OC Today WWW.OCEANCITYTODAY.NET
OCTOBER 28, 2016
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
Summer was solid for most
HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES An assortment of events are scheduled this weekend for children and adults – Page 41
FREE
No charges in death of pedestrian Was struck by police cruiser while walking across Coastal Hwy.
Data postings show improvement despite heavy rain in June
By Kara Hallissey Staff Writer (Oct. 28, 2016) The numbers are in and they’re not bad, not bad at all, despite a miserably slow spring that put a damper on the launch of Ocean City’s traditional tourist season. As it turned out, Ocean City had a slight increase in tourism numbers over last year, according to Smith Travel Research (STR), a data research firm that compiles room and visitor information for the lodging industry. At the minimum, more than 30 percent of the lodging properties in Ocean City are included in the data. “It is mandatory and a franchise requirement to report room information to the STR,” said Susan Jones, executive director of the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association. “Some independent hotels also participate, including the Carousel See ROOM Page 5
LIFESTYLE
GREG ELLISON/OCEAN CITY TODAY
WWII veteran Joseph Sangermano, flanked by his wife, Helen, chokes up while recalling being captured by the Nazis and shipped to Stalag 2B near Hammerstein, West Prussia, where he spent nearly a year in captivity with more than 6,000 POWs. Below, Army PFC Graham Peck pays tribute to the WWII veterans who were similarly honored during the Hometown Heroes Military Banner ceremony at the Elks Lodge on 138th Street last Saturday.
Hometown heroes Veterans express their gratitude during banner turn-in ceremony
By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (Oct. 28, 2016) Expressions of gratitude for the distantly recalled memories of two dozen WWII veterans highlighted the 2016 Ocean City Elks Hometown Heroes Military Banner presentation ceremony last Saturday afternoon. The event at the Elks Lodge #2645 on Sinepuxent Road also honored 16 active duty military members, all of whom had personSee WWII Page 11
By Katie Tabeling Staff Writer (Oct. 28, 2016) The Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office will not be filing charges against an Ocean City police officer who struck and killed a pedestrian with her cruiser in May. “After reviewing the investigators’ findings, State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby has informed us that while the outcome in the incident was tragic, there is no criminal liability to consider,” Police Public Affairs Specialist Lindsay Richard said. On May 5, 67-year-old Jeffrey Yale Delong was crossing Coastal Highway east to west around 94th Street with two other pedestrians around 1:11 a.m. He was struck by a marked police Chevy Tahoe operated by Officer Xeniya Patterson. Delong was taken by Ocean City Emergency Medical Services to Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, where he was declared dead, acSee STATE Page 7
Marine sanctuary campaign worries anglers Baltimore Canyon could be protected, although fishing would be allowed, for now
By Katie Tabeling Staff Writer (Oct. 28, 2016) Representatives of local fishing enterprises are worried that a recent push to designate the Baltimore Canyon as a marine sanctuary off the
coast of Ocean City could put the area out of bounds to all anglers. The National Aquarium on Monday launched a petition to establish the 28mile long, five-mile wide submarine rift as its first Urban National Marine Sanctuary. The canyon contains several fragile deep-sea corals rarely seen anywhere else in the world. According to the nonprofit, this measure would protect its ecosystem and restrict the offshore ex-
ploration of minerals, oil and gas. “The Baltimore Canyon is an aquatic treasure!” National Aquarium Chief Conservation Officer Kris Hoellen said. “It contains fragile deep sea corals rarely seen anywhere in the world as well as unique biological processes, such as methane seeps. Based on its ecological value, these corals and biological processes are irreplaceable and should be protected.”
That canyon is also a popular destination of Ocean City’s multi-million-dollar fishing industry, which could be left on the outside looking in if the standard sanctuary restrictions apply. “Under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, there are certain acts that are prohibitive in sanctuaries. That includes anything that will injure, remove, damage kill any sanctuary resource,” RecreSee NO Page 3