns a B (or a C or even a D) in Algebra, if they don’t make the National Honor Society, if they start on the varsity baseball team, if they warm the bench, if they don’t pass the AP exam or if they get the highest score, or if they get that internship or not.
It doesn’t matter if they get a perfect score on the SAT or if they bomb it. It doesn’t matter if they are the valedic-
torian of their high school. It doesn’t matter where they go to college.
It just doesn’t matter — none of it matters — if your kid isn’t healthy.
… I am talking about mental health. And please, do not be fooled: Mental health is physical health.
Over the past several years, I have done a lot of reporting and analyzing why our kids are in such a dark place.
I’m not a psychologist, a sociologist, or a trauma expert, but I have talked to many high school and college students from all over the country, and my notexpert opinion is this: The stakes are simply too high.
We have convinced our teens that there is no room for error.
Parents ask if they can pull their children out of classes if they are in danger of earning a B, certain that anything less than an A will keep them out of a “good college,” whatever that means. They won’t let them quit a sport or an activity they don’t like anymore because they believe colleges will not want their kids unless they show a four-year commitment. Our kids compromise their sleep, nutrition, and social lives, chasing some notion of what their future demands.
Don’t get me wrong; I understand these worries and the fear kids need to do certain things to have “good” lives (again, whatever that means). I get it. And, of course, our kids need to do things that make them uncomfortable or challenge them. I wholeheartedly believe that.
But simultaneously, because we are their parents, we’re sometimes the only ones who can turn down the pressure valve for our kids. …
It’s OK to fail. It’s OK to quit a team, a band, or a job. It’s OK to say no. It’s OK to be who they are, and that may not be the class president, team captain, or valedictorian. They can just be themselves because being themselves is enough, and they are enough, and they can and will survive any of these perceived setbacks.
Here’s the hard truth: So many kids
have sat in my office and told me while wiping away tears that they are afraid of disappointing their parents. It breaks my heart because I want my kids to be happy like any other parent. Yet, I know my kids would say the same thing.
It’s easy for us to get caught up in all of it, to believe that we need certain scores, grades, titles, or acceptances to validate ourselves and tell the world our value. Our job is to let our children know that their value is inherent.
Your children, my children, and all of our children believe their value in this world is in question. My mission, I have decided, is to make sure my kids know that all I want for them is to be good citizens, friends, partners, and humans.
What matters? Hope, effort, love, purpose, and people matter. Wanting to stay on this planet, get up tomorrow, and try matters again. Nothing else really does.
How do we convince our kids it’s all right to put down their burdens and rest and realize they have always been enough and worthy of love just as they are?
They need us to tell them.
They need us, the ones who have lived long enough to see the other side of a bad day, a bad month, or a bad year, to tell them things are not either “perfect” or “ruined” —that lives, like some of the best roads to travel, are winding and have rest stops, and that success (whatever that looks like for them) is not linear.
They need us to tell them the stakes are not nearly as high as they think. Something has to happen. Something has to change. And that something starts with us believing that nothing matters as much as our kids’ health.
There’s no time to waste.
(The writer is the executive editor of OC Today-Dispatch. He and his wife, Pamela, are proud parents of two boys. This weekly column examines their transition into parenthood and all that goes along with it. E-mail any thoughts to editor@octodaydispatch.com.)
(June 6, 2025) The public is welcome to join the Sturgis One Room School Museum in Pocomoke for its 4th Annual Juneteenth Celebration, a twoday event with food, fun and fellowship. Juneteenth is the oldest-known celebration marking the end of slavery in the United States, first recognized by the state of Texas.
On Friday, June 20, from 6-9 p.m. the Pocomoke Library 401 5th Street (Old Fire Hall) will host an Open Mic Night hosted by Sharnell Tull a.k.a. Sista Big. The event is seeking all talents, singers, poets, or spoken word. Come showcase your talent.
On Saturday, June 21 from noon-4 p.m. at 209 Willow Street in Pocomoke, everyone is invited to enjoy free tours of the Sturgis Museum, door prizes, live performances, a bounce house for kids, music by Charles Smith, DJ Max 2.0, 360 Photobooth, and great food.
Guest speakers include Sista Big, Lissa J, community partners, and more. Sidewalk vendors include baked goods, community resources, jewelry, apparel, sunglasses, and more.
If you are interested in joining the board or volunteering, please email Board President Kim Jones at sturgismuseum5@gmail.com.
The Sturgis One Room School Museum is the only African American One Room School in Worcester County retaining its original integrity. This event will bring together descendants of Sturgis students, past and present board members, as well as community partners. Everyone is invited. Vendor space is available.
(June 6, 2025) The Art League of Ocean City, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, is seeking instructors in all media to teach art classes, both in-person and online. The Art League offers their teachers fair compensation, flexible scheduling, and support from staff.
“If you have an artistic talent that you would like to share with others and enjoy leading students in creativity, we need you,” Dr. Mary Anne Cooper, Director of Education at the Art League, said. “We welcome any and all ideas for new art classes that we can offer our members and everyone in our community, as well as classes aimed at engaging children.”
The Art League invites instructors in all media for both adult and children’s classes to apply. Cooper asks anyone interested to contact her personally. Cooper can be reached at education@artleagueofoceancity.org or at 410-524-9433.
By Dave Dalkiewicz Contributing Writer
(June 6, 2025) It’s interesting to note how the “start” of the season occurs.
Memorial Day weekend is the traditional beginning and it came early this year. It’s a federal, national holiday and falls on the last Monday of May regardless of the actual date.
The purpose is to honor those who gave their lives in service to our nation in the armed forces. Many activities and remembrances are held around the country. Originally called Decoration Day it’s been held since 1868 after the Civil War and was first celebrated on May 30, eventually evolving to the last May Monday. For some it’s become a three- or four-day weekend. For some it’s become quite commercialized.
For the surfer, as described in a recent column, restrictions for surfing began on the holiday weekend in Ocean City.
Surfing is permitted anywhere in town before 10 a.m. and after 5:30 p.m. Within these hours there are two “block area” beaches that are open to surfing on a rotating basis. In addition, there is
an area downtown between the pier and inlet which is available for surfing on weekdays.
Another exception to these restrictions is that of modification. Modification will only occur in times of inclement weather or other specific conditions and is generally handed down from the captain of the Ocean City Beach Patrol (OCBP) through officers and finally to lifeguards (Surf Rescue Technicians, SRT’s) on the beach.
At this time of year, the ocean water is still rather chilly, hovering around 60 degrees, and could possibly help in a modification situation. Remember though; it’s only a possible exception. Fortunately, we do have an alternative to the south. Assateague Island has become more of a “go to” area and is relatively wide open though its popularity can make it difficult to park and even get onto the island.
For more information use an internet search engine and type in Ocean City (include state) surf beach or Ocean City beach patrol. Surfing can be a lot of things to a lot of different people. Let’s do our best to keep “fun” a big ingredient in the mixture.
- Dave Dalkiewicz is the owner of Ocean Atlantic Surf Shop in Ocean City
(June 6, 2025) Worcester Preparatory School has announced the 35 graduates of the WPS Class of 2025 officially became alumni on May 23.
This class received over $7.2 million in merit scholarship offers and will go on to attend 26 colleges and universities this fall.
During the ceremony, Head of School Dr. John McDonald announced the Top Senior Award recipients, including Danielle Carr as the Valedictorian and Best All-Around Student and Lydia Schwartz as the Salutatorian.
Carr is a member of the Cum Laude Society, National Honor Society, and the Spanish National Honor Society. She also founded the Musical Outreach Club and served as the president of the Class of 2025 for four years. Carr will attend Georgetown University and plans to study neurobiology.
Schwartz is a member of the Cum Laude Society, National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. She founded the Wellness at Worcester Club and served as SGA President. She will attend Stanford University and plans to study biomedical computation.
Some facts about the Class of 2025:
Of the 35 seniors, six students entered the class in either Pre-K or Kindergarten
Graduates will attend 26 colleges and universities in the fall. College enrollments include schools in 13 states and the District of Columbia
The colleges the graduates will attend are American University, Clemson University, College of Charleston, Cornell University, Dickinson University, Elon University, Florida Institute of Technology, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University (MD), McDaniel College, Penn State University, Stanford University, Universities of Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland (College Park), Mississippi, North Carolina (Wilmington), Richmond, South Carolina (Columbia), Vermont, and Virginia, Washington College, and William & Mary.
During the commencement, local scholarships were awarded, including two American Legion Scholarships to Briar Parsons and Travis Netting; a Soroptimist of Seaford Scholarship to William Wells; Ravens Roost Scholarships to Michael DePalma and Jackson Fernley; Ocean City Marlin Club Crew awards to James Haley
ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20
This week you might feel a surge of energy, Aries. It’s a good time to get moving on a long-term project or any passion projects that you may have been avoiding.
TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21
Taurus, this week is all about finding balance. You may be torn between your career and personal life, but don’t forget to set aside time for yourself.
GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21
Gemini, your creativity is at an alltime high, so use this week to explore new hobbies or start a creative project that excites you. You can be creative at work as well.
CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22
This is a week you may feel pulled toward home and family, Cancer. It’s a time for reorganizing your space or even simply enjoying quiet moments however you choose.
LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23
Leo, your communication skills that will be on display this week. It’s a great time to express your ideas and connect with other people. Start that conversation.
VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22
Pay attention to your budgeting and spending this week, Virgo. There may be opportunities to invest your money in a wiser way. Finances will be on your mind a lot.
LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23
Libra, you may feel like the spotlight is on you right now. Either at work or in social settings, your leadership abilities will be put to the test and on display.
SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22
This might be a week that calls for introspection, Scorpio. Although you might feel like retreating, don’t close yourself off entirely from others for too long.
SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21
Connections with friends and groups will be front and center this week, Sagittarius. You might receive an unexpected invitation and make new friends who share your interests.
CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20
Capricorn, you should prioritize your professional goals over the next few days. Might there be something you can do to land a promotion or step into a leadership role?
AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18
This week may present opportunities for learning, exploring or even travel. A spontaneous trip might be just what you need to recharge and reflect on yourself, Aquarius.
PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20
It’s time to put some effort into making deeper connections and fostering your relationships, Pisces. That requires spending a little more time with the people around you.
and Allen Zhang; and the Franky Pettolina Memorial Scholarships to Lucas Nicastro, Sydney Tingle, and Emma Zajdel. Maryland State Senator, Mary Beth Carozza, representing Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties, also presented Emma Zajdel with a Maryland Senatorial Scholarship.
Worcester Preparatory School was honored to welcome alumna Kathryn Marshall Timmons (Class of 2010) as the commencement speaker at graduation. Timmons is a second-generation Mallard. Her father, Mike (Class of 1982), her sister Molly (Class of 2013), and her brother Jack (Class of 2014) are also graduates, while her mother, Kathy, currently serves on the Worcester Prep Board of Trustees.
During her time at WPS, Timmons was a standout student, earning the distinction of Best All-Around Student in both her junior and senior years. After graduating from Worces-
ter Prep, she went on to attend her dream school, the University of Notre Dame, where she graduated Cum Laude in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Anthropology. After working in Chicago as Chief of Staff for a non-profit organization,
Timmons earned her law degree from Georgetown Law School, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2019. Today, she is an Associate at Venable LLP, one of the world’s largest law firms, where she specializes in privacy law and autonomous vehicles.
■ PRICE RANGE: $, $$, $$$
■ RESERVATIONS: Reservations accepted
South end to 28th Street
■ BUXY’S SALTY DOG SALOON
DRY DOCK 28
28th Street, Ocean City, 410-289-0973, buxys.com, drydockoc.com
Destiny has a new home in Ocean City. From the ‘burgh to the beach, Buxy’s is your home away from Pittsburgh. Come see what all the locals already know and have known – Buxy’s is the place to come to meet friends, relax and be social with no attitudes. House specialties include “The” Cheesesteak Sub, Primanti-styled sandwiches, pierogis, egg-rolls and homemade crab dip. Dry
Dock also features a full menu with soups, salads, kick starters, pierogis and craft pizza.
■ CAPTAIN’S TABLE
15th Street and Baltimore Avenue, in The Courtyard by Marriott, Ocean City 410-2897192, captainstableoc.com
$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar
A local tradition for over 60 years featuring hand cut steaks, premium lobster and perfectly prepared regional seafood. Breakfast daily 7:30-11 a.m. Open daily for dinner: Sunday through Thursday, 4-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4-10 p.m. Happy Hour, seven days a week, 4-6 p.m.
■ COINS PUB & RESTAURANT
28th Street Plaza and Coastal Highway, Ocean City 410-289-3100, www.coinspuboc.com
$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar
American style local restaurant serving seafood, steaks and chefs specials. Check out the off season weekday specials. Early bird; daily, 25:30 p.m. Sunday’s early bird specials, all day and all night. Happy Hour; daily, 2-5:30 p.m. with food and drink specials. Open Monday through Friday, 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 11:30 a.m. Dine-in, carry out.
■ CORAL REEF RESTAURANT & BAR
17th Street in the Holiday Inn & Suites, Ocean City 410-289-2612, coralreefrestaurant.com
$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar
Enjoy traditional Eastern Shore cuisine and local favorites that are sure to please your entire party! Choose from a selection of house specialty entrees such as sharables, handhelds and seafood. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Featuring specialty rums. Open daily, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
■ CRAWL STREET
19 Wicomico St., Ocean City, 443-373-2756, crawlstreet.com
Established in 2020 just a short walk from the legendary Cork Bar. Don’t leave without trying the famous wings, but everything on the menu is solid, including flatbreads, tacos, salads, sandwiches and seafood platters. Be sure to check out the live music offerings as the nightlife is top of the line.
■ DISTRICT 24 CRAFT BAR, JAY’S CAFÉ & BLU CRABHOUSE & RAW BAR
2305 Philadelphia Ave., Ocean City 410-2893322, district24oc.com
There is more at District 24. Enjoy breakfast, lunch, pastries and coffee at Jay’s Cafe. CRAFT Pizza, Beer & Cocktails at CRAFT Lounge. Fresh Seafood at BLU Crabhouse & Raw Bar. Enjoy an elevated dining experience with great chophouse dishes and charcuterie boards, along with a Wine Spectator Award Wining Wine Menu at Embers Rooftop Restaurant. There is something for everyone at District 24 like live music in the courtyard, mini golf, arcade play and axe throwing.
■ FISH TALES
2107 Herring Way, Ocean City, 410-289-0990, ocfishtales.com
Bayfront marina dining offered here with a huge menu to satisfy guests of all ages. Enjoy a drink from a hanging chair or fish tacos at your table while the kids play in a playground build in the sand. Food and drink menus offer enough of a variety to meet all needs.
■ HARBOR WATCH
806 S. Atlantic Avenue, Ocean City 410-2895121, www.harborwatchrestaurant.com
$$-$$$ | Reservations | Kids’ Menu | Full bar
Celebrating our 41st anniversary with fresh seafood, an award-winning raw bar, mouthwatering steaks and the best view of the Ocean City Inlet and Assateague Island. Open every day. Monday through Wednesday open at 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday open at 11:30 a.m. Call for banquet and large-party details.
■ PICKLES PUB
706 Philadelphia Ave., Ocean City, 410-2894891, picklesoc.com
$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar
Easy to find with plenty of free parking, serving lunch, dinner and entire diverse menu until 1 a.m. Also nightly entertainment year-round and a great place to watch all the sports on an ocean of televisions including a giant high-def screen. Also four pool tables on site. Lunch and dinner and entire menu until 1 a.m. Open all year from 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m., seven days a week.
■ PIT & PUB
2706 Philadelphia Ave. and 12701 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, pitandpub.com
Ocean City’s home of Pulled Pork and the finest barbecue, the legendary 28th Street Pit & Pub and the Northside Pit & Pub are known for serving up delicious smokehouse specialties. Grab a brew and enjoy the live sports action on one of the big screen TVs. Happy hour daily. Familyfriendly atmospheres at both locations. Weekend entertainment.
■ THE WEDGE BAR
806 S. Atlantic Ave, Ocean City, www.thewedgeoc.com
$-$$ | Full bar
Panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean, bay and Assateague Island. Enjoy small plates, sandwiches and grilled burgers. Open every day, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
29th to 90th streets
■ 32 PALM
32nd Street in The Hilton, Ocean City 410-2892525, 32palm.com
$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar
Elevated cuisine, locally sourced ingredients and allocated spirits are prominently featured in our lounge and dining room. Open year-round for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Routinely updated menus with the highest quality local ingredients for fresh seafood any time of the year!
■ THE BONFIRE
71st Street, Coastal Hwy., Ocean City, 410-5247171, thebonfirerestaurant.com
Celebrating more than 50 years as the best seafood and prime rib buffet in Ocean City. It’s all here – the service, the atmosphere and finest, freshest seafood available and quality meats. Save room for the decadent desserts available as well including homemade donuts.
■ COCONUTS BEACH BAR & GRILL
3701 Atlantic Ave., Ocean City, 410-289-6846, castleinthesand.com
A tropical open-air patio steps from the beach. A unique place for lunch or dinner with a menu featuring all the customary items and a few Ocean City-based surprises. Guests can also enjoy beach service for lunch and cocktails. Be sure to check out the daily entertainment schedule.
■ FAGERS ISLAND
201 60th St., Ocean City, 410-524-5500, fagers.com
$$ | Full bar
Dine on the island with an award-winning bayfront restaurant featuring American & Regional dining with a global influence and popular destination featuring impeccably prepared American and Pacific Rim cuisine. Also enjoy our outdoor decks and bar with live entertainment and 32 wines by the glass. A place where the joy of food & the presence of the table are of utmost importance. Dine on fresh seafood and our famous Prime Rib. Enjoy beautiful sunsets over the water. Open 11 a.m. daily. Fine dine at 4:30 p.m.
■ HOOKED
8003 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, 410-7234665, hookedoc.com
$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar
A Common Ground Hospitality concept, a passion driven restaurant group servicing the coastal community. The goal is honor creativity and innovation by design. With passion at the heart of everything, unique dining concepts are paired with honest hospitality and well-made food sourced with fresh local ingredients and seasonal harvests. Craft and full bar available. Open daily 11:30 a.m.
■ LONGBOARD CAFÉ
6701 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, 443-6645693, longboardcafe.com
$$-$$$ | Full bar
Casual Dining … Refined. Open for lunch and dinner. A wide range of gourmet burgers, innovative tacos, salads and sandwiches to full dinner entrees featuring fresh local fish prepared in a variety of styles, beef, shellfish and pasta. All our sauces, salsas, dressings, etc. are meticulously house made. We use fresh local sources wherever possible and premium ingredients such as our chuck, brisket and short rib custom blended burgers. Closed Tuesday. Call for reservations.
■ MARLIN MOON RESTAURANT
3301 Atlantic Ave., in the Double Tree Hotel, Ocean City 410-289-1201, marlinmoonocmd.com
$$ | Full bar
Winner of the Maryland People's choice award, Marlin Moon continues to offer its famous, locally loved dishes and famous happy hour. Enjoy creatively crafted cocktails, fresh selections from the raw bar and luscious desserts. Happy Hour, every day, 3-6 p.m., featuring drink specials. Breakfast, 7:30-11:30 a.m.; Lite Fare, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Dinner, 4-10 p.m.; and Bar open noon to 11 p.m.
■ SEACRETS
49th Street, Ocean City 410-524-4900, www.seacrets.com
$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar
Open Sunday through Friday at 11 a.m., 10 a.m. on Saturdays, close at 2 a.m. Enjoy a tropical atmosphere and dine under the palms in our outdoor, kid friendly dining area or try a Seacrets Beachin' Cocktails in the Bay with live music every day open to close. The club is open every night in the summer. Try our famous jerk chicken with homemade honey mustard sauce, Pushcart Trio, a true Jamaican dish or a hearty wrap, sandwich or delicious burger. We have it all at Seacrets.
■ ALBERTINO'S BRICK OVEN & EATERY
13117 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, 410-2502000, albertinosoc.com
$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar
Featuring the best brick oven pizza, always handmade with fresh ingredients, Italian-American mouth-watering seafood specialties, traditional Italian pasta dishes, apps, soups and salads. Full bar with large local craft beer selection.
■ CAROUSEL OCEANFRONT HOTEL & CONDOS
118th Street, Ocean City 800-641-0011, www.carouselhotel.com
The Carousel Oceanfront Resort offers a family friendly casual dining experience with their Reef 118 restaurant. Offering dinner Thursday through Saturday from 5-9 p.m., featuring AYCE Crab legs. Serving breakfast on Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. Their new "Go for 2" happy hour features $10 appetizers as a buy one get one free. $1 oysters during all open hours.
■ THE CRAB BAG
13005 Coastal Highway Ocean City, 410-2503337, thecrabbag.com
$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar
Featuring consistent hot steamed crabs, eat in or carryout. The Crab Bag is also an Eastern Shore style seafood house specializing in preparing and serving the biggest and the best blue crabs available. The extensive menu promises something for everyone. Winter hours, Friday-Sunday, open 11 a.m.
■ CRABCAKE FACTORY USA
120th Street, oceanside, Ocean City, 410-2504900, crabcakefactoryusa.com
Full-service family restaurant, carry-out and sports bar. Outside seating available. Menu selections include prime rib, chicken Chesapeake, steamed shrimp, beer battered fish, real Philly cheesesteaks, burgers, and a kids menu. Casual attire, full liquor bar, no reservations. Open Year Round. World-Famous Crabcakes are served all day starting at 8 a.m. and can be packed on ice for you while you are eating breakfast.
■ JOLLY JELLYFISH BEACH CLUB
9800 Coastal Highway, Ocean City 443-6646147, jollyjellyfishbeachclub.com
Oceanfront bar with casual island style outdoor dining with awesome ocean views focused on cool beach vibes. Open for lunch and dinner and suitable for the entire family. Diverse menu available for every type of diner and featuring a cocktail menu with six housemade kegged cocktails. Every Sunday all summer features a “big deck energy party.” Entertainment daily, 4-7 p.m. Located in the Plaza Condominium with plenty of free parking.
■ VISTA ROOFTOP RESTAURANT
13801 Coastal Highway, located in the Fenwick Inn, Ocean City, 410-390-7905, vistarooftopoc.com
$$-$$$ | Full bar
Enjoy a wonderful meal overlooking the ocean and bay. Some of the most unique views in Ocean City. Steaks, seafood, burgers, soups, salads and lite fare. Happy hour, 3-6 p.m. New this year is a boozy brunch Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Live music.
■ CRABCAKE FACTORY BAYSIDE
Route 54, Fenwick Island, DE, 302-988-5000, CCFBayside.com
Same award-winning crab cakes and bloody marys. Enjoy waterfront dining. Full-service family restaurant, carry-out & sports bar. Outside seating available. Open daily year-round. Menu selections include crab cakes, prime rib, Philly-style
cheese steaks, various seafood, kids menu plus full breakfast menu.
■ DIRTY HARRY’S 100 Coastal Highway, Fenwick Island, DE, 302539-3020, Beach-net.com/dirtyharrys
$ | Kids’ Menu | Full bar
Don’t let the name fool you, the food is home cooking at its finest. Owned and operated by Ginny Swann and family for 19 years. Popular for the breakfast but getting rave reviews for lunch and dinner, too.
■ NANTUCKETS
Route 1, Fenwick Island, DE, 302-539-2607, nantucketsrestaurant.com
Serving the beach great food and spirits for over 30 years. David and Janet Twining will wow you with the finest foods and drinks in the area. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by what one of the coast’s finest dining establishments has in store for guests. Everything here is a house specialty.
■ TWINING’S LOBSTER SHANTY Rte. 54, Fenwick Island, Del., 302-436-2305, twiningshanty.com
Reservations | Kids’ Menu
“A funky little place at the edge of town.” Classic New England fare, lobsters, steaks and burgers. Bird watching and magical sunsets await. Open for lunch and dinner. Reservations are suggested.
■ ASSATEAGUE BAR AND GRILL 9636 Stephen Decatur Highway, West Ocean City 443-664-8158, abarngrill.com
$$ | Full bar
Full service, family friendly, casual dining to please everyone. Offering breakfast lunch and dinner with breakfast being served all day. Classic American cuisine with a selection of delicious Maryland favorites. Happy hour everyday from 16 p.m. with bar specials and tasty bites. Daily specials Monday through Friday. Dine-in and carry-out.
■ BREAKFAST CAFE
12736 Ocean Gateway, Route 50 east, West Ocean City, 410-213-1804, breakfastcafeofoc.com
All the traditional breakfast options available here in a casual, diner setting. Open daily closing at 2 p.m.
■ CANTINA LOS AGAVES MEXICAN GRILL 12720 Ocean Gateway #7, West Ocean City 410-390-3914, cantinalosagaves.com
$$ | Kid’s menu | Full bar
Ocean City’s newest Mexican restaurant and bar. Offering delicious and generous portions of the tastiest traditional and not so traditional #MexicanEats you have ever tried. Open daily at 11 a.m. Serving food until 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Bar open til 11 p.m.
■ DUMSER’S DAIRYLAND
West Ocean City: Route 50 east; Boardwalk locations: 501 S. Philadelphia Ave., 49th Street, 123rd Street, Ocean City, dumsersdairyland.com
This classic ice cream shop is a tradition for many families. Voted O.C.’s “Best Ice Cream” for the past 20 years, Dumser’s is celebrating decades of serving the shore, and the ‘40s-style décor takes you back in time. With locations throughout Ocean City, treating your tastebuds to this signature homemade ice cream is easy. The 49th and 124th streets locations offer vast lunch and dinner menus (breakfast too at 124th) in addition to a wide variety of ice cream treats.
■ GREENE TURTLE WEST Route 611, West Ocean City, 410-213-1500 Proudly serving West Ocean City since January 1999, The Greene Turtle features a beautiful 80seat dining room, large bar area with 54 TVs with stereo sound and game room with pool tables. With an exciting menu, The Greene Turtle is sure to please with delicious sizzling steaks, jumbo lump crab cakes, raw bar, homemade salads and more. Live entertainment, Keno, Turtle apparel, kids menu, carry-out.
■ HARBORSIDE BAR & GRILL
12841 Harbor Rd., West Ocean City, 410-2131846, weocharborside.com
$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar
Home of the original Orange Crush drink with an extensive menu offers a wide variety of appetizers, fresh seafood, steak & pasta entrees, as well as juicy burgers and sandwiches. Whether seeking a full dining experience or just a crush or two, the team will be sure to take excellent care of you and yours. Monday-Wednesday: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Thursday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
■ OC DINER 12744 Ocean Gateway, Rt 50 east, West Ocean City, 410-390-5112
Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Salad bar and dinner are back. Local’s favorite, homemade meals. Breakfast served all day. Kids’ menu. Dine-in and carry-out. Open 7 days a week: Sunday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m
(June 6, 2025) Judges in the 24th round of Salisbury University’s Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation Shore Hatchery entrepreneurship competition were inspired by a son’s dedication to improving the quality of life for his mother, awarding magnetic wireless electrode kinesiology tape company Lectra Technologies, Inc. with this semester’s top funding amount: $35,000.
Founder Jake Henry of Camp Hill, Pa. was able to help his mother run pain free after a long battle with debilitating osteoarthritis with his wearable device and app that not only treats musculoskeletal pain without the need for medications or surgery, but also outlasts competitors.
Held at Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore’s Perdue Henson Center, the competition featured 15 applicants from throughout the Mid-Atlantic vying for their share of $100,000 in prize money. Other winners included:
· Krave, LLC – Aliyah Newman, Rachel Ransom and Angel Hobbs: The beverage company aims to combat the Washington, D.C., bar scene’s high prices and inconsistent options. The ready-to-drink canned cocktail bridges the gap between premium mixology experiences and affordability - $25,000
· Consult Lemonade – Tierra and Wali Lathan, Jasmine Mack and Kelvin Jones: This management and technology resource firm in Columbia, MD, specializes in the development and employment of underrepresented talent that leverages innovation and technology - $15,000
· Blackwater Apothecary – Nicole Bishop: This Salisbury-based metaphysical supply store aims to enhance current offerings and expand in the wholesale market - $10,000
· Easy Oat Burgers – Desiree Calixte: This easy-to-make; gluten friendly; and dairy-, MSG-, GMO- and soy-free, plant-based, at-home burger mix is packaged in Frederick, MD - $5,000
· GaiaXus – Dietrich Ruehlmann: The GaiaXus Water Guardian, based in Germantown, MD, is a water quality monitoring system designed for citizen scientists, students and educators - $5,000
· Sustainabli – Kevin Tu: This Baltimore company promotes energy efficiency in research, education and health care settings with innovative sensor technology - $5,000
In addition to funding, winners and participants also receive mentoring support from the program’s board. Mentors include business leaders such as Chris Perdue of Perdue Farms, Inc.; Mike Cottingham of the Rommel Companies; Dr. Erinn Tucker-Oluwole of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore; and Matt Cohen of SIMPLi.
This round’s winners join the program’s 128 previous award recipients, who have self-reported estimated profits of some $35 million
annually, creating 1,169 jobs to date.
“The goal of this program is to assist where we can make the most lasting impact,” said Michael Jensen, SU executive director of entrepreneurship, “We want to play a role in expanding business growth and increasing job creation in our communities.”
Following the competition, the Ratcliffe Foundation announced another $900,000 gift to continue the Shore Hatchery program through 2029.
The program was established with an initial $1 million contribution in 2013. In 2017, the Ratcliffe Foundation announced a second $1 million gift to continue the Shore Hatchery through this spring, followed by the 2022 announcement of an additional $900,000 to maintain the program through 2026.
Administered by the Perdue School and the Dave and Patsy Rommel Center for Entrepreneurship, its goal is to fund and provide guidance to entrepreneurs with active small businesses in order to achieve greater scale and market reach.
“This program offers an important stepping stone for startups,” said Jensen. “The award removes specific obstacles to growth and enables expansion.”
Up to $200,000 annually is available for those applying for grants through the Shore Hatchery program.
By Deborah Lee Walker Contributing Writer
(June 6, 2025) Grilling season is finally here.
Sometimes the smallest detail can make the biggest difference between mediocrity and success.
With that thought, let us deconstruct grilled mini sausage and veggie kabobs.
The most common mistake when grilling pork kabobs is to combine the meat and veggies on one skewer. Grill the individual components separately, then artfully arrange your skewers with the items.
Sausage is the main ingredient so that is where we will begin. If one is going to grill raw sausages, chances are they will be overcooked and dry by the time the meat is fully cooked.
The solution is simple. Simmer the sausages in water until they are half cooked, then finish them on the grill. If one is concerned about fat, puncture the sausages with a fork to allow some of the fat to be released. Once cooled, slice and place on a plate. Italian, bratwursts, and kielbasa are possible options.
Cut the peppers into the desired shape, skewer them, and cook ac-
cordingly. Remember to remove the seeds and membranes in the peppers. Red, orange, and yellow are colorful and add a rainbow of gorgeousness. Poblanos add a touch of heat, and the emerald green color is much more attractive than your average green pepper. Once cooked, remove skewer and place peppers on a separate plate.
Mushrooms contain a lot if natural water, so they will shrink as they are grilled. Leave them whole or they will fall through the racks of the grill. As the natural juices are released, the flavor profile increases which is always a good thing.
Mushrooms can be skewered or placed individually on the grill. If they are placed on the grill individually, they get a more intense smokey flavor. Skewered mushrooms save a little time. Choices are up to the individual chef. Again, when they are cooked, place on a small plate.
A kabob is not a kabob without onions. Sweet, yellow, and red are the basic options. Red onions have a good foundation and can stand up to the grilling process.
Cut the onions in half vertically, and place the cut side down on the grill. After they have achieved a nice sear and cooled, then cut in half again to match the size of the other veggies.
Zucchini and yellow squash add variance and break up some of the richness of the kabob. Grill whole and then slice. The zucchini and squash should be al dente when they come off the grill, since they will continue cooking.
Grilled fruits such as pineapple, peaches, and plums add sweetness, depth of flavor, and a whole new dimension to the kabob.
Once all of the components are cooked, skewer the veggies, fruit, and protein in a colorful, artistic way. Sixinch bamboo skewers do not hold a lot considering you want an inch and a half space at the end of each skewer for easily handling.
The secret to a great kabob is that the individual components are packed with flavor and at the same time harmonize for a mouthwatering dish.
Grilled mini sausage and veggie kabobs are a fun appetizer for small or large gatherings. Forgo the meat and you have a delicious, thoughtful dish for vegetarians. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1-pound favorite sausages in casings
2 (each) red bell peppers, orange bell peppers, and yellow bell peppers
2 poblano peppers
1 large red onion
12 baby portabellas
2 cups favorite fruit, optional
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6-inch bamboo skewers
1. Fill a medium saute pan halfway with water. Bring water to a slow simmer and cook sausages for 4 minutes on each side.
2. Grill sausages, veggies, and fruit, make sure you achieve a good char, some of the char will come off during the cutting process.
3. Allow to cool and remove hard ends, seeds, and the inner membrane in the peppers.
4. Cut all the components into the same size shapes for a uniform look.
5. Skewer the ingredients making sure you alternate the proteins, vegetables, and fruits. Color will be another factor when skewering.
6. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a dusting of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to the kabob.
Secret Ingredient – Deliciousness
I’m eating it quickly, but I’ll remember it a long time.
Marjarie Kennan Rawling
Submit calendar items to: editor@octodaydispatch.com. Submission deadline is 5 p.m. Monday, the week of publication. Local submissions have priority. Area event listings are subject to space availability.
4TH ANNUAL BLUES FOR DU BLUEFISH TOURNAMENT
Bahia Marina at Fish Tales, 2107 Herring Way, Ocean City. Fishing from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Scales open from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit Ducks Unlimited. Bahia Marina Tackle Shop, 410-289-7438, www.bahiamarina.com/tournaments/bl ues-for-du
SUMMER READING KICK OFF: GLOW PARTY
Worcester County Library - Snow Hill Branch, 307 N. Washington St., 6:30 a.m. Kick off Summer Reading with a glowing good time. Dance and have fun after hours in the library. Don’t forget to wear your neon. 410-632-3495, www.worcesterlibrary.org
OC MAHJONG CLUB
Worcester County Library - Ocean City Branch, 10003 Coastal Highway, 10:30 a.m. Join in for a morning of playing tile Mahjong. Feel free to bring your own tile set. All adults are welcome. 410-5241818, www.worcesterlibrary.org
SUMMER READING KICK-OFF: RAINBOW PARTY
Worcester County Library - Berlin Branch, 13 Harrison Ave., 4 p.m. Kick off your summer reading fun and try to win a prize during Skittles Bingo, join a collaborative art project and enjoy a colorful cupcake. For readers of all ages. 410-641-0650
FIRST FRIDAY OPENING RECEPTION FOR JUNE EXHIBITS
Art League of Ocean City, 502 94th St., 5-7 p.m. Meet the artists, enjoy hors d’oeuvres, and see the new exhibits by a variety of local artists. Free event. www.artleagueofoceancity.org, 410-524-9433
PAINT & SIP NIGHT
Bishopville Volunteer Fire Department, 10709 Bishopville Road, Bishopville, 69:30 p.m. Instruction, supplies and 1 glass of wine included. Cost is $45. Extra wine available for purchase. Pre-reservations and payment required: 443880-4944.
KIGHTS OF COLUMBUS BINGO
Fridays - Knights of Columbus, 9901 Coastal Highway, behind St. Luke’s Church. Doors open at 5 p.m., bingo starts at 6:30 p.m. Light snacks available before bingo and at intermission. 410524-7994
4TH ANNUAL BLUES FOR DU BLUEFISH TOURNAMENT
Bahia Marina at Fish Tales, 2107 Herring Way, Ocean City. Fishing from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Scales open from 3:305:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit Ducks Unlimited. Bahia Marina Tackle Shop, 410-289-7438, www.bahiamarina.com/tournaments/bl ues-for-du
SAND DUELS BEACH SOCCER CHALLENGE SERIES
Ocean City Beach between Wicomico and N. Division streets, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. 5on-5 Soccer Tournament, June 7 and 8. Saturday will be Boys, Girls, COED, U8U13. https://ocbeachsoccer.com
FLEA MARKET AND BAKE SALE
Bethany United Methodist Church, 8648 Stephen Decatur Highway, Berlin, 8-11 a.m. The event is held outdoors. Vendors, to reserve space, contact 443641-2186, bethany21811@gmail.com.
KID’S FISHING DERBY
Oceanic Fishing Pier, 710 S. Philadelphia Ave., Ocean City, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Kid’s ages 6-10 years will be in group 1 and ages 11-16 years in group 2. Attending will be representatives from DNR and the Coast Guard to support the kids.
1ST SEMI ANNUAL YARD SALE AND CRAFT SHOW
Elks Lodge #2645, 13708 Sinepuxent Ave., Ocean City, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Kitchen will be serving breakfast sandwiches, coffee and baked goods. Cindy D’Alfonso, ocelks.secretary@comcast.net
SATURDAY WRITERS
Worcester County Library - Berlin Branch, 13 Harrison Ave., 10 a.m. Novice and established writers gather to share their creative writing projects. Structure includes critiques and appreciation, market leads and writing exercises. Drop-ins welcome. 410-641-0650
SUMMER READING KICKOFF: RAINBOW BASH
Worcester County Library - Ocean City Branch, 10003 Coastal Highway, 10:30 a.m. Come for the bad art extravaganza, stay for a scavenger hunt, Switch games and more. Wear your most colorful outfit and get a head start on Summer Reading registration. For families. 410524-1818
SATURDAY KIDS’ CRAFT POTTERY
Art League of Ocean City, 502 94th St., 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free event. Kids will create pressed clay projects using plants in the Courtyard. www.artleagueofoceancity.org, 410-524-9433
OCEAN PINES FARMERS & ARTISANS MARKET
Saturdays - White Horse Park, 239 Ocean Parkway, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Shop for everything from fresh local produce to unique handmade artisan goods. Also featuring family-friendly activities, music and unique shopping experiences. Open to the public, year round. 410-641-7052, https://www.oceanpines.org/web/pages /farmers-artisans-market
4TH ANNUAL BLUES FOR DU BLUEFISH TOURNAMENT
Bahia Marina at Fish Tales, 2107 Herring Way, Ocean City. Fishing from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Scales open from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit Ducks Unlimited. Bahia Marina Tackle Shop, 410-289-7438, www.bahiamarina.com/tournaments/bl ues-for-du
SAND DUELS BEACH SOCCER CHALLENGE SERIES
Ocean City Beach between Wicomico and N. Division streets, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. 5on-5 Soccer Tournament, June 7 and 8. Sunday will be Boys & Girls, COED, U14 - Adult. https://ocbeachsoccer.com
2ND SUNDAY BERLIN ART & VINTAGE MARKET
Berlin Main St. & Maryland Welcome Center Parking Lot, 14 S. Main St., 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Takes place during the Berlin Farmers Market. https://berlinmainstreet.com
SECOND SUNDAYS AT THE MUSEUM
Calvin B. Taylor House, 208 N. Main St., Berlin, 6 p.m. Featuring music by Schizophrenic Boogiemen. www.taylorhousemuseum.org
OUTDOOR RAKU POTTERY WORKSHOP
Art League of Ocean City, 502 94th St., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Choose a 1-2 bisque-ware pot thrown by Robbie Johnson and learn the Raku firing technique. Take your piece home the same day. Cost is $50/$60. www.artleagueofoceancity.org, 410-524-9433
PINE TONES ‘SOUNDS OF THE ‘70S’ CONCERT
Community Church at Ocean Pines, 11227 Racetrack Road, 3-5 p.m. Tickets $15. Join this nostalgic trip of favorite songs from the ‘70s like “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Joy To The World,” “Rocky Mountain High,” “Where You Lead,” and more. Cost is $15 cash or check at the door.
OC CRUZERS ON SOMERSET PLAZA
Somerset Plaza, Somerset Street, Ocean City, 3-6 p.m. Free, family-friendly car show featuring classics, hot rods and
customs from the OC Cruzers Car Club. Also featuring live music by “Full Circle Duo.” https://ocdc.org
SUNDAES IN THE PARK WITH FIREWORKS Northside Park, 200 125th St., Ocean City, 7-9 p.m. Featuring “Real Diamond” (The Premier Neil Diamond Tribute Band). Kids enjoy free activities and entertainment. Ice cream and beverages available for purchase. Free event concluding with fireworks.
BERLIN FARMERS MARKET
Sundays - Pitts Street, Commerce Street and Main Street, Berlin, May through October, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. Producers only market featuring more than 50 farmers, food cultivators, bakers, distillers, seafood, meat and more. Also featuring a petting farm (9-11 a.m.), free kids art station and live music. TheBerlinFarmersMarket.com
SEWING FOR A CAUSE
Sundays - Buckingham Presbyterian Church, 20 S. Main St., Berlin, 10:30 a.m. to noon. Learn how to sew while making a difference. 410-641-0234
JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES MEETING
Sundays - Berlin Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 212 West St., Berlin, 10 a.m. www.jw.org
FRIENDS OF THE OCEAN PINES LIBRARY: MEMBERSHIP MEETING AND WORCESTER HISTORY PANEL
Worcester County Library - Ocean Pines Branch, 11107 Cathell Road, 10 a.m. All FOPL members are invited to refreshments at 9:30 a.m., followed by an open membership meeting at 10 a.m. Worcester History Panel starts at 11 a.m. and everyone is welcome. 410-208-4014
STORY TIME: PRIDE CELEBRATION
Worcester County Library - Ocean City Branch, 10003 Coastal Highway, 10:30 a.m. Crafts, songs and stories. For children ages 0-5 years. 410-524-1818, www.worcesterlibrary.org
WRITING FOR WELLNESS
Worcester County Library - Ocean Pines Branch, 11107 Cathell Road, 1:30 p.m. Writing about stressful experiences like illness may boost health and psychological well-being. The group uses exercises to stimulate creative expression. 410208-4014, www.worcesterlibrary.org
FIBER CRAFT MEET-UP
Worcester County Library - Snow Hill Branch, 307 N. Washington St., 4 p.m. Bring your work in progress for community and shared knowledge. Held in the meeting room or in the garden, weather permitting. 410-632-3495, www.worcesterlibrary.org
LEGO MASTERS CHALLENGE
Worcester County Library - Ocean Pines Branch, 11107 Cathell Road, 4:30 p.m. Join in for a Lego challenge event. All materials provided. For ages 6-11 years. 410-208-4014, www.worcesterlibrary.org
T.O.P.S. OF BERLIN - GROUP #169
Atlantic General Hospital, Conference Room 1, 9733 Healthway Drive, Berlin, 56:30 p.m. Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a weekly support and educational group promoting weight loss and living a healthy lifestyle. Rose Campion, 410-641-0157
BRIDGE
Mondays - Ocean City 50plus Center, 104 41st Street, Ocean City, 12:30-3:30 p.m. Reserve a spot: Tish, 410-8043971. www.Worcoa.org/oceancity
DELMARVA WOMEN’S A CAPELLA CHORUS
Mondays - Ocean Pines Community Center, 239 Ocean Parkway, 6:00-8:00 p.m. All ladies who love to sing invited. Mary, 410-629-9383 or Carol, 302-242-7062.
OVEREATER’S ANONYMOUS
Mondays - Worcester County LibraryOcean Pines Branch, 11107 Cathell Road, 7-8 p.m. No dues or fees. 410-459-9100
STORY TIME
Worcester County Library - Berlin Branch, 13 Harrison Ave., 10:30 a.m. A story time geared for ages 0-5 years featuring seasonal themes designed to support early literacy skills with stories, songs and fingerplays. 410-641-0650, www.worcesterlibrary.org
STORY TIME @ THE DELMARVA DISCOVERY MUSEUM
Delmarva Discovery Museum, 2 Market St., Pocomoke City, 10:30 a.m. Join in for stories, songs and crafts that feature one of the DDM’s special animals. For ages 0-5 years. 410-957-0878, www.worcesterlibrary.org
OC KNITTING GROUP
Worcester County Library - Ocean City Branch, 10003 Coastal Highway, 10:30 a.m. Do you love to knit or crochet? Bring whatever project you happen to be working on. 410-524-1818, www.worcesterlibrary.org
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP
Atlantic General Neurology at the Atlantic Health Center, 9714 Healthway Drive, Berlin, 3:15-4 p.m. Group provides discussions and mutual support, along with education on exercise, nutrition, coping techniques, medication and development in treatment.
Kay.Kinnikin@TidalHealth.org, 410-6414765
SONG CELEBRATION
Worcester County Library - Berlin Branch, 13 Harrison Ave., 6 p.m. Bring a song and share it with other players and writers. Original compositions encouraged. Listeners welcome. Hosted by Mikel Campbell. 410-641-0650, www.worcesterlibrary.org
BOOK CLUB @ TIDES & VINE
Tides & Vine, 106 W. Green St., Snow Hill, 6 p.m. June features a Book Swap Discussion, so bring the book you swapped at the May Book Club or one you enjoyed reading for a great discussion. Must be at least 21 years of age. 410-632-3495
ATLANTIC COAST SPORTSFISHING ASSCIATION MEETING
American Legion Synepuxent Post 166, 2308 Philadelphia Ave., Ocean City, 7:30 p.m. The guest speaker will be Matt Thompson of MARTEK Marine Electronics. He will explain the side-looking radar. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., food and refreshments available. The public is cordially invited.
CROSS FARMS POP-UP FARMERS MARKET
Tuesdays - Flower Street Field across from Henry Park, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Accepting Maryland Department of Agriculture FMNP (WIC & Seniors) Checks and Maryland WIC Fruit & Vegetable Checks. Also offering a "Produce Bucks" program, which doubles purchases for eligible residents. https://www.facebook.com/theberlinfarmersmarket.
BEACH HEROES-OC
Tuesdays - Volunteer beach clean-up group meets from 9-10 a.m., year-round. Trash bags, grippers and gloves provided. Check the Facebook page “Beach Heroes-OC” for weekly meeting locations. All are welcome.
JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES MEETING
Tuesdays - Berlin Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 212 West St., Berlin, 7 p.m. www.jw.org
TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY
Tuesdays - Worcester County Health Department, 9730 Healthway Drive, Berlin, 3:30-4:30 p.m. TOPS is a weekly support and education group promoting weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. 410-289-4725
OC KNITTING CLUB
Tuesdays - Worcester County LibraryOcean City Branch, 10003 Coastal Highway, 10:30 a.m.
ARGENTINE TANGO PRACTICE
Tuesdays - Experienced dancers and others interested in watching or learning more are welcome, 7-9:30 p.m. No partner required. Info: TangobytheBeach.com.
ZUMBA TONING TUESDAYS
Tuesdays - Northside Park, 200 125th St., Ocean City, 5:30 p.m. Zumba with optional light weights. zumbajoyceoc@gmail.com
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT AND WELLNESS GROUP
Tuesdays - Holy Trinity Cathedral, 11021 Worcester Highway, 2-2:45 p.m. Use the weight loss program/app/plan of your choice. Free and open to everyone. 410641-4882, www.htcanglican.org/activities.
MOVIES ON THE BEACH Carousel Oceanfront Hotel & Condos,
11700 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, 8:30 p.m. Featuring “Elemental.” Free, familyfriendly event. Bring blankets, chairs, snack, drinks and warm clothing. Weather permitting. www.ococean.com/things-todo/free-family-fun/
BARIATRIC SUPPORT GROUP
Meets the first and second Wednesday of each month. For non-surgical patients. Atlantic General Bariatric Center, 410-641-9568
BABY TIME
Worcester County Library - Ocean Pines Branch, 11107 Cathell Road, 10 a.m. Songs, stories and giggles. For ages 0-2 years. 410-208-4014, www.worcesterlibrary.org
POKENO AT THE 50PLUS CENTER
Snow Hill 50plus Center, 4767 Snow Hill Road, 11 a.m. The group will be playing Pokeno. 410-632-3495, www.worcesterlibrary.org
MERRY MAKERS: CYANOTYPE PRINTS
Worcester County Library - Ocean Pines Branch, 11107 Cathell Road, 11 a.m. Using leaves and flowers (feel free to bring some from your own garden), create unique blue and white cyanotype prints. Registration required: 410-2084014. www.worcesterlibrary.org
CRAFT WITH PRIDE
Worcester County Library - Snow Hill Branch, 307 N. Washington St., 3 p.m. Stop by any Wednesday in June to show your support by making a flag, button or sticker. All ages welcome. 410-6323495, www.worcesterlibrary.org
STROKE SUPPORT GROUP
Atlantic General Neurology at the Atlantic Health Center, 9714 Healthway Drive, Berlin, 3:15-4 p.m. For stroke survivors, family and friends. 410-641-4765, Betty.Darby-Glime@TidalHealth.org
T(W)EEN PRIDE CRAFTERNOON
Worcester County Library - Ocean City Branch, 10003 Coastal Highway, 4 p.m. T(w)eens and families can join in for an extra special rainbow afternoon. Hang out, do crafts, play Nintendo Switch and spend time with friends. For ages 12-18 years. 410-524-1818
LIP BALM CREATIONS
Worcester County Library - Ocean Pines Branch, 11107 Cathell Road, 4:30 p.m. Mix and make your own lip balm. For tweens and teens. 410-208-4014, www.worcesterlibrary.org
TABLETOP ROLE PLAYING GAME
Worcester County Library - Snow Hill Branch, 307 N. Washington St., 5 p.m. Come play a selected role-playing game for teens. Registration required: 410632-3495. www.worcesterlibrary.org
KIWANIS CLUB MEETING
Wednesdays - Ocean Pines Community Center, 239 Ocean Parkway, 8 a.m. Doors open at 7:30 a.m. Last Wednesday of the month meetings are offsite and information can be found on the website
and Facebook. www.kiwanisofopoc.org.
READ-A-THON
Worcester County Library - Berlin Branch, 13 Harrison Ave., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Join in for some comfy reading time inside the library or out on the lawn. Bring a towel or a blanket and read for as long as you’d like. Get help logging your reading time. 410-641-0650
STORY TIME: OUR COLOFUL WORLD
Worcester County Library - Ocean Pines Branch, 11107 Cathell Road, 10:30 a.m. Songs, dancing and crafts. For ages 2-5 years. 410-208-4014, www.worcesterlibrary.org
PLAY TIME
Worcester County Library - Snow Hill Branch, 307 N. Washington St., 10:30 a.m. Join in for a variety of activities and toys. Play and socialize with other families. For ages 0-5 years. 410-632-3495, www.worcesterlibrary.org
OC CHESS CLUB
Worcester County Library - Ocean City Branch, 10003 Coastal Highway, 10:30 a.m. Enjoy a relaxing game of chess every Thursday at the library. 410-5241818, www.worcesterlibrary.org
COLOR AND CALM CONNECTION
Worcester County Library - Pocomoke Branch, 401 Fifth St., 2 p.m. Through guided breathing exercises and intentional coloring, learn how to calm the nervous system, enhance mindfulness and express creativity as a form of self-care. Registration required 410-957-0878.
SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS
Worcester County Library - Berlin Branch, 13 Harrison Ave., 4 p.m. Paint a vibrant summer scene with warm and cool colors. For ages 12-18 years. 410641-0650, www.worcesterlibrary.org
THE THIRD ANNUAL SHINE ON THE SHORE LUAU
Sunset Grille, 12933 Sunset Ave., Ocean City, 5-8 p.m. Tickets $35. Welcome to the party! Worcester Youth and Family invites you to Sunset Grille for food, drinks, music, games, and more - all to support our goal of “helping everyone shine!” rmitchell@gowoyo.org, 410-641-4598
Crossword answers from page 48
HELP WANTED FT/PT
MAINTENANCE PERSON
For small community in the Berlin area. General maintenance knowledge needed. Good pay! Large equip. exp. helpful. 410-641-5102
Small seasonal boutique Oceanfront Hotel in Ocean City has the following jobs available:
• DESK CLERKS (3-11pm) Reservation computer program experience needed.
• LAUNDRY Apply online at info@ocbreakers.com or call 410-289-9165
Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm.
CLEANERS WANTED
Vacation rental cleaners needed for OC and The Pines. Exp. preferred, but not required. OC PURIFIERS. Call or text 443-397-1189 or email Karen@ocpurifiers.com
MAINTENANCE
FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND
Competitive Salary, Health Insurance, 401K, Paid Vacation. Apply in person or call. Pyramid Condo 9500 Coastal Hwy., OC 410-524-4479
AMERICAN LEGION 2 Line Cooks, experience required. Part-time. Apply at Post, 2308 Philadelphia Avenue or call for information at 410-289-3166
SPEEDWORLD
Small Engine Mechanic. Year-round. Wage starts at $15/hr & up based on experience. Benefits available. 443-754-1047
Seeking YR & Seasonal Rentals!
Call Howard Martin Realty 410-352-5555.
WATERFRONT BAYSIDE
Newly remodeled 2BR, 2BA Condo in North OC. Full kitchen, LR, DR, W/D, balcony for sunsets. Perfect for crabbing, fishing, kayaking. 10 min. walk to beach. Weekly summer rentals & long term seasonal Nov.-May. Contact Julie, 443-223-4623
SUMMER BAYSIDE CONDO near Jolly Rogers. 2BR, 2BA, W/D, A/C, Wi-Fi, fully furnished. Sleeps 4-6. 2 units available. May-Sept. Call Mike at 410-603-6120. www.mbjcproperties.com House for Rent Year-Round Rental 3BR, 2BA House for Rent in downtown Berlin, MD. House is newly renovated with all new appliances, bathroom fixtures, HVAC, full-sized W/D and quartz countertops. Rent is $2800/month plus utilities. Contact Jessica @ 410-641-3333 for more information.
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE BY OWNER Sunset Island TH Move-in ready. Many upgrades. Original owner. $961,000 Karen 240-780-6554 Bart 703-915-1530
5000 sq.ft. Building for Rent, just outside Berlin. Bathroom, office and break room. $2,000/mo. Call 443-366-5935 or 443-235-1529.
Industrial Space Yard and Storage Shed. Approx. 10x25+/Route 90/Bishopville. Call 443-497-4200.
Commercial Space for Lease.
2-3 Units available, can be divided or joined. Approx. 800-1000 sq. ft. ea. Busy major road in Town of Berlin. Call 443-880-8885
in West Ocean City. Approximately 1656 sq. ft. and 1728 sq. ft. Call 443-497-4200
LARRY’S HANDYMAN
No job too small. Entrance doors, interior doors, storm doors, shower doors, drywall repairs and paint, laminate floors, interior paint. Over 40 years of carpentry experience. Please call Larry, 410-251-9066
Classifieds 410-723-6397 www.baysideoc.com ~ www.octodaydispatch.com
MISC. FOR SALE
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Get DISH Satellite TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HDDVR Upgrade, 80,000 OnDemand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-855-4076870
SALE Prepare for power outages today with a GENERAC Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-855-993-0969 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.
As they rush past me, These days and nights, stepping stones, Just one at a time.
Run your business card in our SERVICE DIRECTORY CALL 410-723-6397 for pricing!
VEHICLES WANTED DONATE YOUR CAR/TRUCK/ RV - Lutheran Mission Society of MD Compassion Place ministries help local families with food, clothing, counseling. Tax deductible. MVA licensed #W1044. 410-228-8437 www.CompassionPlace.org REAL ESTATE We Buy Houses for Cash AS IS! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer and get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling Liz Buys Houses: 1-866-541-7929 SERVICES DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 350 plus procedures. Real dental insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait! Call now! Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! 1-855-337-5228 www.dental50plus.com/ MDDC #6258
PWSID 0230007
SPANISH (ESPANOL)
Este informe contiene informacion muy sobre La calidad de su agua beber. Traduscalo o hable con alquien que lo entienda bien.
IS MY WATER SAFE?
We're pleased to present to you this year's Annual Water Quality Report. This report is designed to inform you about the water quality and services we deliver to you every day. Our constant goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. We want you to understand the efforts we make to continually improve the water 1reatment process and protect our water resources. We are committed to ensuring the quality of your water.
WHERE DOES MY WATER COME FROM?
Our water source is the Manokin Aquifer which is tapped by drilling wells and pumping the water to the sur face for distribution. The depths of our 3 wells are approximately 365 feet. The earth between the surface and this underground aquifer helps to purify the water before it actually reaches the aquifer, making it easier for us to treat before we pump it into our water distribution system.
SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT AND ITS AVAILABILITY
Maryland Department of the Environment has performed an assessment of the source water. You may read this source water assessment by contacting the Town Hall, The County Health Department or your local County Library. Results of the assessment can be found on the MDE website: https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/V\/ater/water supply/Source Water Assessment Program/Pages/by county.aspx
HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
If you have any questions about this report or concerning your water utility, please contact Robert Wilt at (410) 632 2080. We want our valued customers to be informed about their water utility. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled Mayor and Council meetings. Please call (410) 632 2080 to confirm actual dates and times.
WHY
As water travels over the land or underground, it can pick up substances or contaminants such as microbes, inorganic and organic chemicals, and radioactive substances. All drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may be reasonably expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. It's important to remember that the presence of these contaminants does not necessarily pose a health risk.
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Im muno compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have under gone organ transplants. people with IDV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800 426 4791).
The Town of Snow Hill routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws. This table shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January lst to December 31st, 2024.
In this table you will find many terms and abbreviations you might not be familiar with. To help you better understand these terms we've provided the following definitions:
Non Detects (ND) laboratory analysis indicates that the constituent is not present.
Parts per million (ppm} or Milligrams per liter (mg//) one part per million corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in $10,000.
Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter one part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.
Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) picocuries per liter is a measure of the radioactivity in water.
Action Level the concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
Maximum Contaminant Level The ʺMaximum Allowedʺ (MCL) is the highest level of a contaminant that is al lowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment tech nology.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal The ''Goal''(MCLG) is the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
Note: Test results are for 2024 unless otherwise noted; these are the most recent available results.
An initial inventory of service line pipe materials located within our service area required to be submitted to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) by October 16, 2024. We submitted the service line inventory report by the deadline, and the ʺreport is available upon request''.
Snow Hill has completed the service line inventory required by U.S. EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (initial inventory due October 16th, 2024)
For more information on our service line inventory please call 410 632 2080.
Through completing a records review, it has been determined it has no Lead or Galvanized Replacement (GRR) service lines in its distribution system. This includes all system owned and customer portions of all service lines regardless of actual or intended use.
Construction records, meter replacements, and distribution maps were used to help us determine the com position of our systems service lines.
Snow Hill has reviewed all applicable sources of information to complete the inventory and will continue to identify and track service line materials as they are encountered during normal operations. If, in the future, a Lead or Galvanized requiring replacement (GRR) service line is found within our system, we will prepare an updated inventory and submit to the Maryland Department of the Environment and in addition, the inventory will be made publicly available for water customers to view, and customer will be notified of any change in the service line material, if applicable.
For more information on our service line inventory please call 410 632 2080.
Lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. Snow Hill is responsible for providing high quality drinking water and removing lead pipes, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components in your home. You share the responsibility for protecting yourself and your family from the lead in your home plumbing. You can take responsibility by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family's risk. Before drinking tap water, flush your pipes for several minutes by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a load of dishes. You can also use a filter certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited certifier to reduce lead in drinking water. If you are concerned about lead in your water and wish to have your water tested, contact Robert Wilt 410 632 2080.
Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is avail able at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Nitrate (measured as Nitrogen) Infants below the age of 6 months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue baby syndrome.
All sources of drinking water are subject to potential contamination by substances that are naturally occurring or man made. These substances can be microbes, inorganic or organic chemicals and radioactive substances. All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Pro tection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1 800 426 4791.
MCL's are set at very stringent levels. To understand the possible health effects described for many regulated contaminants, a person would have to drink 2 liters of water every day at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one in a million chance of having the described health effect.
The Maryland Rural Water Association's State Circuit Rider assisted with the completion of this report.
Thank you for allowing us to continue providing your family with clean, quality water this year. In order to maintain a safe and dependable water supply we sometimes need to make improvements that will benefit all of our customers. These improvements are sometimes reflected as rate structure adjustments. Thank you for under standing.
Please call our office if you have any questions. Town of Snow Hill Water Department 4
In accordance with the order in Case no. C-23-CV-25-000026 in the Circuit Court for Worcester County, the Trustee named below will sell at public auction to the highest bidder on Monday, June 9, 2025, at 4:00 p.m., at the front door of Oceanscape Condominium Unit No. 402, 16 64th Street, Ocean City, MD, all that property designated as Oceanscape Condominium Unit No. 402, together with an undivided percentage interest in the common elements, as established pursuant to a Condominium Master Deed and ByLaws, as amended, dated September 12, 2001, and recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland in Liber No. 3122, Folio 573, et seq., and pursuant also to the several plats described in the said Condominium Master Deed and recorded among the aforesaid Land Records in Plat Book No. 171, Folio 28, et. seq., as further described in a deed recorded at Book: 8417, Page 180, et seq., in “AS IS” condition, SUBJECT to all the liens, covenants, agreements, conditions, easements and restrictions as may appear among the land records of Worcester County, Maryland.
A deposit of $25,000.00 in cash or certified check will be required of the Purchaser at the auction. (A deposit will not be required if the successful bidder is the Plaintiff/secured party in this foreclosure action.) The balance in cash or cashier’s or certified check shall be paid within 20 days of final ratification of the sale by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, said balance to bear interest at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum from the date of sale to the date of payment. Time is of the essence for the Purchaser. All real estate taxes, wastewater and water charges, and condominium assessments shall be adjusted as of the date of sale and assumed thereafter by the Purchaser. All settlement costs, including recordation and transfer taxes and recording fees, shall be paid by the Purchaser. Possession will be given upon payment in full of the purchase price. If Purchaser fails to pay the balance of the purchase price when due, the deposit shall be forfeited and the property resold at the risk and cost of the defaulting Purchaser.
For further information, you may contact Spencer Ayres Cropper, Trustee, 410-723-1400. OCD-5/22/3t
COATES, COATES & COATES, P.A.
6200 Coastal Highway, Suite 300 Ocean City, Maryland 21842 410-723-6000
1547 COLONA ROAD
POCOMOKE CITY, MD 21851
Tax ID# 01-012800
Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a Purchase Money Mortgage from Angela C. Revels, Trustee of the Ra’saan C. Revels Supplemental Needs Trust dated October 6, 2004 and Angela C. Revels, dated August 7, 2008 and recorded among the Land Records for Worcester County, Maryland in Liber No. SVH 5140, folio 047, et seq., with an original principal balance of $220,000.00, default having occurred under the terms thereof, W. Hank Fisher III, Esq., the undersigned Mortgage Assignee, will offer for sale at public auction to the highest bidder at the courthouse steps of the WORCESTER COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT, at the Courthouse Door, 1 W. Market Street, Snow Hill, MD 21863, on
JUNE 12, 2025 AT 10:00 A.M.
All that real property, together with any buildings or improvements thereon, located in Worcester County, Maryland, and more fully described in the aforesaid Purchase Money Mortgage.
The property will be sold in “AS IS” condition; subject to all covenants, conditions, liens, easements, rights of way, restrictions and agreements of record affecting the same, if any, as well as governmental ordinances, rules and regulations and subject further to any matters which would be revealed by an accurate survey of the property. Neither the Mortgage Assignee nor his respective agents, successors or assigns make any representations or warranties, either expressed or implied with respect to the property, including without limitation, description, use, physical conditions or to the environmental conditions of the subject property. The purchaser at the foreclosure sale shall assume the risk of loss for the above referenced property after the date of sale. Neither the Mortgage Assignee nor the auctioneer shall accept any responsibility for any municipal, state, or federal environmental violations.
TERMS OF SALE: A deposit of TEN THOUSAND Dollars ($10,000.00) cashier’s or certified check or any other method acceptable to the Mortgage Assignee shall be required at the time of sale, with balance payable within THIRTY (30) days after final ratification of the sale, the deferred payment to bear interest at the rate of six percent (6%) per annum from the day of sale. In the event the secured party is the successful bidder, the $10,000.00 deposit shall not be required. Adjustment of current year real property
taxes and other public and/or private charges or assessments, including water/sewer charges, will be made as of the date of sale and thereafter assumed by the purchaser. All other public and/or private charges or assessments, including water/sewer charges, incurred after the sale, and all other costs incidental to settlement to paid by the purchaser. All title papers, recordation taxes, transfer taxes, and recording costs to be at the expense of the purchaser. Possession will be given upon full payment of the purchase price, or final ratification of sale by the Court, whichever shall last occur. Time is of the essence for the purchaser, and in the event the purchaser defaults in payment, then the property shall be resold at the risk and cost of the defaulting purchaser. If the sale is not ratified or the Mortgage Assignee 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 applicable deposit to the purchaser. Upon refund of the deposit, this sale shall be void and of no effect, and the purchaser shall have no further claim against the Mortgage Assignee. Case. No. C-23-CV-25-000034
W. HANK FISHER III, Mortgage Assignee OCD-5/22/3t
MAUREEN F.L. HOWARTH AYRES, JENKINS, GORDY & ALMAND, P.A.
6200 Coastal Highway, Suite 200 Ocean City, Maryland 21842
OF PROPERTY IN THE TENTH ELECTION DISTRICT, SUBDISTRICTS 101-109, WORCESTER COUNTY, OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND
Town of Ocean City, Maryland municipal taxes and assessments under levies of the tax years 2022/2023, 2023/2024 & 2024/2025 on the properties hereinafter described being due and in arrears and unpaid; and in order to compel the payment of the same, together with interest thereon, Attorney and Advertising Fees of $258, and the costs of attending the proceeding, as provided by law, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me as the City Manager and Collector of municipal taxes in the Tenth Election District, Worcester County, Ocean City, Maryland as provided by the Acts of the General Assembly of Maryland (Tax-Property Article Section 14-808 et seq. of the Annotated Code of Maryland), the undersigned City Manager and Collector of Taxes, will sell at public auction, at City Hall, 3rd Street and Baltimore Avenue, Ocean City, Maryland, on
FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2025 AT THE HOUR OF 10:00 A.M.
the below described properties: Item 3 10-258383 and 15457540150: Described as Trader’s Cove Condominium, Unit 3, Section B, 303 Seabay Lane, Assessed to Barrett Christian Grieb & Cassie Marie
Chance, Assessed Value $393,100, Wastewater, Interest and Penalties Due $2,124.72. Item 4 10-297869 and 11244947066: Described as Hialeah Park Condominium, Unit 4, 502 142nd Street, Assessed to Krawczyk, LLC, Assessed Value $128,767, Wastewater, Interest and Penalties Due $926.73.
OCD-5/15/4t
JOSEPH E. MOORE ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON
3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS
To all persons interested in the estate of PAULA H LYNCH Estate No. 20663 Notice is given that JENNIFER A LYNCH whose address is 100 ANN DR BERLIN, MD 218111008 was on MAY 14, 2025 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of PAULA H LYNCH who died on APRIL 25, 2025 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 14th day of NOVEMBER, 2025
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; 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.
TERRI WESTCOTT, Register of Wills for WORCESTER COUNTY ONE W MARKET STREET ROOM 102 - COURT HOUSE SNOW HILL, MD 21863-1074
OCD-5/22/3t
GINA D. SHAFFER, ESQ. SHAFFER LAW OFFICE, LLC 11033 CATHELL RD. BERLIN, MD 21811-9328
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT
NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Estate No. 20668 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF LOUISE M. STRANG
AKA: LOUISE MARIE STRANG Notice is given that Joan M.
Strang, 303 Piedmont Ct., Berlin, MD 21811-1691 was on May 16, 2025 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Louise M. Strang who died on March 29, 2025, 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 November, 2025.
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; 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.
Joan M. Strang 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: May 22, 2025
OCD-5/22/3t
COATES, COATES, & COATES, P.A.
RAYMOND D. COATES, JR., ESQ. 6200 COASTAL HIGHWAY, SUITE 300 OCEAN CITY, MD 21842
TO CREDITORS OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE
ESTATE NO. 20669
NOTICE IS GIVEN that the Surrogate’s court of Rockland County, New York appointed (1) Lisa Cavallo, 29 Rockford Dr., West Nyack, NY 10994-1126 as the Executor of the Estate of Barbara Damiani who died on December 22, 2022 domiciled in New York, USA.
The name and address of the Maryland resident agent for service of process is (1) Raymond D. Coates, 6200 Coastal Hwy., Ste. 300, Ocean City, MD 21842-6698.
At the time of death, the decedent owned real or leasehold property in the following Maryland counties: Worcester County.
All persons having claims against the decedent must file their claims
with the Register of Wills for Worcester County with a copy to the foreign personal representative on or before the earlier of the following dates:
(1) Six months from the date of the decedent’s death; or
(2) Two months after the foreign personal representative mails or 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 claim within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. Claims filed after that date or after a date extended by law will be barred.
(1) Lisa Cavallo
Foreign Personal Representative Terri Westcott Register of Wills
One W. Market Street Room 102 - Court House Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074
Name of Newspaper:
Ocean City Digest
Date of first publication: May 22, 2025
OCD-5/22/3t
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Estate No. 20649 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF THOMAS K. HOWARTH
Notice is given that Marsha R. Howarth, 605 S. Pacific Ave., Ocean City, MD 21842-5143, was on May 15, 2025 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Thomas K. Howarth who died on April 26, 2025, 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 15th day of November, 2025.
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; 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.
Marsha R. Howarth 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: May 22, 2025
OCD-5/22/3t
TO CREDITORS OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES ESTATE NO. 20664
NOTICE IS GIVEN that the court of PALM BEACH, FLORIDA appointed (1) MICHAEL SANDS whose address is 124 QUINCE MEADOW AVE., GAITHERSBURG, MD 20878-2386 as the PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE of the Estate of EDWARD SANDS who died on APRIL 22, 2024 domiciled in FLORIDA, USA. The name and address of the Maryland resident agent for service of process is N/A. At the time of death, the decedent owned real or leasehold property in the following Maryland counties: WORCESTER.
All persons having claims against the decedent must file their claims with the Register of Wills for WORCESTER COUNTY with a copy to the foreign personal representative on or before the earlier of the following dates:
(1) Six months from the date of the decedent’s death; or
(2) Two months after the foreign personal representative mails or 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 claim within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. Claims filed after that date or after a date extended by law will be barred.
TERRI WESTCOTT, Register of Wills for Worcester County ONE W MARKET STREET ROOM 102 - COURT HOUSE SNOW HILL, MD 21863-1074 OCD-5/22/3t
THE TOWN OF WILLARDS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS
NOTICE OF THE TOWN OF WILLARDS RUNOFF ELECTION
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO THE ELECTORS OF THE TOWN OF WILLARDS, WICOMICO COUNTY, MARYLAND, THAT THE TOWN RUNOFF ELECTION FOR THE TOWN OF WILLARDS SHALL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2025, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING ONE (1) TOWN COMMISSIONER FOR FOUR (4) YEAR TERMS. THE PLACE OF VOTING SHALL BE THE TOWN OF WILLARDS TOWN HALL MEETING ROOM, LOCATED AT 7344 MAIN STREET, WILLARDS, MARYLAND. THE POLLS SHALL BE OPEN FOR PURPOSES OF VOTING FROM 7:00 A.M. UNTIL 7:00 P.M. ON ELECTION DAY. RUNOFF ELECTION: The Town
of Willards held a regular election for three (3) Town Commissioner positions on May 13, 2025. During the regular election there was a tie between two candidates for the third Town Commissioner position. As such, The Town of Willards will hold a runoff election.
REGISTRATION TO VOTE: All residents of The Town of Willards who are not registered voters of The Town of Willards and who qualify may register to vote with the Board of Elections for Wicomico County, 345 Snow Hill Road, Salisbury, Maryland, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.. Anyone not able to go into the office may obtain a registration form by calling (410) 548-4830.
UNCONTESTED ELECTION: If, prior to the runoff election, there remains only one candidate, then no run-off election shall be held on June 10, 2025 as provided for in Section 207 of Article II of the Charter and assume the office of commissioner thereafter.
THE TOWN OF WILLARDS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS
Sandra Simpson, Chairman OCD-5/22/3t
THURSDAY JUNE 12, 2025
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. Audio and video recording will take place during this public hearing.
The public is invited to view this meeting live online athttps://worcestercountymd.swagit.co m/live
6:30 p.m. Case No. 25-36, on the lands of Anthony and Janice Casazza, requesting a variance to the rear yard setback from 30 feet to 22.39 feet (to encroach 7.61 feet) for a proposed deck with steps in the R2 Suburban Residential District, pursuant to Zoning Code §§ ZS 1116(c)(4), ZS 1-206(b)(2) and ZS 1305, located at 7 Links Lane, Tax Map 16, Parcel 105, Section 12, Lot 56, Tax District 3, Worcester County, Maryland.
6:35 p.m. Case No. 25-38, on the lands of Theresa Williams, on the application of Spencer Ayres Cropper, requesting a variance to the side lot line setback from 6 feet to 2.8 feet (to encroach 3.2 feet) for a proposed piling in the R-3 Multi-family Residential District, pursuant to Zoning Code §§ ZS 1-116(n)(3), ZS 1207(d)(6), and ZS 1-335, and Natural Resources Code §§ NR 2-102(e)(2), located at 32 Seabreeze Lane, Tax Map 16, Parcel 38, Section 1, Lot 308, Tax District 3, Worcester County, Maryland.
6:40 p.m. Case No. 25-37, on the lands of Donald and Caren
Crouthamel, on the application of Brian P. Cosby, requesting two variances to the rear yard setback from 30 feet to 21.95 feet (to encroach 8.05 feet) and from 30 feet to 22.50 feet (to encroach 7.50 feet) for two proposed decks with steps in the R-2 Suburban Residential District, pursuant to Zoning Code §§ ZS 1116(c)(4), ZS 1-206(b)(2), 1-122(c)(1) and ZS 1-305, located at 12624 Balte Road, Tax Map 21, Parcel 8, Section A, Block 1, Lot 12, Tax District 10, Worcester County, Maryland.
6:45 p.m. Case No. 25-35, on the lands of Hofman Group Inc., requesting two (2) special exceptions for an agritourism facility and the accessory use of a principal agricultural structure or use of land for the commercial hosting of non-agricultural functions and events in the A-1 Agricultural District, pursuant to Zoning Code §§ ZS 1-116(c)(3), ZS 1201(c)(9), ZS 1-201(c)(32) and ZS 1305, located at 10959 Worcester Highway, Tax Map 20, Parcel 344, Tax District 3, Worcester County, Maryland.
OCD-5/29/2t
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, June 12, 2025 2:00 PM
PW 25-035 A request has been submitted to construct a new 5’ x 50’ pier and install one boatlift with associated pilings, maximum channelward extension 50’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 257 S OCEAN DR Parcel # 8020A-1593B-in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland.
OWNER: Bryan and Carolyn Biggins
APPLICANT: Kayla Short
PW 25-038 A request has been submitted to install one boatlift with four associated pilings maximum channelward extension of 19’6” not to exceed past existing slip. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 608 OSPREY RD UNIT 2 Parcel # 5249 -2 in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland.
OWNER: Stuart Schmidt
APPLICANT: Kayla Short
PW 25-039 A request has been submitted to install one boat lift on existing pilings not to exceed 36’6” channelward extension. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 194
BEACHCOMBER LN Parcel # 8020A-1402B-in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland.
OWNER: Daniel Hudak
APPLICANT: Kayla Short
PW 25-040 A request has been submitted to replace an existing pier with a new 6’ x 26’ pier and an 8’ x 25’ platform, maximum channelward extension of 29’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 111 58TH ST Parcel # 6729 -13 in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland.
OWNER: Sunset Landing
Condominium
APPLICANT: Lane Engineering, LLC c/o Sarah Freund
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Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 110 of the Code of Ocean City, Maryland, hereinafter referred to as the Code, same being the Zoning Ordinance for Ocean City, Maryland, notice is hereby given that public hearings will be conducted by the Board of Zoning Appeals for Ocean City, Maryland in the Council Chambers of City Hall located on Baltimore Avenue and Third Street, in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland on:
Thursday, June 12, 2025
AT 6:00 PM
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 110-93(3), Powers of the Code, an application has been filed under Section 30-554(d)(3) to request an after-the-fact Critical Area variance to retain 77 square feet of existing unpermitted impervious deck constructed within the 15-foot Buffer Management Area (BMA). The property is described as Lot 10, Block 9, of the Caine Woods Section 5 Plat. It is further described as being located on the north side of 141st Street and is locally known as 720 141st Street, in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland.
APPLICANT: TRACI E. HOLLANDER (BZA 2717 #2509500001)
AT 6:10 PM
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 110-93(2), Powers of the Code, an application has been filed under Sections 110-94(3)(a), 110-94(3)(b), 110-94(3)(c), and 110-94(2)(b) to request (1) a special yard exception for a proposed dwelling to be 3.3 feet from the front property line; (2) a special yard exception for a proposed dwelling to be 3 feet from the rear property line; (3) a special yard exception for a proposed new dwelling to be 0.0 feet from the side lot line; and (4) a special parking exception to waive 1 out of 2 required off-street parking spaces. The property is described as Lot 146 of the Sundowner Mobile Home Park Plat. It is locally known as 120 Denny Lane in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland.
APPLICANT: JOHN STANTON (BZA 2719 #25-09400005)
AT 6:20 PM
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 110-93(2), Powers of the Code, an application has been filed under Section 110-94(2)(b) to request a special parking exception to waive 2 off street-parking spaces for 2 existing storage sheds to remain in required parking. The property is described as Tax Map 118, Grid 23, Parcel 8273A and as the Ocean Time Condo Plat. It is further described as being located on the side of 136th Street, and is locally known as the Ocean Time Condominium at 13 136th Street, in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland.
APPLICANT: FRED WETZELBERGER (BZA 2720 #2509400006)
AT 6:30 PM
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 110-93(3), Powers of the Code, an application has been filed under Section 110-95(1)(a) to request a variance of 6 feet from the required 20-foot front yard setback requirement for a proposed enclosed porch to be 14 feet from the front property line. The property is described as Lot 15, Block 17, of Section 1D, of the Caine Woods Plat. It is further described as being located on the east side of Sailing Road and is locally known as 13804 Sailing Road, in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland.
APPLICANT: VANCE AND AMY ROW (BZA 2721 #25-09500002)
Further information concerning the public hearings may be examined in the office of the Department of Planning and Community Development in City Hall.
Christopher Rudolf, Chairman Maureen Howarth, Attorney OCD-5/29/2t
TO CREDITORS OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE ESTATE NO. 20661
NOTICE IS GIVEN that the Marion County Commission court of Marion County, West Virginia appointed (1) Jennifer Lynn Pudder, 211 Thompson Dairy Rd., Farmington, WV 26571-7527 as the Executrix of the Estate of Emma Knight who died on September 25, 2024 domiciled in West Virginia, USA.
The name and address of the Maryland resident agent for service of process is (1) John David Kitzig, 10729 Saint Martins Neck Rd., Bishopville, MD 21813-1555
At the time of death, the decedent owned real or leasehold property in the following Maryland counties: Worcester County.
All persons having claims against the decedent must file their claims with the Register of Wills for Worcester County with a copy to the foreign personal representative on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent’s death; or (2) Two months after the foreign personal representative mails or 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 cred-
itor presents the claim within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. Claims filed after that date or after a date extended by law will be barred.
(1) Jennifer Lynn Pudder Foreign Personal Representative Terri Westcott Register of Wills One W. Market Street Room 102 - Court House Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074
Name of Newspaper: Ocean City Digest
Date of first publication: May 29, 2025
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OF A PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCE 2025-02 FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF BERLIN, MARYLAND, A MARYLAND MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET AS SUBMITTED.
The Ordinance was introduced for a First Reading on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at 6:00 PM. The Public Hearing on the Ordinance will be held on Monday, June 9, 2025, at 6:00 PM. Both meetings will take place during Regular Meetings of the Mayor and Council at Berlin Town Hall, 10 William Street, 2nd Floor, Berlin, MD 21811.
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.
OCD-6/5/1t _________________________________
OF APPLICATION FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE
Application has been made by the Undersigned for a Class: "B" BEERWINE-LIQUOR License: 7 Day, By: Lynn Tupper Lilliston, 5951 Disharoon Road, Snow Hill, Maryland 21863; Shaun Andrew Bauer, 112 Parkside Circle, Berlin, Maryland 21811.
For: Mila's Cafe, LLC
For the premises known as and located at: T/A: Mila's Cafe 11604 Coastal Highway - Unit 101 Ocean City, Maryland 21842
There will be a public hearing on the application at the Worcester County Government Center, Room 1102, Snow Hill, Maryland, on: June 18, 2025 @ 1:30 P.M.
The Board welcomes written or oral comments at said public hearing from any interested party. Information regarding this hearing can be found at www.co.worcester.md.us
OCD-6/5/2t e
OF APPLICATION FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE
Application has been made by the Undersigned for a Transfer of a Class: "B" BEER-WINE-LIQUOR License: 7 Day, By: Giovanni Tomasello, 11131 Griffin Road, Berlin, Maryland 21811.
For: Sello's, Inc.
For the premises known as and located at:
T/A:Sello's Oven & Bar 9802 Golf Course Road Ocean City, Maryland 21842
Formerly: Sello's of OC, LLC
There will be a public hearing on the application at the Worcester County Government Center, Room 1102, Snow Hill, Maryland, on: June 18, 2025 @ 1:40 P.M.
The Board welcomes written or oral comments at said public hearing from any interested party. Information regarding this hearing can be found at www.co.worcester.md.us
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OF APPLICATION FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE
Application has been made by the Undersigned for a Class: "B" BEERWINE-LIQUOR License: 7 Day, By: Mark Steven Mayers, 11958 West War Dancer Lane #101, Berlin, MD 21811.
For: OC Kasyan, LLC
For the premises known as and located at:
T/A: Pizza Mambo 7111 Coastal Highway
Ocean City, Maryland 21842
There will be a public hearing on the application at the Worcester County Government Center, Room 1102, Snow Hill, Maryland, on: June 18, 2025 @ 1:05 P.M.
The Board welcomes written or oral comments at said public hearing from any interested party. Information regarding this hearing can be found at www.co.worcester.md.us
OCD-6/5/2t _________________________________
OF APPLICATION FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE
Application has been made by the Undersigned for a Request to increase amplified music restriction from four to five pieces, and Request for a disc jockey, a maximum of two days per week from 4:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m., on condition that there will be no other amplified or nonamplified live entertainment at the same time for a Class: "D" BEERWINE-LIQUOR License: 7 Day, By: 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 at the Worcester County Government Center, Room 1102, Snow Hill, Maryland, on: June 18, 2025 @ 1:50 P.M.
The Board welcomes written or oral comments at said public hearing from any interested party. Information regarding this hearing can be found at www.co.worcester.md.us
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TOWN OF FENWICK ISLAND
800 COASTAL HIGHWAY
FENWICK ISLAND, DE 19944
The work involves the furnishing of all labor, transportation, tools, supplies and equipment necessary to install the identified channel markers and removal of six unnecessary channel markers for two recently dredged channels in Little Assawoman Bay near the Incorporated Town of Fenwick Island.
Interested Contractors may obtain an electronic copy of the Contract Documents during normal business hours by contacting William Rymer, Town Council Treasurer, at phone, 302-539-3011, or email brymer@fenwickisland-de.gov. A copy of the bid documents will be emailed to interested parties.
A pre-bid meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 1:00 PM local time, at the Office of the Town Manager, Fenwick Island Town Hall. Attendance at this meeting is recommended for all prospective bidders.
Sealed bids for the Town of Fenwick Island, 2025 Channel Markers Project, Project Number 202501 will be received by the Town Council Treasurer of Fenwick Island until 11:00 a.m., local time, on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at the Office of the Town Council Treasurer, Town Hall, 800 Coastal Highway, Fenwick Island, Delaware 19944, at which time they will be opened, read, and recorded. Bids shall be submitted in a sealed envelope and shall be marked clearly as follows: Proposal for Fenwick Island, 2025 Channel Markers Project (Project No. 202501).
The Town of Fenwick Island reserves the right to reject any or all bids, and make such award as appears most advantageous to the Town. The Town of Fenwick Island is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
OCD-6/5/2t
KIRK G. SIMPKINS ESQ
SIMPKINS & SIMPKINS, P.A.
P.O. BOX 550
PRINCESS ANNE, MD 21853
SMALL ESTATE
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 14009
TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF JOHN LEE TAYLOR
Notice is given that Sharon Lee Taylor, 1224 Crummell Ave., An-
napolis, MD 21403-4617, was on May 27, 2025 appointed personal representative of the small estate of John Lee Taylor who died on August 03, 2008, 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 shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within 30 days after the date of publication of this Notice. All persons having an objection to the probate of the will shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within six months after the date of publication of this Notice.
All persons having claims against the decedent must serve their claims on the undersigned personal representative or file them 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; or
(2) Thirty days 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 claim within thirty days from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. Any claim not served or filed within that time, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter.
Sharon Lee Taylor
Personal Representative True Test Copy Register of Wills for Worcester County Terri Westcott
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: June 05, 2025
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ELIZABETH A. GREEN ESQ. BREZA & ASSOCIATES, LLC 11019 MCCORMICK RD., STE. 400 HUNT VALLEY, MD 21031-1407
SMALL ESTATE
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT
NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 17802 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF MARIE S. HOLLENDERSKY
Notice is given that Beth Ann Mount, 322 Barbara Ct., Saylorsburg, PA 18353-8284, was on May 27, 2025 appointed personal representative of the small estate of Marie S. Hollendersky who died on December 31, 2018, 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 shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within 30 days after the date of pub-
lication of this Notice. All persons having an objection to the probate of the will shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within six months after the date of publication of this Notice.
All persons having claims against the decedent must serve their claims on the undersigned personal representative or file them 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; or
(2) Thirty days 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 claim within thirty days from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. Any claim not served or filed within that time, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter.
Beth Ann Mount Personal Representative True Test Copy Register of Wills for Worcester County Terri Westcott 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: June 05, 2025
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PETER S. BUAS, ESQ. WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Estate No. 20645 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF HELEN J. OSTROWSKI
Notice is given that Jeffrey Ostrowski, 109 High Sheriff Trl., Berlin, MD 21811-2046, was on May 29, 2025 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Helen J. Ostrowski who died on April 08, 2025, 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 29th day of November, 2025.
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; 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.
Jeffrey Ostrowski 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: June 05, 2025
OCD-6/5/3t
MICHAEL B. MATHERS ESQ. WEBB, CORNBROOKS, WILBER, VORHIS, DOUSE & MATHERS, LLP
P.O. BOX 910
115 BROAD STREET SALISBURY, MD 21803-0910
OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Estate No. 20679 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF CAROL STOGRAN
Notice is given that Craig Stogran, 8 Phillip Ln., Ledyard, CT 06339-1116, was on May 30, 2025 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Carol Stogran who died on April 16, 2024, 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 30th day of November, 2025.
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; 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.
Craig Stogran
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: June 05, 2025
OCD-6/5/3t
SCALES LAW GROUP
12417 OCEAN GTWY., STE. 11
OCEAN CITY, MD 21842-9525
SMALL ESTATE
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 20680 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF JENNIFER DAVIS
Notice is given that Ian Serovy, 119 Seafarer Ln., Berlin, MD 218111851, was on June 02, 2025 appointed personal representative of the small estate of Jennifer Davis who died on December 17, 2024, without 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 shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within 30 days after the date of publication of this Notice. All persons having an objection to the probate of the will shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within six months after the date of publication of this Notice.
All persons having claims against the decedent must serve their claims on the undersigned personal representative or file them 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; or (2) Thirty days 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 claim within thirty days from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. Any claim not served or filed within that time, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter.
Ian Serovy
Personal Representative
True Test Copy Register of Wills for Worcester County Terri Westcott
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: June 05, 2025
OCD-6/5/1t
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 20672
TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF JUDITH KAY HARLE
Notice is given that Glenn Doxzon, 609 N. Pacific Ave., Ocean City, MD 21842-5141, was on May 22, 2025 appointed personal representative of the small estate of Judith Kay Harle who died on April 24, 2025, 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 shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within 30 days after the date of publication of this Notice. All persons having an objection to the probate of the will shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within six months after the date of publication of this Notice.
All persons having claims against the decedent must serve their claims on the undersigned personal representative or file them 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; or
(2) Thirty days 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 claim within thirty days from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. Any claim not served or filed within that time, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter.
Glenn Doxzon Personal Representative True Test Copy Register of Wills for Worcester County
Terri Westcott
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: June 05, 2025
OCD-6/5/1t
MICHAEL B. MATHERS ESQ. WEBB, CORNBROOKS, WILBER, VORHIS, DOUSE & MATHERS, LLP
P.O. BOX 910
115 BROAD STREET
SALISBURY, MD 21803-0910
SMALL ESTATE
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 20685 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF MARY ELIZABETH LEFAIVE
Notice is given that Ruth E. LeFaive, 1628 S. Bundy Dr., Apt. 212, Los Angeles, CA 90025-2675, was on June 02, 2025 appointed personal representative of the small estate of Mary Elizabeth LeFaive who died on March 09, 2025, 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 shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within 30 days after the date of publication of this Notice. All persons having an objection to the probate of the will shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within six months after the date of publication of this Notice.
All persons having claims against the decedent must serve their claims on the undersigned personal representative or file them 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; or
(2) Thirty days 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 claim within thirty days from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. Any claim not served or filed within that time, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter.
Ruth E. LeFaive Personal Representative True Test Copy Register of Wills for Worcester County Terri Westcott 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: June 12, 2025
By Lauren Bunting Contributing Writer
(June 6, 2025) In 2025, the 447th Maryland General Assembly session convened on Jan. 8 and adjourned on April 7. Maryland REALTORS® issues a recap of all of the pertinent legislation affecting the real estate industry.
Below is the summary of all the Fair Housing related legislation, which none of this legislation passed in this year’s session.
FAIR HOUSING – under Continuing Education requirements for licensees, the hours were adjusted to increase Fair Housing CE hours from 1.5 to 2.0 in another piece of legislation, R® HB 972/SB 680 Real Estate Commission - Continuing Education Requirements.
All of the following bills related to Fair Housing DID NOT PASS:
HB 13 Real Property - Residential Contracts of Sale - Buyer
This bill would prohibit the name of an individual buyer from being included in a contract of sale until after the seller of the property had accepted the contract.
HB 242 Discrimination in Housing - Consumer Credit History WITHDRAWN
Adds consumer credit history as a protected class for housing and related services, preventing screening or qualifications based upon their credit history, creditworthiness or credit capacity.
HB 392/SB 107 Fair Housing Testing
If passed, this bill would conform Maryland to the federal standard of one-party consent for audio and video recording if the purpose of that recording is to enforce fair housing laws.
HB 896/SB 677 IncomeBased Housing Subsidies
If using housing assistance to pay rent, a landlord could not have refused to rent based on the prospective tenant’s income, credit score,
lack of credit score, or adverse credit history.
HB 1239 Housing Discrimination - Regulations, Intent, and Discriminatory Effect
This bill would have inserted federal standards on disparate impact evaluations and local requirements to affirmatively further Fair Housing into state law.
SB 484/HB 487 Unhoused Individuals - Rights, Civil Action, and Affirmative Defense
This provided unhoused individuals certain rights relating to engaging in “life-sustaining activities,” but would have intruded upon private property rights in some instances.
SB 514/HB 1077 Maryland Fair Chance Housing Act
If passed, a landlord would have been restricted from using a prospective tenant’s criminal history records in making a conditional offer to rent, and could only consider certain criminal history thereafter.
Lauren Bunting is the Broker of Record for Keller Williams Realty Delmarva in Ocean City.
is a
by an above ground propane tank. The sale includes one unit of a three-unit condominium complex. The condo association does not collect dues at the current time. There are 2 owners, seller of 1 & 3 & owner of unit 2, within the condo association and they handle their own insurances and expenses. Units 1 & 3 can be purchased together, see MLS #MDWO2028120.
A spacious warehouse in a prime location on Sunset Avenue is now available for sale! Unit 3 offers a large 5,050 SF corrugated metal warehouse with electric and multiple roll-up doors with 20’ ceiling height and a restroom. The property is on private well and public sewer. The sale includes one unit of a three-unit condominium complex. The condo association does not collect dues at the current time. See MLS # MDWO2028120 for information on purchasing both units 1 & 3.
By Brian Shane Staff Writer
(June 6, 2025) Berlin councilman and OC Today-Dispatch Executive
Editor Steve Green has filed to run for the District 4 seat on the Worcester County Board of Commissioners.
Green says he filed last week early for higher office “because I want those who are frustrated with the current direction of our county leadership to know they will have a real choice for change in 2026 in District 4.” He is registered as an unaffiliated candidate, according to the State Board of Elections.
“I believe I can bring a new voice and energy to the representative seat – along with a reasoned approach, a collaborative mindset, valuable life and work experiences and a genuine passion for public service,” Green said.
Elected to the Berlin Town Council in 2022, Green says he intends to hold his District 1 council seat until his term expires just days before the November 2026 general election.
District 4 is represented by thirdterm Commissioner Theodore J. “Ted” Elder. He is the current president of the commissioners and previously served as its vice president from 2017-18 and again from 2019-2022.
Green said he was compelled to run for the seat, in part, based on social media interactions.
He said he was “most disgusted” by comments some commissioners post to Facebook that disparage others and fail to explain their voting record. He’s also concerned about how the current crop of commissioners is managing the county’s operating budget.
For any journalist entering electoral politics, conflict of interest is a tough needle to thread. Green stressed that he’s been able to balance public office with the demands of running the local newspaper since he went on the council.
“I acknowledge the conflict of interest as a newspaper editor and elected official,” he said. “However, I view the positives as outweighing the negatives. I would argue my knowledge base separates me due to my nearly 30 years of covering and reading about county government. I think this background and familiarity with
Saturrdday 10:30am-12:30pm
Saturrdday 10am-12:30pm
Shelly Wilson/Salt Life C Mumforrdds Landing Road, Ocean Pines 3BR/2.5BASingle
Quinn/BHHS Pen 12301 Jamaica Ave #C209 1BR/1BA
Rosemarie Leonarrdd/Coldwe 18 79th Strreeet #403, Ocean City 3BR/2BA
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the issues over these decades makes me a highly qualified candidate.”
Green added that, if elected, he and Editor Stewart Dobson will implement safeguards to ensure continued objectivity in news coverage. Editing duties for county government stories will be turned over to Dobson.
“The vast majority of my weekly responsibilities involve core community journalism — editing local press releases, preparing original content, designing sports pages, selecting and editing student and civic photos, page layouts and general management. These are not partisan tasks, but essential functions of a hometown publication,” he said.
A firewall between Green’s politics and his day job would include refraining from writing opinion pieces about Worcester County government, he added.
District 4 covers nearly a third of Worcester County.
Geographically, the district is bordered by Route 12 to the south and Route 113 to the east. It flanks Wicomico County on its western border and abuts Delaware on the north side. The district contains the municipalities of Berlin and Snow Hill, and the unincorporated communities of Libertytown, Newark, and Whaleyville.
harder on him in terms of commentary and coverage than we would be on someone else ... just to prove we’re paying attention. More likely is that we’ll have to be careful not to overreact.
“But look,” he continued, “we have a couple of things in play here when it comes to conflicts. One, you show me any small government that doesn’t have conflicts of interest in its elected and appointed ranks, and I’ll show you a government that doesn’t exist. That’s just the nature of things in areas with small populations. The difference here is that we know there’s a conflict and admit it publicly.
‘I believe I can bring a new voice and energy to the representative seat – along with a reasoned approach, a collaborative mindset, valuable life and work experiences and a genuine passion for public service,’ Executive Editor Steve Green
“And don’t talk to me about journalistic ethics, not when major news operations guide their coverage according to a specific political school of thought, or compromise their editorial independence because it’s good for business, or blur the lines between news and commentary. Besides, this is county government; they’re not building atomic bombs down there or handling state secrets.”
Green makes his home in Berlin with his wife and two teenage sons. He’s also a licensed Realtor with the brokerage firm Coastal Life.
“I'm looking forward to the challenge ahead and the opportunity to represent our community on a larger scale,” he said. “I believe I can have a major and significant impact on Worcester County.”
As for Dobson’s take on Green’s foray into county politics, he acknowledged that some things will have to change.
“Sure, it’s a conflict of interest, and the upshot of that is we’ll probably be
Dobson said he will be assuming all editing duties for county commissioner coverage, and that he already writes all the paper’s editorials. He also noted that, as editor of Ocean City Today, he endorsed Green when he ran for town council, even though he was editor of the competing Maryland Coast Dispatch.
“He said he was going to be careful not to cross the line and knowing him as well as I did after more than two decades of competing against him, I believed what he said and was not disappointed,” Dobson said.
Also, to prevent any speculation regarding Green’s future at OC Today-Dispatch, he said that, win or lose in the contest ahead, he will not be resigning from his post as the paper’s executive editor.
By Tara Fischer Staff Writer
(June 6, 2025) The Town of Berlin will issue an RFP (request for proposals) to determine the ownership status of ditches and property elements as they pertain to stormwater in an effort to prioritize the utility, despite being uncertain of how to fund the potential project.
At its Tuesday, May 27 meeting, the Berlin Mayor and Council discussed the issue of stormwater. The conversation was initiated by Councilmember Jack Orris, in which he urged the body to prioritize the success of the utility. The representative argued that major improvement work is needed to ensure the success of stormwater maintenance in town.
“Over the past five plus years, it’s definitely felt like swimming against a
current at times, trying to navigate the town’s stormwater utility as well as the fiscal draining system,” Orris said.
“...We have come a long way since 2013 with a stormwater utility ordinance and fee, but the fact is this utility hasn’t operated in the black almost every year since. In order to balance the fund, interfund transfers have regularly been used. Grants are certainly great … however, while we wait for grant opportunities … the current stormwater system needs improvement.”
The councilman suggested a complete evaluation of the stormwater utility, “from the ground up,” including the review of state laws, easements, ownership, and “what the utility itself would need to ensure sufficient operations, remove barriers, and work towards creating a stormwater system that Berlin deserves.”
Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall said that the first step to improve stormwater efforts would be figuring out who owns what, so as to determine whether the town or a private entity or individual is responsible for maintenance.
“We are missing an understanding of who owns what,” Tyndall said. “If I could ask for one thing for the stormwater fund this year, I think the best thing we could do is hire someone to tell us this is a publicly owned ditch, this is privately owned ditch, this is owned by the Town of Berlin. That would be money well spent.”
Town Administrator Mary Bohlen added that staff does plenty of work on stormwater, but they face restrictions as to what is possible.
“We do have staff, and they do a lot of work on stormwater, but we don’t have enough,” she said. “There’s not enough money, equipment, or staff. Staff is swimming upstream as well.”
The administrator also argued that in regard to stormwater upkeep, the town cannot and should not maintain property they are not legally required to.
Tyndall suggested that volunteers may help those like the elderly maintain their ditches if they are unable. However, this is again disrupted by the fact that there is not a clear-cut answer to what is town or privately owned.
As such, the Berlin Town Council unanimously agreed to direct staff to draft an RFP to solicit bids from companies who can help determine ownership statuses, a first step in improving stormwater.
Still, even with an RFP, members of the council argue the town would struggle to fund the project.
“It is disconcerting to have an RFP put out with no way to fund what the RFP will come back with,” Councilman Steve Green said, despite having voted favorably. “I hope it does confirm the importance of [stormwater] for you … but we also have no way to fund it.”
Green added he would certainly not support an increase in stormwater fees to gain the finances for the ownership status initiative.
Orris, who often expresses stormwater concerns, said he would also not suggest a rise in rates.
The council agreed to the RFP, just to see what the responses yielded. Tyndall said that a decision can be made to proceed with the project, depending on the cost. The initiative could be fronted with capital reserves, although this would likely be avoided as to not strain the town’s financial stability.
“There is no revenue to support this, and if we borrow, there needs to be a plan to repay,” Tyndall said.
By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor
(June 6, 2025) Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan shared his frustration this week over a county vote to deny resort government an additional $1 million in grant funding, which would have offset the cost of additional police staffing and a take-home vehicle program.
Responding to a public question during Monday’s regular meeting, Meehan said Ocean City, along with every other municipality in Worcester County, would receive an additional $50,000 in grant funding in the coming fiscal year. However, he said the Worcester County Commissioners chose not to use a surplus in the county’s fund balance to fully fund their requests.
“They did vote to give $50,000 to each municipality over and above their grant request, which is certainly well received,” he said. “But when you look at the differences in the municipalities – the sizes and the contributions they make, percentage-wise, to the general fund of Worcester County – it's inequitable, especially when it comes to Ocean City.”
In May, the commissioners voted to provide flat grant funding to the county’s four municipalities and Ocean Pines, a homeowners association. However, the commissioners reversed course last Tuesday, when a 4-3 majority opted to provide an additional $50,000 to each jurisdiction.
The commissioners’ decision was revisited during Monday’s Ocean City
Council meeting, during which resident John Adkins questioned the county’s refusal to fund the city’s $1 million grant request for police staffing and take-home vehicles.
For his part, Meehan said the decision was “a big hit” for the Town of Ocean City, which he was hoping to use the money to attract and retain law enforcement officers.
“It’s difficult to find police officers these days,” he said. “And that's not just in Ocean City or Worcester County, that is universal. So, we realize there are certain things we need to do to improve, basically, what we are offering our police officers for retention and recruitment.”
Meehan said over the last two years, because of property reassess-
ments, Ocean City has provided an additional $23 million to Worcester County. He said he believed the city’s request to be reasonable, as it generated between 56% and 58% of the revenue for Worcester County.
“They did – out of the goodness of their hearts, God bless them – give a two-cent decrease in the tax rate,” he said. “Well, that’s using Ocean City’s money to give a tax reduction throughout the county, which is fine. But at the same time, I thought our request was reasonable, and it was denied.”
However, Meehan said he was not giving up. He said the city was trying to build its relationship with the commissioners and make its case for additional funding.
By Tara Fischer Staff Writer
(June 5, 2025) Last week, the Berlin Town Council approved a motion to share the cost of a traffic study on Old Ocean City Boulevard with Coastal Ventures Properties (CVP) for $14,250 as it pertains to the site’s upcoming development.
Per the approval, the town will contribute half of the cost of a traffic impact study regarding future road construction at Heron Park. The agenda item passed in a 4-1 vote at the town’s May 27 Mayor and Council meeting. Councilman Jack Orris made the motion, which was seconded by Councilman Jay Knerr. Council members Shaneka Nichols and Steve Green also voted favorably, with Council Vice President Dean Burrell opposed. Burrell has opposed the redevelopment of Heron Park and specifically the sale to CVP.
The decision follows the municipality’s contract with Palmer and Sandy Gillis of Coastal Ventures Properties, which was officially signed in April. The agreement cemented the pair’s purchase of parcel 57, a portion of property at Heron Park consisting of 9.35 acres of land area for $1,200,000.
The arrangement included the note that the Town of Berlin would split the cost of the traffic study necessary for future development.
The town’s portion of the study will primarily concern the development of the upcoming skate park and the new public works facility at Heron Park. The other portion consists of redeveloping parcel 57, which was officially contracted for sale to Coastal Ventures Properties earlier this spring. Settlement has not occurred with one of the pending items to tackle being the traffic impact study, which must take place during school days.
A letter to Palmer Gillis from The Traffic Group, the company who will conduct the study, maintained that “as part of the development, the existing access to the town’s 40-acre public park will be redeveloped with multiple driveways to serve the park, proposed development, and will also provide access to the Cropper Auto Repair Facility.”
The correspondence continued, reading that “for the purpose of the [traffic impact study],” they recommend including the intersections N. Main Street, at Graham Avenue, at the Heron Park access road and Route 113.
The study's scope will include coordinating with representatives from the Town of Berlin and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration and collecting intersection turning movement counts from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. “on a typical weekday while public school is in session” at the intersection locations.
The project will also involve a site visit by The Traffic Group to review the road network and obtain groundlevel photographs, secure details on the proposed development, including the skate park and new public works building, and prepare a traffic signal warrant analysis for the intersection at Old Ocean City Boulevard at Main Street, among other items.
Commissioners president pitched compromise offer to head of teacher’s union
By Brian Shane Staff Writer
By Stewart Dobson Editor
(June 6, 2025) The president of the Worcester County Commissioners reportedly offered a $3,000 pay raise for teachers to the teachers association president two weeks ago, provided she would end salary negotiations with the Board of Education.
Worcester County Teachers Association President Beth ShockleyLynch turned down the offer that included identical raises for school support staff, sheriff’s deputies and other county employees on the basis that she was not authorized to agree to anything without her membership’s knowledge and consent.
Shockley-Lynch did not identify the commissioner she met with over lunch on May 23 at the Atlantic Hotel in Berlin, but this week commissioner President Ted Elder acknowledged that it was he.
The session between the two followed the commissioners’ decision days earlier to raise teachers’ pay to $2,000 instead of to the $4,000 raise agreed to during negotiations be-
tween the Worcester County Board of Education and the Worcester County Teacher’s Association.
The $4,000 raise the board agreed to was part of its multi-year plan to comply with a statewide legislative
mandate, the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, to set the starting salary for teachers at $60,000 by the 2027-28 school year.
Worcester’s current first-year teacher salary of $52,789 is the lowest among Maryland’s 24 public school districts.
In separate negotiations, the school board approved a $2,000 raise for public school support staff with its own union.
But some commissioners, including Elder, objected to giving teachers double the support staff raises, and decided to fund raises equally — even though the commissioners technically have no control over who gets paid what in the public school system. Their authority is over the overall budget, not its parts.
Nevertheless, the off-the-books proposal was presented to ShockleyLynch, as Commissioner Caryn Abbott revealed in a May 30 Facebook exchange with a critic of the commissioners’ school funding decisions.
In her response, Abbott disclosed that the teachers had turned down a $3,000 increase, although there was no record of such a deal having been offered in public.
“By the way,” she wrote, “all of the employees could’ve gotten $3,000 but the teachers union rejected that so maybe you can thank them.”
Shockley-Lynch, however, said accepting or rejecting the deal wasn’t her call to make and that she told the commissioner she met with, presumably Elder, that the offer would have to be voted on by the full Worcester County Teacher’s Association membership, and then presented to the school board. Accepting any kind of offer outside of negotiations, she said, would violate collective bargaining laws.
“When I explained I did not have the authority agree to this offer, and I would consult with my legal counsel, I was told, ‘that’s the offer, take it or leave it.’ I would need to put it in writing before Wednesday, May 28th at 12:00, when the commissioners meet again. If I did not take it, all departments (county employees, school support staff and sheriff’s deputies) would be cut to $2,500,” she said in a statement to OC Today-Dispatch.
Who invited whom to lunch is unclear. Elder said Tuesday the union reached out to him, while ShockleyLynch said he invited her.
As for presenting an ultimatum, Elder said Tuesday he mentioned to Shockley-Lynch the possibility that the commissioners might consider amending their budget considerations to fund a $3,000 across-theboard teacher raise instead of just $2,000.
“I did ask her if she would, you know, if she could get the teachers to meet in the middle,” Elder told OC Today-Dispatch. “And, of course there was discussions that they can’t legally do that, I don’t think. That’s about where it went and that I had a nice meal with her and that was it. “I did mention that figure,” Elder said. “I said, ‘I can’t promise, but I think if we could, if you would settle for something like that, I think I could get the votes.’ That’s just what I said. … I mean, it was a suggestion, that I may be able to get that. But I can’t promise them anything and I made sure they knew that.”
Elder also said he issued no ultimatums, “because I can’t – I have no control over the what the board does, and I have no control over what the teacher’s association does. I just I asked for something, and she said they can’t do it. That’s it.”
Shockley-Lynch had a different take.
“The offer from a commissioner” she said, “was that they felt there were four votes for the teachers, support staff, bus driver, county employees, and the sheriff’s department to get a $3,000 salary adjustment if the teacher’s association agreed not to go back and renegotiate for our original agreement of $4,000.”
Elder added that he’s met often with school board members as both sides attempt to reach a compromise to fund the school system’s $115 million budget request.
Reactions were mixed when the commissioners met Tuesday to cast their final budget vote.
Commissioner Joe Mitrecic (District 7, Ocean City) said he’d first heard about the lunch by reading about it on this newspaper’s website and not from his peers on the dais, calling such a meeting “highly irregular.”
“We don’t set the teacher’s salaries,” he said. “I think it was wrong that it even happened, let alone there was a deal trying to be struck that didn’t include the rest of the commissioners. I would hope that in the future, this type of situation doesn’t occur.”
Commissioner Eric Fiori (District 3, Sinepuxent) credited school officials for working to comply with the commissioners’ line-item budget requests.
“And in return, what do we do?” he asked. “Have a backdoor meeting for $3,000 for a raise to try to leverage things?”
Abbott (District 1, Southern) then asked Fiori, “how many meetings have you had with the board of education and others that we’ve never been told about?
“I think we all can do better and certainly communicating amongst all of us is the proper way to do things,” she said.
Mitrecic interjected that the commissioners’ job is to confer with the school board, not the teachers’ union. “So, you can’t compare the two,” he said to Abbott.
In her responses to Abbott’s Facebook comment, Shockley-Lynch said, “Unfortunately, Commissioner Abbott does not understand how collective-bargaining works. A Friday afternoon last-minute offer to the teachers association is not the process in which collective bargaining works. The offer was not taken to the Board of Education. We do not negotiate with the commissioners; we only negotiate with the Board of Education. Obviously, they had the funds to offer an increase of $3,000 but chose not to do it.”
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The General Levin Winder Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) presented the DAR Medal of Honor to Marie Gilmore, center, at American Legion Post 166 in Ocean City. Americanism Committee Chair Pat Arata, left, who prepared the nomination package, explained the prestigious award is given to a United States citizen by birth who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, trustworthiness, service, and patriotism. Regent Sharon Moak presented Gilmore with the certificate and medal adding that this is an honor for both Gilmore and the chapter.
SUBMITTED PHOTO/ OC
(June 6, 2025) The Art League of Ocean City is seeking supporters to champion for the arts and participate in the “Art League Games.” This new competition encourages those passionate about the arts – nicknamed Gladiators - to host events on their own to financially support the many educational and outreach programs of the nonprofit Art League.
“In these Art League Games, our modern-day Gladiators enter a new kind of arena,” Rina Thaler, Executive Director of the Art League, said. “They battle not with swords, but with passion, raising funds and rallying support to keep creativity thriving in our community. Each Gladiator fights for the arts with boldness - hosting events, calling on supporters, and championing a cause greater than themselves.”
The goal of the Art League Games is for supporters to raise funds for the arts by planning and hosting one major event or a series of events, whatever fits their style and comfort level. Suggested events include wine tastings, competitive board or sports games, monthly trivia nights, and so on. The Art League will support the events with posts on social media and email blasts.
The Games will run as individual Gladiators or Teams of Gladiators with the goal of being crowned “Champion of the Arts” during an Art League celebration in April 2026. The Champion will be honored, not only for raising the most funds, but for their courage, dedication, and relentless drive to strengthen the creative spirit of Ocean City, and will be recognized with a public acknowledgment.
“This initiative is more than just about creating benefits,” Jessica Bauer, Art League Development Director, said. “It’s about fostering community support for the arts, strengthening relationships, and making a lasting impact on the Art League. By taking ownership of an event, you are directly contributing to keeping the arts alive and accessible in the greater Ocean City area.”
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Citizen complaints in April over rail bike operation led to broader discussion
By Tara Fischer Staff Writer
(May 30, 2025) Berlin’s council may soon be able to enact enforcement strategies against businesses operating within the municipality, given that they incur an influx of complaints or cause issues for residents and visitors.
David Gaskill, the town’s attorney, will draft a document that could allow the council to regulate how businesses operate within Berlin, provided they display nuisance behavior. Enforcement methods may include the revocation of a business license. The Berlin Mayor and Council will review the amended ordinance at a later date.
The move follows a council meeting in April in which town residents came forward, expressing their dissatisfaction with the Broad Street-located Tracks and Yaks, a railbike excursion. The citizens explained that the business is a nuisance to that part of town, citing issues with parking, trash, drug use, public indecency, and unsightly property. Tracks and Yaks operates via a Maryland and Delaware Railroad lease agreement.
Adam Davis, owner of Berlin Beer Company on Broad Street, spoke at last month’s meeting when the issue was brought to light. According to Davis, the railbike group does not have restrooms for guests or staff. As such, these individuals have used Berlin Beer Company’s facilities, putting a strain on the local business. Guests for Tracks and Yaks have also taken to using parking spots designated for Berlin Beer Company, which already has limited spaces.
Baker Street residents were also present at the April meeting. Citizen Sara Simon added that she has seen the excursion employees smoking marijuana in their cars and loitering on the streets. At the time, the Berlin council agreed that the business was having a negative impact, believing the company was a public nuisance to the town.
“I am frustrated,” said Councilman Steve Green at April’s meeting, who lives nearby. “There were seven cars parked there today, jammed in there.
It looks like total trash. We, up here, should not tolerate it. Whatever we have to do, whether it’s sending a letter to the railroad company or Tracks and Yaks, we can’t continue to tell these folks, ‘You have to live with it.’ That is not fair of us to ask … they shouldn’t be there … I think it’s time for the business to move out of Berlin.”
In response to these issues and to prevent a similar situation, Gaskill will draft a document allowing the council to regulate these businesses.
The town’s administrator, Mary Bohlen, maintained that the potential regulations would not dictate whether a business could open in Berlin. Instead, they would allow the council to stop behavior that is negatively impacting the town’s beautification, services, and residents.
“It’s important to note that such a regulation would not impact whether or not a business can function in a certain zone, that’s part of a zoning code,” she said. “This isn’t about stopping a business from opening, as long as it’s allowed in a certain location, it’s more about dealing with it if there’s a problem after the fact.”
Gaskill agreed, explaining that regulations would be used if a business exacerbated town issues like trash, noise, and illegal parking. He added that the power could also be exercised if the business’s building is not up to code.
The new ordinance may allow the town to revoke a business license or provide a pathway for the town administrator or planning director to suggest a suspension, which could then be appealed to the Mayor and
Council.
According to the staff, the council is authorized to perform such actions.
“In the code, there are areas that permit the council to function as a sort of judicial body to hold a hearing and make a decision,” Bohlen said.
Dean Burrell, council vice president, said he can recall a situation in which a business received many complaints years ago. The business was required to explain to the council why they should be allowed to operate in Berlin and the steps they would take to improve its behavior.
“It worked tremendously well,” he said.
Gaskill will draft an ordinance pertaining to business regulations that the Berlin Mayor and Council will review upon its completion.
Stephen Decatur High School’s Class of 2025 graduated in an outdoor ceremony last Friday at the football stadium. The graduates, surrounded by family, friends, teachers, school staff and officials, celebrated the accomplishment with speakers, including alumna Jessica Hales, president of the TidalHealth Foundation, and fireworks.
The annual Worcester Preparatory School (WPS) Academic Convocation ceremony was held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, where awards were given for academic achievement in all subject areas and for service to the school. The evening’s most prestigious Academic Convocation awards were bestowed upon the following four students. The Best All-Round Student awards are selected by a written vote of faculty and staff:
• Head of School Highest Academic Average Award, Grades 9-11: Anisha Batra, Grade 11
• Best All-Round Student, Grades 9-11: Jude Damouni, Grade 11
• Head of School Highest Academic Average Award, Grades 6-8: Lea Jaoude, Grade 7
• Best All-Round Student, Grades 6-8: Tejal Pillai, Grade 6
Founded in 1970, WPS is a private, independent Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 school located in Berlin, Maryland. Approximately 500 students attend from Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia.
For more information about WPS, please visit www.worcesterprep.org or call 410.641.3575.
County Commissioner Caryn Abbott of Pocomoke didn’t just let the cat out of the bag last week by revealing the backroom pay raise proposal made to the teachers association, she threw the door open on the majority’s overreaching approach to government.
In secretly offering teachers association President Beth Shockley-Lynch a take-it-or-leave-it teacher pay increase of $3,000 a year, as opposed to the $2,000 the four-member majority voted for publicly after rejecting the board of education’s $4,000 deal with teachers, they did so many things wrong it’s tough to list them all.
Still, we’ll give it a try:
• They tried to co-opt Shockley-Lynch by getting her to agree to a deal she had no authority to accept without her membership’s knowledge. They also unfairly tied the fate of all school system and county employees’ pay to her answer.
• They tried to circumvent the board of education, the only branch of local government authorized by the state to negotiate with teachers and other school employees.
• They might have violated the state’s open meetings law if they agreed privately, through a phone poll or some other offthe-books manner, to pursue a deal.
• They got even with Shockley-Lynch for refusing to join their scheme by walking back that private offer of $3,000, and instead voting for a $2,500 raise in last Wednesday’s public session. If they had the money, why do that?
• They assumed authority they don’t have over teachers’ pay either through ignorance of the law or purposely going around it to try to repair the political damage they suffered after rejecting the terms of the teacher/school board contract.
Whether the majority didn’t know any better or took this route for political reasons makes no difference. It’s no way to run the county, and changes should be made.
— Stewart Dobson
(We acknowledge that Executive Editor Steve Green filed for the 4th District county commissioner seat.)
Tell me what to decide
For no reason other than the desire to make myself feel more normal than I am, I skimmed an article in one of the big dailies this week on a TV reality show about a guy with four wives.
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By Stewart Dobson
When I say “skimmed,” I looked at the headline, read the first paragraph and quickly moved on because I couldn’t understand why any man would want more than one wife telling him what to do.
Sure, I believe in the institution of marriage, but just imagine how many times in a day this guy finds himself saying, “Look, I’m sorry, but I didn’t mean it that way?”
Incidentally, did I mention that my 44th wedding anniversary is this week? Well, it is, and we’ll be going out to celebrate as soon as she decides what I should decide about where to go. You think I’m kidding? I am not.
Here’s how it works (all you youngsters might want to take notes).
Me: Where do you want to go to dinner?
She: I don’t care.
Me: Super! How about Nacho Bob’s Lotsa Cheese on Everything Grill?”
She. No.
Me: OK, then how about Gravy Kingdom?
She: No.
Me: Oh, something more upscale? There’s Leonardo’s House of Fried Wallets? It has Take-Out-A-Mortgage Main Courses, with Kold Kash Kale, Big Money Mashed and salads like the Gross National Produce.
She: No. Too expensive.
Me: I thought you didn’t care where we went.
She: I don’t. Just pick something. Make a decision!
Me: Hmmmmmm.
And that’s how it works in a marital partnership of this duration. I have come to accept it, as well as the fact that I have been, and will continue to be wrong about almost everything.
In fact, of the top 10 expressions a husband will find himself using over the course of marriage, the first five are, “You’re right.”
After that, comes:
6. I did say that, but I didn’t mean it that way.
7. I didn’t say that, but if I had, I wouldn’t have meant it that way.
8. Fine, what decision should I make then?
9. No, I was listening,
10. I’m listening now, okay?
I can’t speak to what the top 10 things a woman says over the course of a long marriage, as I wouldn’t want to be accused of misrepresenting their positions.
In fact, after all this time, I can only come up with three:
1. And what’s that supposed to mean?
2. You’re not listening to me.
3. What did I just say? Really? I knew you weren’t listening to me.
That’s just how it is. And now it’s back to deciding where to go to dinner.
“How about “Vein-Clogger’s By-the-Sea?” “No.”
By Steve Green
Let’s be clear: I filed last Friday as a candidate for the Worcester County Commissioners District 4 seat. The current term expires next year with the primary election in late June and the general election in November. My name will not appear on the ballot until November because I am running as an unaffiliated candidate. If elected, I will not opine on county matters in this space to maintain integrity. It’s what I have done since being elected as a Berlin council person in October of 2022. Until the election, I will continue to offer perspectives based on my experience and observations of county government like I do with Ocean City and state governments as well as general current events.
Some thoughts on the overall budget process, one of the most contentious I can recall in my 30 years in this business.
- Positives: The commissioners used some of the $18 million in revenue gains from rising property values to cut the property tax rate by three cents. For the county’s median home price of about $435,000, this will represent about $130 a year in savings if the home valuation stayed flat from year to year. This will help secondary homeowners and commercial property owners more than the year-round residents, who are already shielded by spikes in valuation through the Homestead Tax Credit. The commissioners also lowered the Homestead Tax Credit from 3% to 0%, which will likely have a larger impact on the county’s residential property owners in time. Once approved through the state, the credit change will be a bigger plus than the tax rate decrease for those who live here.
- Negatives: Much has been written in this space about the need to adequately fund public safety and education funding. But, heading into the budget, the commissioners needed to address morale and turnover issues with its own general employees through compensation adjustments. The county is losing employees to other governments and the private sector because it’s not keeping up with the competition. The impact of the tightness and preference to put money away into ballooning reserve accounts will continue to impact public safety, education and general government operations without any plan in place for the future. The $2,500 COLA will help some earners but it’s not meaningful enough.
- Strange: The county being unaware it could not reduce its income tax from 2.25% to 2% was an embarrassing wrinkle to this year’s budget process. It’s difficult to believe not one county official was aware state law says it cannot be lowered beyond the current level, the lowest in the state. It’s the second time in this budget process the county has looked foolish with the other being when officials realized they could not address shortalls in specific water and sewer funds with one of the options proposed. It was confirmed during the process transfers from separate water and sewer funds to struggling service funds was indeed “not feasible,” or not allowed, by code.
- Division: While saying he was proud of the budget, Commission President Ted Elder struck a nerve with a couple commissioners when he called them “extremely liberal.” He said, “I was the moderate person in here. We have three commissioners who are extremely liberal and three who are extremely conservative. I tried to work with them to get the job done. I have worked very hard and I have met several people, several times and I am not going to apologize for that either.”
Fiori, a Republican, replied, “We resorted to name calling and labeling because we are trying to get money to our teachers and our Sheriff’s Department. That’s great, back to the childish comments, there we go. This is not fixing the problem here … This is very narrow-minded thinking budget. We are not thinking of our folks in the county … We received about 1,400 emails from people supporting education, that’s a lot … people wanted us to invest in our county and I am very upset with this budget.”
Mitrecic, a Republican, said, “they resort to name calling in the last Board of Education election and look how it turned out for them. They lost…”
Purnell, a registered Democrat, was also upset at Elder’s characterization saying, “I am done with a lot of this but please don’t call me a liberal or a conservative, just call me a commissioner who works for this county. That’s who I am and who I want to be.” She added, “One thing is for certain I really don’t like being called liberal and if you are going to put me in a box, put me in the right box. I sit up here as a county commissioner … who works for the county as a whole … It’s heartbreaking when you can’t think of anything else outside of the dollar sign … we are in a mess … I am hurt and sad that we as a body … would do what we have done to the constituents that hired us and voted for us. It’s all about us, not about them … they have more in this fire than we got.”
Editor,
What is the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City? It's a volunteer organization dedicated to helping children and families in Worcester County. It's one of the Kiwanis International's over 7000 clubs located in 85 nations: "Serving the Children of the World".
Why does the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City work all year long to raise funds to disperse in Worcester County to help make our community better and how does it get done? For example, the club's biggest fundraiser is the The Kiwanis Club of Ocean Pines-Ocean City annual Lottery.
The 2026 Kiwanis Lottery tickets are on sale. In order to be in for the 2026 drawings that start 1/1/26, tickets must be purchased before 12/31/25. Cost is $20/ticket and are good for all 365 Maryland evening "Pick 3" drawings. It's not necessary to live in Maryland to win. Once your number(s) are in the database, winner $ are automatically mailed by PNC Bank. There are 17 celebration "Special Dates" that pay up to $250. These make great stocking stuffers.
Kiwanis members have tickets to sell and there will be tickets available at all Kiwanis events throughout the year. Some of the many events are the annual July and November Pancake Breakfasts, the "Summer Concerts in the Park", most Ocean Pines events like recent Bay Day in May, the 4th of July Celebration, craft shows, and some weeks at the Saturday Farmers Market in Whitehorse Park.
Proceeds benefit the Youth of
Worcester County via the Kiwanis Club's Annual Scholarships awarded to high school graduating senior students in the three county high schools, yearly funding with seed money and supporting the five Kiwanis Student Leadership Program clubs in Buckingham & Showell Elementary, Berlin Intermediate School, Stephen Decatur Middle School and Stephen Decatur High School, also, annually, the club donates and supports Cedar Chapel Special School. Community service organizations like Worcester GOLD, Diakonia, Worcester County Youth & Family, Worcester County Child Advocacy Center, 4Steps Therapeutic Riding Program, Companion Dolls for police and fire departments to help children experiencing trauma, Ocean Pines Recreation Department for Summer camp, to name a few.
Every year the club holds food drives, coats and toy drives to collect and make donations of goods to those local organizations. Membership is always open. More information at www.kiwanisofopoc.org and on Facebook. The more hands, the lighter the work
David Landis Sr. Ocean Pines
Editor,
May 28 was a sad day for a Fully Funded Budget for Worcester County schools.
County commissioners voted 4 to 3 for a lesser budget proposal which would save 2 cents per every $100 to tax payers, but would deny teachers, Continued on Page 78
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bus drivers, and support staff a fair raise and would demonstrate that their “service” is valued and go a long way toward keeping their homes, lives, and families in out county.
A huge thank you to Commissioners Mitrecic, Purnell and Fiori who repeatedly said we value our teachers and employees who serve the county, who give their all, and make our schools the best in the state. They repeatedly said these valued employees spend their hard-earned money in our communities - at local businesses, shops and restaurants.
They stated that they value the ability of teachers to keep students
safe, fill their brains with ideas and inspire them to be creative, smart and successful.
It’s embarrassing to me that Worcester County teachers are the lowest paid in the state of Maryland (per MDE) while WCPS’ test scores say our schools are the best in the state.
Without a Fully Funded Budget once again cuts will have to be made. Some great programs and definitely class sizes will be impacted.
To the other commissioners – the gang of four - the bill is going to come due again next year.
Debra Fisher-Reynolds Ocean Pines
Worcester Preparatory School has announced several talented student writers have been published in Fright Club: Home Before Dark, a national flash fiction anthology showcasing spine-tingling stories in just 100 words or less. This unique challenge invited young authors from across the country to craft complete and compelling spooky tales in exactly 100 words—a true test of precision, imagination, and storytelling skill. Worcester Prep students stood out for their originality, chilling twists, and ability to pack a punch in a small package.
Front row from left, are Anna French, Claire Cooper, Lillian Ha, Lilly White and Tenley Absher; second row, from left, Isha Garg, Sydney Parker, Bella Forman, Genia Fedarkevich and Keerat Brar; third row, from left, Raia Gorfinkel, Olivia Owens, Lara Owens, Gabriella Damouni, Haven Harrison, Kayley Adkins and Alex Gjoni; and, back, Michael Hall, Luke Pitarra, Karrigan Russel-Wood, Jackson Griffin and Gavin Mann. Not pictured were Reagan Mathews, Justin McGovern, Lyla Roberts and Hayden Wagner.
By Peter Ayers Wimbrow III
Contributing Writer
This week, 80 years ago, soldiers of the Australian 9th Division, commanded by Maj. Gen. George Wootten, began landing on the island of Borneo from Brunei Bay, resulting in the “Battle of North Borneo.”
This was a part of “Operation Oboe,” and was supported by the U.S. Seventh Fleet, commanded by Adm. Thomas Kincaid, and the United States Thirteenth, and the Australian First Tactical Air Forces, commanded by Hubert R. Harmon and Sir Frederick Rudolph William Scherger.
With a size of 287,000 square miles, Borneo is the third largest island in the world, and the largest island in Asia. Approximately 73% of the island belongs to Indonesia, which, before the Japanese invasion, was a Dutch colony. The Nation of Brunei, with a population of 410,000, is located on the north shore of the island and occupies 1% of its land mass. The rest of the island is occupied by the Malaysian states of North Borneo and Sarawak, both also located on the north side of the island. Before the Japanese invasion, they, along with the rest of
Malaya, had been part of the British Empire.
Borneo was defended by the Thirty-Seventh Imperial Japanese
Army, commanded by Lt. Gen. Baba Masao. Japanese Naval forces were under the command of Vice-Adm. Michiaki Kamada and were based at
Balikpapan, which is located on the east coast of the island and today has a population of 640,000.
Both the general and the admiral survived the war and were charged with war crimes, tried, convicted, sentenced to death and executed by hanging. The general was convicted of ordering the Sandakan Death Marches, during which more than 2,700 Allied POWs died. Only six survived — because they escaped.
The Death Marches came about when the Japanese decided to remove the sick and undernourished men from the Sandakan POW Camp to Renau, 160 miles distant. The ostensible purpose was to remove the men to the interior, away from the coast, because of the anticipated Allied landings. Most of the victims were Australian. The rest were British. The admiral’s crimes were the execution of 1,500 natives and the mistreatment of 2,000 Dutch POWs.
The first phase of the reconquest of Borneo — “Operation Oboe” — was the occupation of Tarakan Island — Oboe One. Tarakan Island is a triangle-shaped, 117-square-mile island, located 2.5 miles off the coast of Borneo. At the time, it had an airfield which the Allies thought would be important in the coming battle for the larger island of Borneo.
In addition, there were two oil fields located on Tarakan. The oilfields and airstrip were all located near the only city on the islandTarakan Town - which, today, has a population of 193,000. Although, by the time of the invasion, the Allies had bombed them to smithereens, at one time, the oilfields produced 350,000 barrels of oil a month for the Japanese.
Since the oil fields were no longer functioning — and even if they were,
there was no way to get the oil to where it was needed, because the Allies now controlled the sea and the air — the Japanese did not believe the island was that important. Therefore, it was defended by the 455th Independent Infantry Battalion, commanded by Maj. Tadai Tokoi, of the 2nd Naval Garrison Force, commanded by Cdr. Kaoru Kaharu, and other smaller units, totaling 2,200 men.
The assault on Tarakan Island was carried out by the 12,000 soldiers of the Australian 26th Brigade Group, which was a part of Gen. Wootten’s 9th Division. The Australians landed at about 8 a.m. on May 1, after the typical Allied air and naval bombardments. By May 5, the air strip had been captured. The island was eventually declared secured on June 21.
The cost to the Australians had been 251 dead and 669 wounded. The Japanese suffered 1,540 dead and 252 captured. Even with these low casualties, most historians agree that the operation had not been worth the cost, especially since the airfield was so badly damaged that the 1st and 8th Australian Airfield Construction Squadrons were unable to ready them before June 28, 1945, which was too late for assistance in the invasion of Borneo.
In the meantime, beginning on June 10, Gen. Wootten’s 9th Division began Operation Oboe 6, which was an invasion of the larger island of Borneo from Brunei Bay, resulting in the “Battle of North Borneo.”
By now, the Japanese had learned that it was suicide to attempt to contest the landings on the beaches because of the naval and air bombardments that the Allies delivered prior to the landings. As soon as the
Australians landed, the Japanese began firing the oil wells. By June 29, 38 were afire and could be seen 80 miles out to sea. A second force of Australians was landed on June 16 at the town of Weston.
On July 1, as Allied Commander Douglas MacArthur observed from the cruiser, USS Boise, the Australian 7th Division, commanded by Maj. Gen. Edward James Milford, landed a few miles north of Balikpapan on Borneo — Operation Oboe 2. This was Australia’s largest amphibious landing, and last offensive against the Japanese.
Balikpapan is located in the Indonesian portion of Borneo, on the southern coast of the island. The landings were, essentially, uncontested, and, by the second day, an airfield at Seppinggang had been captured. Balikpapan was captured on July 3. The 7th Division lost 185 killed and 470 wounded.
By July 12, Papar, in North Borneo, which today has a population of 124,000, had been occupied. Australian operations ceased with Papar’s capture. The fighting in North Borneo had cost the Aussies 114 dead and 221 wounded, while the Japanese lost 1234 killed and 130 captured. Total Australian casualties for the liberation of Borneo were 2,100, while Japanese incurred about 4,700.
Next week: Quisling Mr. Wimbrow writes from Ocean City, Maryland, where he practices law representing those persons accused of criminal and traffic offenses, and those persons who have suffered a personal injury through no fault of their own. He can be contacted at wimbrowlaw@gmail.com
BEATRICE J. ANTONINI
Selbyville
Beatrice “Bebe” J. Antonini, age 98, of Selbyville, Del. died Monday, May 19, 2025, at the Country Rest Home in Greenwood, Del. She was born and raised in Washington, D.C. and was the daughter of the late Walter Arner and Florence (Baylor) Arner. After high school graduation, her first job was at the Passport Division in Washington, D.C. Thereafter, she had many jobs including retail and various property management positions, including George Washington University where she remained until retirement.
Bebe was involved in Maryland politics for many years and even ran for state delegate. Bebe was an avid book reader and artist. She learned watercolor painting while she was employed at George Washington University. She had various art shows in Washington, D.C. and Ocean City and she also volunteered at the Ocean City Art League for many years.
Bebe always loved the beach. When her father-in-law built a home on 87th Street in Ocean City in the early 1950’s, she visited Ocean City every weekend and spent several summers there with her children. Her dream was to build a beautiful home on the water after she retired. Her dream was finally fulfilled at the age of 88 years old. She and her daughter, Teri, lived together in this home until her final days. Bebe was a member of Fenwick Island Baptist Church, the Art League of Ocean City and her neighborhood book club. Bebe loved spending time with her friends on the beach, entertaining and playing any type of game. Bebe was always the life of the party. Bebe is survived by her daughter, Teri Antonini of Selbyville, Del.; her son, Timothy Antonini and his wife, Linda of Annapolis; two granddaughters, Stacy Corwin and her husband, Tim; and Christina Rice and her husband Andy. In addition to her parents, Bebe was preceded in death by her sister Dorothy Penn.
Friends may visit on Friday, June 6, 2025, from 1:00 – 4:00 pm at Bishop-Hastings Funeral Home, 19 S. Main Street, Selbyville, DE. A funeral service is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Fenwick Island Baptist Church, located at 36806 Lighthouse Road, Selbyville, Del. Entombment will be in Granite Memorial Mausoleum in Bishopville, Delaware.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Art League of Ocean City, P.O. Box 3503, Ocean City, Md. 21843. Condolences may be sent by visiting www.bishophastingsfh.com.
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Ocean City
Sandra Lee Connell of Ocean City, passed from this life on June 1, 2025 in Frederick. She was the beloved wife of James P. Connell.
Born in Trenton New Jersey, Sandy was the daughter of Charles Wargo Jr, and Helen (Luff) Wargo.
Sandy graduated from Lawrenceville High School in 1972, and earned her Associate’s Degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.
Sandy spent most of her career in the Office Products Industry. She was employed by Harrison Office Products for many years in Farmington, CT. She and Jim lived in Marlborough, CT for 30 years, and retired to Ocean City, MD in 2011.
In addition to her husband, Jim, she is survived by her brother Charles Wargo III, of Titusville, NJ, his son and daughter, Charles Wargo IV, and Tierney (Wargo) Scott. She loved all of her nieces and nephews over the years and later her grand nieces and nephews. Sandy also never let any dog pass her by without some special attention by her. Her love for all radiated like her smile.
There will be a celebration of Sandy’s life at a future date. Please consider a donation to the Alzheimers Association or your local Hospice Organization.
Arrangements are by Stauffer Funeral Home, Frederick. Expressions of sympathy may be shared at staufferfuneralhome.com
Berlin
Bernice (Hlad) Magnone was born on August 10, 1931, in Loyalhanna, Pa., to William and Marcella (Cermak) Hlad. Bernice had a happy childhood with her parents and her brother William. Bernice flourished in high school. She had a sunny disposition. She was a majorette and was Valedictorian of her graduating class.
Soon after graduating, Bernice married her high school sweetheart, Rudy. They raised two children, Dino and Leah, and they were very active in their grandchildren’s lives.
Bernice was the pillar of the family. She was content to stay in the background and let everyone else shine. She was truly selfless. She lived her life to make everyone around her comfortable and happy. She had nothing but kind words for everyone. She welcomed so many people into her home over the years. She was happy to nurture everyone around
her. Her hug was like a warm blanket and her smile lit up the room like a 100-watt light bulb.
Near the end of her life, Bernice handled her illness the way she handled her whole life: With grace, strength, humor and dignity. She was at peace with the transition, and ready to go. Her last day was spent with friends and family. There were so many laughs and happy memories shared that day.
On May 22, 2025, Bernice passed away peacefully, surrounded by love.
Bernice was preceded in death by her beloved husband Rudy, her parents, her brother, and many beloved aunts, uncles and cousins. She is survived by her children, Dino (Hollie) and Leah. She was the beloved MiMi to her grandchildren, Niko, Dina, Romy, Sienna, Aaliyah, Claudia, Shelbi and Marcus, and her great granddaughter Haisley.
The world was made a better place by Bernice’s presence. She will be remembered fondly and deeply missed.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: The Worcester County Humane Society, 12330 Eagles Nest Rd, Berlin, MD 21811.
Arrangements with Eastern Shore Cremation & Funeral Service, 504 Franklin Ave., Berlin, Md 21811. Please visit www.easternshorecremation.com.
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J. OLIVER SMITH JR.
Showell
J. Oliver "Buddy" Smith Jr., age 85, of Showell, died Friday, May 30, 2025 at University of Maryland in Baltimore. He was born in Bishopville and was the son of the late John Oliver Smith Sr. and Ethel Anna (Smith) Smith.
He was a grain and poultry farmer and owner and operator of Smith Farms.
Oliver was a lifelong member of the Showell United Methodist Church and a former member of the Farm Bureau, Maryland Certified Seed dealer and Maryland Commercial Fishing Assoc. He was a devoted husband, lifelong farmer and enjoyed hunting, fishing, and crabbing.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Janice McCabe Smith; three children, Charlese Smith, Dean O. Smith and wife Robin and Brian Smith and wife Sheri all of Bishopville; eight grandchildren, Tyler Smith (Katie), Olivia Tyndall (Matt), Erin Smith (Brett), Adam Smith, Sarah Smith, Emily Smith, Chris Boston and Brandon Boston; three great grandchildren, Garner Smith, Fletcher Smith and Addie Tyndall. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Naomi Taylor.
A funeral service was held Tuesday at Showell United Methodist Church, 10115 Pitts Road, Showell, MD. 21862. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Showell Vol. Fire Department, 11620 Worcester Hwy., Showell, Md. 21862 or Curtis United Methodist Church, 11808 Campbelltown Road, Bishopville, Md. 21813.
Condolences may be sent by visit-
STEVEN EDWARD BARTLETT
Ocean City
Steven Edward Bartlett, age 69, passed away on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at TidalHealth in Salisbury. Born in Washington, DC, he was the son of the late Charles Bartlett and Jean (Weaver) Bartlett.
Steve and Carolyn, high school sweethearts, were married in 1975 and moved to the Eastern Shore in 1984. Steve was a skilled carpenter who always had a project underway. He owned and operated his own construction business for many years, taking great pride in his craftsmanship. In addition to his construction work, he served as a Worcester County school bus contractor and worked for the Town of Ocean City Transportation Department—starting as a bus driver, advancing to supervisor, and eventually retiring as Operations Manager in 2021. A devoted member of Holy Savior Catholic Church, Steve was a dedicated volunteer, especially known for his role on the “Kitchen Crew.” With his larger-than-life personality, Steve was a friend to everyone he met.
He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Bartlett, a son, Steven Bartlett, three daughters, Jamie Thompson (Brad), Kimberly Thayer (Nate), and Caitlin Santos (Joey), a brother, Charles
Bartlett, two sisters, Trish Johnson (Duane), and Mary Bartlett (Chuck), and six grandchildren: Owen, Brendan, Emilyn, Ethan, Madelyn, and Jack.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Kathi Hilbert.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, June 9, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Holy Savior Catholic Church in Ocean City. A visitation will take place from 10:00 – 11:00AM. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Holy Savior Catholic Church, 1705 Philadelphia Ave. Ocean City, Md. 21842. Letters of condolence can be sent to the family via www.burbagefuneralhome.com. Arrangements are in the care of The Burbage Funeral Home.
Millsboro
Jesse Lee Lynch, age 77, of Millsboro, Del., peacefully passed away at his home on Saturday, May 31, 2025 with his wife by his side. Born in Salisbury, Maryland he was the son of the late Charles Holland Lynch, Sr. and Mary Louise (Taylor) Lynch. Jesse was the loving husband to his soulmate, Sheri (Schaffer) Lynch.
Jesse had lived on Delmarva most of his life except for 8 years spent in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was an educator, coach and administrator for the Worcester County Board of Education for 38 years, 10 of which he
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was an educator and coach and the other 28 was spent as an administrator for various schools. He coached basketball, baseball and soccer. He was a United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Commander. He loved visiting “Mother Ocean” no matter her mood. Any time on, in, or watching anybody at the water was time well spent. Of all the titles that Jesse had, he most cherished those of husband, Dad and Coach as they all involve love. Jesse had a fostering mentality and cared deeply for others. He was a member of Bethany Beach Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
In addition to his wife, Jesse is survived by estranged son, Christopher Lynch (Jules Ann), daughters, Mary Lynch (Patrick Widdowson), Angela Lynch Richardson, (Jay), Brittany Nelson (Brad), Morgan Greene (Tyler Case), foster daughter Cassandra Pascual; grandchildren, Henry Lynch, Samuel Lynch, Addison Richardson, Emmet Richardson, Stefen Nelson and Erin Nelson; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his brothers Charles Holland Lynch, Jr. and Thomas Taylor Lynch, Sr.
A service will be held at The Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin, Maryland on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 11am. The family will receive friends and visitors for one hour prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers please consider donating in Jesse’s memory to Vitas Hospice, 30265 Commerce Dr., Suite 202 Millsboro, DE 19966 or to the Coast Guard Auxiliary Association, 1301 West 1st Street, Granite City, IL 62040. To be included on the Memo Line: Jesse Lynch; 053-08-01 Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of The Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin, Maryland. Condolences may be shared with the family via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com.
