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SEPTEMBER 16, 2016
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
LIFESTYLE
OCEAN CITY BIKE WEEK Thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts converge in Ocean City this weekend for events – Page 49
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Doerr gets 10 in arson Prosecution asks five, judge doubles it in St. Louis Ave. case
LISA CAPITELLI/OCEAN CITY TODAY
REMEMBERING 9/11 The local Red Knights Motorcycle Club, Maryland Chapter 3, hosted its 12th annual 9/11 Parade of Brothers Memorial Ride and ceremony on Sunday in honor of Americans who lost their lives during the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. A few hundred people rode their motorcycles down the Ocean City Boardwalk to the firefighters’ memorial at North Division Street where the ceremony took place.
Mitrecic weighs in on buskers Commissioner argues rights of customers being violated by Boardwalk performers By Katie Tabeling Staff Writer (Sept. 16, 2016) Worcester County Commissioner Joe Mitrecic has raised some questions about the rights of performers and whether they outweigh the public’s need for a reasonable noise level on the Boardwalk.
During the Sept. 6 Ocean City Council session, Mitrecic told the mayor and council what had been a pleasant Labor Day on the Boardwalk soured because of excessively loud violin music coming from a performer stationed next to Shenanigan’s, where he was dining. “I wouldn’t even say he played music – he made noises and his electric violin was plugged into an amplifier,” he said. “I couldn’t hear the music playing in the restaurant. I know that you’re up against it, but something has to be done with the street performers.”
The violinist was identified as Ion Lucian Ionescu, who, according to city officials, was permitted to perform in a space near Fifth Street. Ionescu has become somewhat a wellknown busker this summer, since he had complained about the Boardwalk lottery system and regulations to city officials. On July 29, Ocean City police gave him a spoken warning after a merchant complained about the sound level of the violinist’s amplifier. A day later he was issued a written citation for violating the See MORE Page 6
By Brian Gilliland Associate Editor (Sept. 16, 2016) Circuit Court Judge Dale Cathell sentenced Matthew Raymond “Ray” Doerr to 10 years in prison for starting the fire in March that destroyed the vacant house formerly located at 19 St. Louis Ave. in Snow Hill on Wednesday. Doerr was visibly shocked by the sentence, and his longtime girlfriend burst into tears, since he had agreed to a plea deal with State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby that carried a sentencing recMatthew Doerr ommendation for half the amount of time. Doerr originally faced charges of first-degree arson and destruction of property exceeding $1,000 in value. Oglesby amended the charging document to second-degree arson and agreed to not prosecute the second charge in exchange for a guilty plea. First-degree arson is used for houses, and second-degree is for “structures,” Oglesby said during the case. The maximum sentence for first-degree arson is 30 years in prison and up to $50,000 in fines, while seconddegree arson carries a maximum of 20 years and in $30,000 fines. Oglesby said he was confortable with the decision to reduce See NIGHT Page 5