4TH OF JULY
FIREWORKS, FESTIVALS, CONTESTS, AND EVENTS
WWW.OCEANCITYTODAY.COM JULY 1, 2022
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Fireworks dud turns into city legal matter Officials staying mum on course they plan to take By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (July 1, 2022) The cancelation of Ocean City’s Fourth of July fireworks shows is now a legal matter, and officials are not sharing details of what may come next. On June 20, Ocean City officials announced that their new holiday fireworks vendor, Ohio-based American Fireworks Company, had pulled out from putting on two shows planned at Northside Park and downtown on July 4. The announcement came as a surprise to city officials and sent staff members scrambling to come up with a replacement. And while they were able to secure smaller shows and live music on July 3 and 5, they came up empty on options for the holiday itself. At a meeting last week, Council President Matt James asked whether the vendor will face any repercussions for the cancelation, and City Solicitor Heather Stansbury said staff members would look at the contract. On Tuesday, City Manager Terry McGean said he could not provide See FIREWORKS Page 3
LISA CAPITELLI/OCEAN CITY TODAY
INSPECTION
A celebration was held last Friday at Northside Park on 125th Street in Ocean City to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Maryland State Police Aviation Command Trooper 4. The Ocean City Fire Department hosted Trooper 4. The event also featured K-9 demonstrations, as well as police cars, Maryland State Police Incident Command, a fire truck, emergency vehicles and boats for guests to tour.
Commerce v. condos debate begins Planners, developers differ on commercial zone’s value By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (July 1, 2022) A main Ocean City strip with nothing but condos, townhouses and other residential development is not a future resort planners want to see.
That is why, while tackling a series of zoning code amendments in advance of the next comprehensive plan review, staff members are floating a change that would make it difficult to swap commercial projects for residential ones. The efforts to prevent sweeping residential projects from pushing out commercial development struck a
chord with some developers and property owners, however, as they want to prevent a future filled with thicker red tape and potential profit losses. At a planning commission meeting on June 22, Planning and Development Director Bill Neville introduced a proposed code amendment that See PLANNERS Page 6
Rural areas push fed funds for broadband Residents want speedier delivery of internet service By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (July 1, 2022) The Worcester County Commissioners turned to the public last week when looking for ways to spend $8.7 million of
American Rescue Plan Act money funds sitting in limbo, and the majority of those who spoke during the over 1-hour hearing pushed for fast and reliable internet. The county has received $10,154,000 in ARPA funds – half was received in 2021 and the other half should be coming soon – and
up until last month, $3,487,000 was to go toward a sewer project on Lewis Road, Maryland Broadband Cooperative, Riddle Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant, and a grant match with broadband provider Talkie. The county set aside as much as $2 million for the grant match with
Talkie, but that grant fell through, according to Chief Administrator Weston Young. Now the county has $8,667,000 to put toward public sector revenue loss allowance, public health, and economic response, restoring and supporting public sector capacity, See RESIDENTS Page 4
