12/18/2020 Ocean City Today

OC Today WWW.OCEANCITYTODAY.COM

DECEMBER 18, 2020

PROJECT DOWNTOWN COMPLEX

Ocean City Recreation and Parks Committee progresses on design of local park– Page 5

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Vaccinations begin in Worcester County

By Lea Leonard Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) Vaccinations against the novel coronavirus will begin this week in Worcester County.

“We are one of the first six treatment sites within the state of Maryland to offer this treatment,” said Matthew Morris, vice president of Patient Care Services for Atlantic General Hospital. “We expect our first delivery of doses of the Pfizer covid vaccine Dec. 17. Friday will be our first vaccination clinic for our front

line associates and medical staff.”

Information on when this county’s vaccination program will be expanded to other recipients according to the state’s plan was not immediately available.

At a press conference Tuesday, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said he, too, wanted Marylanders to know that help is coming. He said officials are steadfast in their efforts to provide much needed relief.

“We’ll launch, what will be the largest and most important vaccina-

tion campaign in the history of our state and our nation,” Hogan said.

“We are also ramping up an aggressive public outreach effort. These vaccines really do offer hope that we are approaching the final phase.”

Public health officials reported 140 new coronavirus cases in Worcester County from last Thursday to this Thursday. The area has a positivity rate of approximately 9.65 percent as of Thursday, higher than the statewide average of 7.73, according to the Worcester County Health Department.

While more than 241,000 cases exist statewide and a death toll of approximately 5,103 since the pandemic began, authorities report a total of 1,787 cases and 42 deaths in Worcester County as of Thursday.

Also on Thursday the

Berlin/Ocean Pines area had 650 cases.

Ocean City’s cases rose to 510, Pocomoke City reported 310, Snow Hill had 172, Bishopville had 78 and Newark had 26, according to coronavirus.maryland.gov.

Toni Keiser, Atlantic General Hospital v i c e president of public relations, said her See AGH Page 2

PZ plan review spurs reports of BJ’s sale, but it’s not so

By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer

By Stewart Dobson Editor (Dec. 18, 2020) BJ’s on the Water, a landmark restaurant and bar in Ocean City for the past 41 years has not been sold, owner Billy Carder confirmed Thursday.

Gossip to that effect, however, began circulating throughout the resort months ago, even though Billy and Maddy Carder, his wife and

restaurant co-owner, maintained all along that no sale had taken place.

No sale had taken place as of Tuesday night either, when it appeared that one of the resort’s most wellknown — and always open — establishments would be replaced with an extensive restaurant development on the 75th Street bayside parcel by one of more of the partners in the Ropewalk restaurant group.

Prompting that erroneous concluSee BJ’S Page 4

OC considers hiring sales czar LISA CAPITELLI/OCEAN CITY TODAY

LOFTY PERCHES

Holiday cheer is abound around Ocean City as Santa, the Grinch and Olof greet guests from the Jolly Roger Amusements roller coaster when parking in the inlet lot.

By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) Following discussions in September, Ocean City Manager Doug Miller returned this week with a proposal to create an economic

development and sales director position who would oversee every sales effort and plan the resort might pursue.

Speaking during the mayor and See OC Page 2

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Ocean City Today

DECEMBER 18, 2020

AGH front line personnel line up for shots Continued from Page 1 facility has 21 positive patients. She said six of those patients recently came off a ventilator and are now breathing on their own.

“We’ve also discharged 106 patients with covid-19 on their way to recovery,” Keiser said.

Most recent coronavirus summary data on Maryland congregate living facilities, such as group and nursing homes, assisted living and local facilities, indicate steady increases across the board with numbers exceeding 23,300.

The consensus among most experts appears coronavirus is on the

rise for a multitude of reasons, including the expected post-Thanksgiving surge and cold weather, which is more favorable for the virus’s survival.

According to a recent report by Forbes, respiratory illnesses, such as coronavirus in particular, also transmit more easily Matt Morris in lower humidity that often occurs in cold weather and may even lengthen the duration of the virus life.

“Less water vapor may lead to smaller and lighter respiratory

droplets that have higher concentrations of virus that hang in the air longer,” according to that public report.

Maryland officials advise while the numbers and cases are a serious concern, especially for the winter season, residents are not powerless and should always take preventative precautions to protect themselves and others.

Worcester County Commission on Aging at 4767 Snow Hill Rd., in Snow Hill, offers covid-19 testing Monday, Dec. 21 and 28 from 12:303:30 p.m. Tests are also available at the same time Jan. 4 and 11 next

year.

Atlantic General Hospital will perform testing at the Ocean City Atlantic ImmediCare at 10th Street and Philadelphia Avenue Dec. 19 from 8 a.m. to noon.

Worcester County Health Department offers testing Thursdays from 12:30-3:30 p.m. at the Ocean City Park and Ride, 12848 Ocean Gateway, Ocean City, Maryland 21842, Dec. 31. Dates are also scheduled for Jan. 7 and 14.

Visit https://www.worcesterhealth.org/images/Worcester_Count y_COVID_Testing_Locations_12-1120.pdf for scheduling detail.

OC puts more emphasis on sales Continued from Page 1 City Council work session on Tuesday, Miller said the original concept was for a business development and tourism director role.

“In September, I came to you with an economic director concept and you asked for a more boots-on-theground salesperson,” he said.

After further consultation with various department heads, Miller revised position titles.

“The new person would be the sales czar and be in charge of all departments that have sales,” he said.

The role would not involve oversight of operational aspects or staff.

“Any sales effort that the town of Ocean City does would have to go through this person,” he said.

The proposed sales position would

be part of a centralized marketing approach and work alongside Communications Manager Jessica Waters.

“The person would work hand in glove with Jessica Waters,” he said.

Councilman Tony DeLuca said the goal should be attracting a senior level chief marketing candidate.

“This is a big hitter that brings the big stuff here,” he said.

Mayor Rick Meehan said the real emphasis for the new position should be a sales mission.

“We need the right person for this position at the right pay grade,” he said.

Councilman John Gehrig said the goal should be building a sales team to work under the director.

“We’ve never had someone responsible for selling the destination

in total with all of our products,” he said. “This isn’t a sales job, this is a strategy job.”

Miller said the sales director would be charged with assisting all departments in marketing endeavors.

“This person develops the strategy and then goes out and implements it,” he said.

Miller also concurred that a sales position should be included in the next fiscal year budget.

City Council President Matt James suggested changing the economic development director title to director of business and sales.

Councilman Lloyd Martin agreed the city had to act expeditiously and said Miller has assembled a strong plan.

“We need to move forward with something,” he said.

GREG ELLISON/OCEAN CITY TODAY

City Manager Doug Miller discussed the creation of a sales director position during the mayor and city council work session on Tuesday.

Miller agreed to return with job position revisions during the next City Council work session on Jan. 10.

“At the end of the day we’re after room nights,” he said.

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Maryland approves pandemic financial aid Gov. Larry Hogan unveils series of measures aimed at providing fiscal relief

By Elizabeth Bonin Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) Taking matters into his own hands as Congress continued to negotiate another coronavirus relief package, Gov. Larry Hogan announced a series of financial measures to help Marylanders and businesses survive the covid-19 pandemic at a press conference last Thursday.

Most notable was an executive order protecting businesses from facing a significant increase in unemployment taxes.

“During this crisis, our small businesses have had to make very difficult decisions to move ahead with layoffs and furloughs, despite their best efforts,” Hogan said. “As a result, many businesses are scheduled to face massive, automatic increases in the unemployment taxes they will be forced

to pay through no fault of their own.”

Hogan also announced that the $75 million in emergency business loans that were distributed in March will be forgiven and turned into grants.

To invest in affordable housing, the state will contribute $25 million toward tax credit projects. Hogan said this will promote 2,000 units of high-quality, affordable housing.

“This is the largest number of units the state has financed in a single year,” Hogan said.

The state will also release $12 million into the rental housing works program.

Hogan announced awarding $94 million will go toward Marylanders with diabetes.

“More than one out of every three Marylanders either has diabetes or prediabetes, which puts them at a much greater risk and is the number one comorbidity for people getting serious illness from covid-19,” Hogan said.

In addition, $10 million will go to

law enforcement and victim and youth services.

Part of this will fund a new program, COVID-19 Safe Future Collaborative, which is designed to connect

crime victims to virtual services.

Another part of the funding will go to court locations for personal protective equipment and the state police for covid-19 testing supplies.

Ocean City Today As members of the MarylandDelaware-D.C. Press Association, we subscribe to the following code of ethics: • Seek the truth and report it.

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DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

BJ’s: no sale, as plan review was to see if it could happen

RENDERING COURTESY FISHER ARCHITECTURE

The Ocean City Planning Commission approved on Tuesday the site plan for the proposed Windward OC two-story bayfront establishment with a sandy beachfront area along the water, nearly 9,000 square feet of dining areas in the BJ’s on the Water property at 75th Street.

Continued from Page 1 sion was an Ocean City Planning Commission site plan review for Windward OC submitted by Ocean City resident and Ropewalk partner Chris Reda.

Reda’s submission, however, was apparently a due diligence exercise to determine whether he could redevelop the property in the fashion he wanted before attempting to buy the property.

Carder said that, yes, a deal had been proposed but that nothing had been settled, with the favorable site plan review being one of the contingencies such a deal would entail.

“I’m not saying that it won’t be sold — at some point. But it’s not sold now,” Carder said.

What happens next between the Carders and Reda, if anything, will be between them, as the planning commission returned a favorable decision on the site plan.

The proposal calls for a new twostory bayfront establishment where BJ’s has stood since 1979. The project would feature 9,000 square feet of dining areas, with 6,000 square feet of unenclosed outdoor dining area.

“We do have outdoor dining on the beach, so there will be tables and chairs in all of the beach area,” said Heather Morrison, chief operations director at Fisher Architecture and one of the designers of the project.

She added that most of the second floor would be open-air rooftop dining.

As far as the restaurant and bar’s structure, Windward OC would sit back about 25 feet from the bay, Morrison said, to accommodate the state’s Critical Area setback requirements.

BJ’s on the Water was built before

critical area laws were established and sits much closer to the water.

That footprint, however, would be dissolved with the redevelopment of the property.

Principal Keith Fisher and Tareq Zietoon, an architectural designer at Fisher Architecture, also worked on the design of the proposed establishment.

The site plan met the zoning and parking requirements, along with other requirements for height and density.

Based on town code, the new Windward OC is required to have 86 parking spaces, and the site plan calls for 86 spaces, including four handicap spaces.

Planning Commissioner Chris Shanahan and residents also expressed concern about noise at the new establishment for neighboring properties, but Morrison believes standard constraints and conditions related to noise would mitigate any issues.

“I’m not concerned about it being much different than the situation that they have now,” Morrison told Ocean City Today.

She added that Shanahan mentioned during the meeting how Reda and his team have been respectful of the neighbors of Ropewalk.

“He doesn’t see much of an issue with them going to the same lengths that they’ve done before on the Ropewalk and their surrounding properties and making sure that neighbors are satisfied with what’s happening,” Morrison said.

For now, though, BJ’s will remain open and operating under the state’s current covid-19 standards. With that one exception, Carder allowed, BJ’s is still the same.

Ocean City offices closed for Christmas, New Year’s holiday (Dec. 18, 2020) The Town of Ocean City is reminding citizens that administrative offices will be closed on Thursday, Dec. 24, and Friday, Dec. 25, in observance of the Christmas holiday.

Beginning Dec. 26, the Town of Ocean City will once again provide a Christmas tree drop-off site at the 100th Street Municipal Parking Lot. Trees can be placed in the northeast corner of the 100th Street lot from Dec. 26 through Jan. 15. Re-

move all tinsel, ornaments and other non-wooden items from the tree.

Trees collected at the site are taken to the county landfill where they are recycled.

Citizens should also be reminded that Town of Ocean City administrative offices will be closed on Friday, Jan. 1, in observance of the New Year’s holiday.

For more information on closings and services, visit www.oceancitymd.gov.

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Ocean City Today

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The Ocean City Recreation and Parks Committee plans to relocate the basketball courts and develop the east and west parcels with more equipment on St. Louis Avenue between Third and Fourth streets.

OC recreation complex to be constructed in four phases

By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) When construction begins next year on the Ocean City Downtown Recreation Complex on St. Louis Avenue between Third and Fourth streets, the easiest place to start would be on the west side of the property, the project’s designer told the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Committee last Friday.

Tom McGilloway, a partner at Baltimore-based landscape, architecture and planning company Mahan Rykiel, said the bayside portion of the property is mostly open, thus making it the obvious choice as the first phase in a multi-stage process.

“It would allow getting a resource that you don’t have now, a big green gathering space, early on while still allowing the existing basketball court and the existing playground in this area [on the east block] to function.”

Members of the committee met with McGilloway at the Eagle’s Landing Golf Course Clubhouse to discuss how to schedule the project and what

the preliminary costs of the complex might be.

The complex will feature a relocated basketball court, an expanded skatepark, tennis/pickleball courts, playgrounds and exercise equipment.

The first phase will be divided into two parts. During Phase 1A, the infrastructure, landscaping, pathways and lighted will be constructed and installed. Then, the north and south playgrounds as well as exercise equipment can be installed in a second part of Phase 1 after grading is completed on the property to ensure a proper base and slope.

“Depending on how the grant funding works, that could be divided into one grant to build the north playground and a second grant to build the second playground,” McGilloway said. “Then, we broke the exercise stations out into a third phase of Phase 1, and they can even defer much longer down the road.”

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Bayside property demolished, then built first Continued from Page 5 other elements of the complex.

The preliminary cost of Phase 1 is roughly $1.2 million, with about $700,000 for Phase 1A, more than $400,000 for the playgrounds and $50,000 for the exercise equipment.

“Once the playgrounds are built over in the west block, it gives us the flexibility for demolition over on this [east] block,” McGilloway said. “But before we demolish the playground and the basketball courts, the first part of Phase 2 would be building the new basketball courts, and with that we would have to build some of the stormwater management and do some of the mass grading.”

When the new basketball courts are operational, the demolition of the existing basketball courts and playgrounds will take place. Then, the tennis/pickleball courts will be added as well as sidewalks and landscaping.

“The first part of Phase 2 is a little over $200,000, and then the demolition of the basketball courts and the mass grading are about $56,000 and the tennis and pickleball courts are about $118,000,” McGilloway said.

He added that the demolition and mass grading part of Phase 2 could be combined with the installation of the tennis/pickleball courts.

The total preliminary cost of Phase 2 is $665,000.

During Phase 3, the restroom facilities will be constructed for an estimated $343,000. The proposed location of the building is along Chicago Avenue on the west block.

“In the Phase 1, we would have all the utility hook-ups to that, so that you can just construct the building itself in Phase 3,” McGilloway said.

During Phase 4, the existing skatepark will be expanded and the restroom demolished. Then, a new restroom and office structure will be

built on the east block. The total estimated cost of Phase 4 is $601,000.

The preliminary costs of the Downtown Recreation Complex with 30 percent contingency is $2.2 million without the skatepark.

When asked about fill because of flooding on the west parcel of the property, Brad Jones from Whitman Requardt Associates, who attended the meeting via the internet, said the grading for Phase 1 includes the mass grading for the whole site but “very little fill.” McGilloway said allowance would be added for grading and fill material to prevent flooding.

Councilman Mark Paddack expressed concern about water near the skatepark on the east parcel.

Councilman John Gehrig added that when the master plan is presented to the City Council, the committee may be questioned about parking.

“That actually came up when we originally talked to the OCDC [Ocean City Development Corporation],” said Ocean City Recreation and Parks Director Susan Petito. “There was one member who strongly felt that we needed to find some parking in this space. He was alone in that opinion at the time.”

She added when the property was transferred to the city from county government ownership in July 2014, the deed stipulated that the parcel had to be used for recreation purposes.

“I think we’d lose a really important feature for the downtown area,” Petito continued. “I think it needs a park. I think it needs green space. I think this would be amazing for the town of Ocean City and the community, and I would be so disappointed if there was support to not move this forward with a beautiful park.”

The city already owns land down-

town north of City Hall that could be designated for parking.

“I like the way this is developed,” Petito said of the Downtown Recreation Complex master plan. “I think that we hit the amenities that we need to hit without trying to overcrowd the space, provide some green space, provide places for people to walk and just enjoy and enhance the waterfront area.”

The Ocean City Recreation and Parks Committee will present the master plan to the City Council in January. City Engineer Terry McGean then will present the capital

improvement plan, of which the complex is a part, at a following meeting.

Glenn Irwin, executive director for the Ocean City Development Corporation, asked if he could present the updated draft of the master plan to the corporation at its Jan. 6 meeting.

Gehrig said he could, adding that any feedback before the committee takes the plan to council would be helpful.

Jones will modify the master plan and the estimated cost worksheet from last Friday’s meeting before the committee presents it to City Council in the new year.

OC Rec and Parks Committee talks Eagle’s Landing projects

By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) Bob Croll, the Eagle’s Landing Golf Course professional/manager, and Joe Perry, the golf course superintendent, presented FY22 projects for the golf course to Ocean City Recreation and Parks Committee during its meeting last Friday.

“As we’re moving into CIP and we’re moving into budget, we just wanted to give you guys a little bit of background on some of the projects that we have going on in Recreation and Parks [and] projects that we have upcoming in Recreation and Parks,” said Ocean City Recreation and Parks Director Susan Petito. “I really just wanted to highlight a couple of them.”

Petito said a golf course master plan pre-assessment was conducted in the fall.

“It talked about some of the needs that we have at the golf course and it

addressed drainage and our tidal flooding,” she said. “One of the things that we really feel that we’d like to move forward and hope that we’ll have some support from the council is actually moving forward with that master plan, which is an estimated $60,000, which includes the design, construction drawings and even some permitting I believe.”

Perry said the assessment report was conducted by McDonald and Sons Golf Course Builders based in Jessup, Maryland.

“In 30 years, we’ve done the best we can to keep up with everything,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to go any further without giving the council [and] the city administration engineer’s office tons of credit for supporting us with equipment, with the improvement that we have done over the years, the bridges most recently.

I really want to thank everybody for supporting us in all that.”

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ALLY LANASA/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Joe Perry, the Eagle’s Landing Golf Course superintendent informed the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Committee last Friday of FY22 projects to improve the golf course. Pictured, from left, are Councilman John Gehrig, Councilman Mark Paddack and Perry.

DECEMBER 18, 2020

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Ocean City Today

Drainage improvements requested for FY22 Continued from Page 6 After 30 years, tidal flooding has caused damage to the turf and hurt revenues, Perry said.

“So, it’s not just the time that we’re down for the actual flood event, there’s such a long, lingering effect,” he said.

Perry added that some draining needs to be conducted in non-flooding areas and the draining of the greens need to be improved as well.

Furthermore, Perry would like to rebuild the bunkers on the course, realign tee boxes and remodel the warm-up area between the first hole and the clubhouse.

“The contraction of the golf market with a couple other golf course closing up really has brought us some nice business,” he said. “I really strongly feel if we go out here and refresh this golf course, address the drainage and the flooding issues, we’re going to be really on top of the golf market. Certainly, we need to do at least the flooding. We need to address that to maintain our position in the market.”

Croll added that since the Bay Club closed in Berlin in 2019, Eagle’s Landing has seen an increase in rounds.

“We were doing really well the last fiscal year up until the shutdown,” Croll said. “Of course, we’ve been doing really well since July of this year. This current fiscal year, things are going really well. Now, I think some of that is related to … it’s one of the few things people can do with the closures and stuff.”

According to Golf Advisor, golfers chose Eagle’s Landing as the second best golf course in Maryland in 2019.

The assessment report includes estimates for the projects at the golf course.

“I think this is a tremendous

amenity to the town,” said Councilman Mark Paddack.

Petito said the golf course project will likely be handled in phases.

“The first hit for the flooding — we’re probably looking at $1.5 million just to address that tidal flooding and drainage,” she said.

Petito told Paddack the intent is to present two different projects to City Council – one to address the flooding issues, another to address the other elements in need of improvement on the golf course.

Paddack asked City Engineer Terry McGean if the city’s public works department could complete some of the work to save money.

“It’s more art than science, honestly,” McGean replied, saying he doesn’t feel comfortable completely having the work done in-house.

Perry said he has been talking with Bob Mitchell, director of environmental programs of Worcester County, about a possible grant opportunity for recreational facilities.

Prior to the grant application, the drawings and permits must be completed. Perry believes that process will take about a year.

“That’s what we’re asking for, for this next fiscal year … consideration to get that work done,” Petito said.

Responding to Paddack, McGean said his department can help with surveying and permit work, but a consultant would have to be hired for the construction design.

The estimated expense to prepare the project for bid is between $50,000 and 60,000.

In addition, Petito said the clubhouse’s leaky windows need to be replaced.

The rec department has other needs as well, Petito advised the committee.

She said the town’s Recreation and

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Parks Department has applied for a grant to replace the lights at the Northside Park soccer field. The cost estimate for that project is $165,000.

Kate Gaddis, recreation superintendent, added that the west gym floor at the Northside gym area needs to be replaced because the tiles are warping.

“It affects the movement of the floor. The floor is supposed to be moving a little bit more free-flowing, and now it’s kind of just buckling,” she said. “It’s past its warranty. It’s past its lifespan, and it really needs to

be replaced.”

Gaddis added that different flooring materials could be considered.

Lastly, Parks Superintendent Gary Collier said the 30-year-old pavilion at Northside Park needs to be replaced.

“We’re 30-plus years old in a lot of the stuff we have right now, so we’re just at the time now when we need to pay attention to it, and the council has supported us in those efforts,” Petito said. “We’ve spent a lot of money in Northside Park over the years.”

OCEAN CITY RECREATION AND PARKS COMMITTEE BRIEFS

By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) The following took place during the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Committee meeting on Dec. 11:

Christmas Eve worship The committee agreed to recommend that Ocean City Baptist Church, 102 N. Division St., be allowed to host a one-hour event on North Division Street, during which a prayerful remembrance will be held for all the lives lost this year and participants will sing

Christmas carols. The church proposes using town electricity for the sound system as well as public restrooms at Caroline Street. The church will pay the town $162.50 in private event fees.

Meeting schedule The virtual Ocean City Recreation and Parks Committee originally scheduled for Friday was canceled.

Ocean City Recreation and Parks Director Susan Petito recommended meeting every other month in the new year, but a confirmed schedule is forthcoming.

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Ocean City Today

DECEMBER 18, 2020

OC Police Commission looks ahead to challenges in ’21

By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) The Ocean City Police Commission reviewed crime statistics, current recruitment efforts, a pending partnership for enhanced safety downtown and discussed enforcement strategies for 2021 during its meeting on Monday.

In comparing crime statistics for November versus November 2019, OCPD Chief Ross Buzzuro said citizen calls for service inched up from 582 in 2019 to 603 in 2020.

By contrast, officer calls for service fell nearly 14 percent from 1,380 to end last November to 1,188 this year.

Overall calls for service dropped 8.7 percent compared to the prior year.

Buzzuro reported that numbers were almost identical for the top 25 calls for service categories this year as those from November 2019, with one notable exception.

There were 191 calls for public health concerns through this November, which were nonexistent in 2019.

“We were checking businesses to make sure we have covid-19 restrictions in place,” he said.

Violations for smoking on the Boardwalk, as well as littering, also increased, with seven people cited for tossing trash this year compared to none during 2019. Smoking citations skyrocketed from 104 last year to 423 to end this November.

“That’s a well over 300 percent increase in enforcement,” he said.

Buzzuro also said drug arrests and marijuana citations were up slightly, as were DUI cases.

“Usually, we start to see in November that decrease in our population,” he said. “This year it’s a little different and there’s more people that are in town.”

Parking citations have topped 5,000 through the end of this November, with Buzzuro adding that public safety aides accounted for 4,658 of the 5,037 total issued.

Buzzuro also said more than half of the total parking violations oc-

curred during June and July, with both months eclipsing 1,600 citations.

As for the department’s recruitment efforts, Buzzuro said early test returns have been encouraging for 2021 seasonal police recruits.

“It looks more promising than we would have thought, but we’re still early in it,” he said.

Of the 106 applicants to this point in 2020, Buzzuro said 34 have failed, which compares favorably to 2019 when 21 of 42 candidates failed to meet the mark.

“We’re doing a little bit better as far as movement through the process,” he said. “We’re about halfway through our hiring this year.”

Buzzuro said the pool of available seasonal officers could swell slightly after January, when the department begins contacting prior hires interested in returning.

“It doesn’t look as bleak as we would have anticipated,” he said.

Mayor Rick Meehan asked if the police department had adjusted recruitment efforts to virtual means during the covid-19 pandemic.

Buzzuro said the department has adapted to offering virtual presentations, which may account for the increased number of applicants.

“That higher number is the result of trying to get out as much as we can put out that information,” he said.

In other matters, Meehan and Buzzuro met recently with Ocean City Development Corporation Executive Director Glenn Irwin about a pair of safety initiatives downtown.

Meehan said OCDC is hoping to work in conjunction with the police department on an expanded lighting program and to work with private businesses for access to security cameras.

“OCDC would pay 50 percent of businesses … costs if they want to light up the alley,” Meehan said.

“They expanded that to side streets as well.”

Buzzuro said an officer has been

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Although not on display until next season at the OCPD Boardwalk Substation, a banner memorializing Sgt. Charles (Chip) Green was unveiled during the Police Commission meeting on Monday.

assigned to work with Irwin on the ventures.

“I’ve got a conduit that is going to work with OCDC,” he said.

Meehan suggested inviting Irwin to the next police commission meeting to discuss both ideas, noting the camera proposal would involve linking security feeds from partnering downtown businesses for law enforcement access.

Buzzuro said there are IT-related logistical issues to be resolved before developing the camera partnership.

Looking ahead to next season, Meehan suggested officers adopt a “back to basics” enforcement approach, especially on the Boardwalk.

“We need to engage, not necessarily write citations, but engage,” he said.

Meehan said greater attention should be paid to Boardwalk infractions, such as smoking or bike riding when prohibited.

Buzzuro said planning for that aspect of next summer is already underway.

“There’s already been a good bit of discussion as to what the summer deployment and the operation is going to look like,” he said. “Strict enforcement is going to be our objective.”

Crossword answers from page 39

OCEAN CITY COUNCIL BRIEFS

By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) The mayor and City Council examined bids for tent rentals and a boardwalk installation project at the Cambria Hotel, as well as weighing HR manual updates and vetting a senior employee retention program during its work session on Tuesday.

Bid openings Two bids for special event tent rentals were receive. These figures included EIS Group at $634,000 and Select Rental at roughly $419,000.

The purchasing and special events departments solicited bids for the equipment rentals, which had been budgeted at $335,000.

A slightly larger number of bids were received for the Cambria Hotel boardwalk installation.

Nine vendors submitted bids: Apex Construction at $146,604, CSI Contracting at $192,378, Murtech Marine Division at $171,417, Commercial Industrial Applications at $287,000, Colossal Contractors at $135,000, AJT Homes at $124,860, JJIDRBCI at $208,000, Harkins Concrete Construction at $159,990 and Rehak’s Contracting at $478,580.

City Engineer Terry McGean said the work was estimated to cost just over $177,000.

Due to concerns over material costs, specifically lumber rates, a stockpile was already acquired.

“We have already procured the material for $29,000,” he said.

McGean said the project is slated to begin in January with 100 days to complete and remain on track for completion by spring.

Continued on Page 9

DECEMBER 18, 2020

PAGE 9

Ocean City Today

OCEAN CITY COUNCIL BRIEFS Continued from Page 8

HR manual Human Resources Director Katie Callan presented initial revisions to the town’s HR manual.

Since assuming the HR lead in June, Callan has conducted a comprehensive review of manual details.

“I began looking at it prior to my arrival on June 1,” she said. “It was one of those items I asked for in advance because your HR manual is sort of the backbone.”

Callan said the document was last revised in 2005.

“Best practice would be doing an

update to your HR manually annually and then a robust review every 3-5 years,” she said.

Callan said the principal objectives in terms of manual updates include limiting risks to the town while protecting employees, clarifying and simplifying procedures and adopting best practices.

Senior employee retention City Manager Doug Miller said during the council’s most recent closed session a discussion was held about incentivizing a senior tenured employee currently eligible for retire-

ment to remain on board to complete a project requiring related expertise.

Miller said an unintended outcome of providing long-term staff competitive pay and generous benefits is encouraging early retirement.

“We should be proud that we are a good employer and we take care of our employees, especially when they get to retirement,” he said.

Currently, Ocean City government has 35 employees facing upper pay grade freezes with another 40 within a small percentage of maxing rates.

In select cases, retaining staff

members in the midst of completing major projects or initiatives is of vital importance, Miller said.

“Most of the time if a person wants to retire we want that person to use the benefits they’ve earned,” he said.

“There are times that we need them to stay.”

Miller said in the past there were only limited instances where employee retention was an issue.

“We’ve only done two times in six years,” he said. “These are few and far in between.”

Miller said he would return with a formal written policy for potential adoption early in 2021.

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PAGE 10

OC Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast shelved due to pandemic

By Elizabeth Bonin Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) The annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, originally scheduled for Friday, Jan. 8, has been cancelled because of the continuing spread of the novel coronavirus. Next year’s event is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 7, 2022.

The prayer breakfast began more than 30 years ago. Although the event was to have ended after its 25th year, community members made it known they wanted the event to continue.

The Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce took over hosting duties and has done so annually since 2016.

“The event is not hosted as a fundraiser for the chamber, but rather an opportunity to host an event that engages the community to begin the new year on an encouraging note and welcome guests from across the region to join in the celebration,” said Lachelle Scarlato, executive director of the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce.

The breakfast is typically attended by local citizens, community leaders, elected officials, church congregations, local police and fire departments, members of the business community, the board of education and nonprofit organizers.

Brian Shul, an inspirational speaker who was slated as the guest speaker for the 2021 breakfast, has agreed to handle that duty at the 2022 breakfast.

Shul, an Air Force fighter pilot, was shot down during the Vietnam War and given up for dead. He was later rescued from near death in Southeast Asia and spent a full year in the hospital.

After undergoing 15 surgeries to recover from severe burns, Shul was told he could no longer fly. He overcame his injuries, returned to active duty flying, and joined the 93 men in history to fly the SR-71 spy plane, the fastest jet ever built.

Shul has used his survival story as a message of hope — overcoming obstacles and daring to dream.

Ocean City Today

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Carozza hosts meeting with Worcester County officials

By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) Worcester County and community representatives met Friday with Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-38C) and minority leader Sen. Bryan Simonaire (R-31 Anne Arundel) to highlight their priorities ahead of the new Maryland General Assembly session in January.

The contingent of government, school and health officials, as well as business and civic leaders, gathered at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City to offer state officials, which also included Capital Budget Chairman Sen. Doug Peters (D-23 Prince George’s), a comprehensive overview of the “Shore Way of Life.”

“This is our opportunity to shine,” Carozza said.

Simonaire, who was recently installed as Maryland Senate minority leader by Republican caucus officials, selected Carozza as policy and communications chairwoman earlier this month.

The duo had a comparable session scheduled Friday afternoon with Wicomico officials.

Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan was first to address the senators and expressed gratitude for prior legislative support to establish “Special Event Zones” aimed at halting unruly road behavior during the unsanctioned pop-up car rally in late September.

“It made a difference in our community to help temper down that event,” he said. “We’ve made progress, but we would not be able to do that without that legislation.”

Meehan said the resort’s priority this covid-cursed year has been the health and safety of residents, employees and visitors.

Meehan praised dining, lodging and retail establishments for managing to operate while adhering to the state’s covid-19 health-safety guidelines and CDC recommendations.

“They’ve been creative and they’ve

been resilient,” he said. “The government and business community are on the same page and we’re here to support each other.”

Looking at the 2021 state legislative session, Meehan said Ocean City and Worcester officials are seeking legislation to require third party rental platforms, such as Airbnb or VRBO, to pay state sales tax and county room taxes.

“Locally, we have no way to require payment of those taxes and we have no way to enforce,” he said. “Not only is Ocean City losing millions of dollars in uncollected revenues, so is the state and other jurisdictions.”

Meehan also said Annapolis lawmakers’ consideration of amending or abandoning Maryland’s Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights could cripple the resort’s already challenged police recruitment effort.

“Public safety and the safety of our officers remain our number one priority,” he said.

Worcester County Commissioner Diane Purnell also called on state officials to recognize that only a united effort will get the county and state through the debilitating circumstances brought on by the pandemic.

Using the county health department as an example of that close coordination with other county entities, she cited schools, medical facilities, and the business community for their cooperation as well.

“In order to survive we have to work together,” she said. “We look at Annapolis to work with us on the Eastern Shore to make sure that we get through this storm together because we are vital to this state.”

Another downside of the pandemic is crime. OCPD Chief Ross Buzzuro said crime rates at the resort had been decreasing for the last five season before going up this year.

He also echoed Meehan’s comments regarding special event zone legislation.

“With the special event zones and enhanced fines we believe we’re stemming this tide,” he said.

Turning to the issue of police reforms, Buzzuro told state officials the department had difficulty maintaining order on the Boardwalk in June.

“This is a larger issue that happened throughout the country,” he said.

Buzzuro said he hoped widespread concern about policing tactics would die down in 2021, he acknowledged that the burden is on police officers to adhere to acceptable rules of conduct.

“We have to get it right,” he said.

He also said that reform measures should be considered objectively.

“I’m not going to be doing this forever,” he said. “I need officers to come behind me and it’s getting very difficult to attract younger folks into

GREG ELLISON/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-38C) hosted a meeting with area stakeholders prior to the new Maryland General Assembly at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center last Friday.

the field of law enforcement.”

On another embattled front, Worcester County Superintendent of Schools Lou Taylor said keeping students on the right educational path during the pandemic has been hampered by internet connectivity issues in rural areas of the county. He also didn’t miss his chance to remind legislators that Worcester is the lowest funded school system in Maryland, even though 43 percent of its students live below the poverty level.

“We would ask the legislature to take look at the funding formula,” he said.

Taylor also mentioned mounting concerns over food insecurity for students in Worcester and other jurisdictions statewide.

“State and federal funding is paramount for us to continue food distribution to kids,” he said.

Facing as great or even greater covid-related challenge than the schools, however, is the Worcester County Health Department. County Health Officer Becky Jones told the group that more than 38,000 coronavirus tests have been processed in the county since last spring, producing roughly 1,500 positive results.

“About 1,300 of those have been released from isolation and quarantine,” she said.

Jones said the department investigated 355 complaints about businesses failing to adhere to health-safety guidelines.

“Restaurants did an outstanding job of being compliant,” she said. “We have over 700 facilities we regulate, and we only closed two.”

Offering some optimism was Atlantic General Hospital President and CEO Michael Franklin, who said the facility was among 25 in Maryland about to begin a vaccination roll out.

“We have 50,000 doses of vaccine being delivered this week,” he said.

“More than half to residential health facilities throughout the state and the rest to front line health care workers as second level of priority.”

Representing the largest population base in Worcester County was Ocean Pines Association President Larry Perrone.

See AREA Page 11

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

Area stakeholders preview legislative session priorities Continued from Page 10 Perrone said since Ocean Pines is governed by a homeowners association, it has no authority to tax residents, but does charges homeowners’ annual assessments fees to cover shortfalls and to balance the operating budget.

That leaves Ocean Pines heavily dependent on revenue it gains from community amenities such as the Ocean Pines Golf Course and Ocean Pines Yacht Club.

“Our budget is based on the revenue that we’re able to generate from our amenities, as well as whatever grants and fees we’re able to develop,” he said.

That said, Perrone added that more state aid would be needed to help the community restore its

stormwater drainage system.

Perrone said the Coastal Bays program helped secure a $549,000 state grant for Ocean Pines through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

“We are in the process of trying to replace our storm system and the filtration issue is a primary concern,” he said.

Perrone said although further state aid is being sought, the OPA is also heavily invested.

“We are spending about $300,000 of our own money this year on stormwater systems and have committed $350,0000 to the grant from Maryland,” he said. “These are huge projects and we only have so many resources we can allocate.”

Youth, box lacrosse events proposed for next season

By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) Looking to inject life back into the annual OC Lacrosse Classic in August, while pursuing sports marketing revenue, the Ocean City Council approved $120,000 in funding Tuesday for a three-year multiple event agreement with Legendary Sports Group.

During the Tuesday mayor and council work session, Tourism Advisory Board Chairman Steve Pastusak presented a proposal from Legendary Sports to launch the inaugural OC Lax Fest to precede the OC Lacrosse Classic next August.

“You already have all the adults.

We want to bring the youth component into that,” he said.

OC Lax Fest, targeted at youth and high school players, is slated for Monday to Wednesday Aug. 9-12, 2021.

Pastusak said the intent is to establish an entire week of lacrosse play

for both children and adults.

“Our lacrosse tournament that we have in August for the men has been in decline,” he said.

The plan was set in motion after Pastusak met last month with Legendary Sports lacrosse advisors Dave Cottle and Dave Pietramala, both members of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame and legendary NCAA coaches, in hopes of reinvigorating the adult event in August.

The 28th annual OC Lacrosse Classic was held this past August and was founded by Cottle, Billy Packo and two veterans of the Greene Turtle restaurant business, Tommy Dickerson and Steve Pappas.

Pastusak said the OC Lacrosse Classic has lost participants to a comparable event in Lake Placid, New York, which includes a youth component that leads into adult divisions later in the week.

See OC Page 12

GREG ELLISON/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Tourism Advisory Board Chairman Steve Pastusak discusses a proposed partnership with Legendary Sports Group to launch several new lacrosse tournaments during the mayor and city council work session on Tuesday.

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Ocean City Today

OC weighs pitch for new lacrosse events next year Continued from Page 11 TAB Secretary Susan Jones said Legendary Sports initially requested $150,000 in three yearly installments, but the board proposed sliding-scale allotments of $50,000, $40,000 and $30,000 annually.

Mayor Rick Meehan, noting occupancy rates are peaking during August, asked if the event could be held in June when the resort is less congested.

Jones concurred and said that potential had been discussed with promoters, who agreed and subsequently pitched additional tournament proposals.

“Legendary Sports has a partnership with US Lacrosse,” she said. “US Lacrosse reached out to … to say we have 400,000 subscribers and are interested in producing a youth tournament in June.”

To further sweeten the pot, Legendary Sports also proposed holding a box lacrosse tournament next winter at the Ocean City convention center.

Pastusak said plans for the additional youth lacrosse event in June, which would not involve further funding, are still under development, since the concept came to light in recent days.

“It came after we met that US Lacrosse asked Legendary Sports about the June event,” he said.

While still looking to hold the inaugural OC Lax Fest next August, Pastusak said promoters could move the event to June in subsequent years.

“We hope to steal people back from Lake Placid,” he said. “They need to reestablish that event and everybody was use to that weekend.”

Jones suggested the funding could be made contingent on moving OC Lax Fest to June starting in 2022.

“This is a big promoter,” she said.

“If we are serious about being an amateur sports capital and want sports marketing and tourism, these are the guys we want to partner with.”

City Council looks at policy for calmer side street traffic

By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) There’s hope for Caine Woods residents who are weary of heavy traffic and speeding on some of the neighborhood’s streets, as the Ocean City Council on Tuesday made an initial pass at developing policy guidelines for installing “traffic calming” devices to reduce the program.

City Engineer Terry McGean said the policy discussion was generated from a recent report regarding traffic issues on 139th and 142nd Streets in the Caine Woods neighborhood.

Those streets are used as shortcuts to Coastal Highway by many motorists driving into the resort on Route 54.

“We wanted to establish a formalized means to evaluate these streets,” he said.

McGean said the goal is to maintain safe traffic movement without affecting response times for emergency vehicles.

“We would determine where we have a problem, prioritize that problem and find the correct solution,” he said.

The goal is lower vehicle speeds or volume, which would likely reduce accident rates.

The policy would apply to permanent or semi-permanent physical changes to roadways, but not involve temporary measures for construction or special event zones.

Three categories of traffic calming measures would include non-physical, passive physical and active physical.

Non-physical measures would include: motorist education, traffic enforcement, striping changes or speed display signs.

Passive-physical measures, which would encourage vehicles to reduce speeds or re-route, include raised intersections, bump-outs, rumble strips or realigning intersections.

Active-physical measures, which would require vehicles to reduce speeds or re-route, include roundabouts, turn prohibitions, one-way

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street pairs, speed tables or humps, raised crosswalks, as well as street closures or diversions.

McGean recommended adopting a points system to assess traffic conditions based on speeds, traffic volumes and street length.

The scoring system would rate roads from 0-100, with three tiers of solutions based on the points awarded: non-structural, passive structural, and active structural.

Between 0-25 points would be assigned for a handful of traffic factors, including the percentage of speeders, average daily volume, five-year accident history, pedestrians and potential shortcut use.

Roads scoring up to 20 points would be eligible for non-physical measures, with passive solutions considered in some instances.

Roads ranked from 21-40 points, or located on a primary emergency response route would qualify for passive measures, while streets with higher totals would be eligible for physical, passive or active-physical options.

Minimum qualifications for streets to be evaluated include posted speeds up to 35 mph, roadway lengths more than 1,000 feet and residential fronting. State highways would not qualify.

McGean also highlighted the importance of community involvement and said other Maryland jurisdictions

GREG ELLISON/OCEAN CITY TODAY

City Engineer Terry McGean discusses a proposed points-ranking system to assess the need for installing “traffic calming” devices on side streets in Ocean City during the mayor and city council work session on Tuesday.

with similar policies require a majority of residents to approve any proposed active measure.

“Staff would recommend a public hearing,” he said.

City Council President Matt James asked if the points system would negate the need to gauge the community’s opinion.

“Do we need approval,” he said.

McGean said the more extreme traffic-related measures should be vetted by nearby residents.

“For the more aggressive active stuff, there ought to be some type of buy-in from the community,” he said.

McGean agreed to return with a formal written policy for potential adoption at a work session in January.

Students report outreach activities occurring in Dec.

By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) Worcester County public school student representatives updated the board of education Tuesday on how the schools have conducted their community outreach activities while also contending with covid-19 public health safety regulations.

Dasia Conner, a senior at Pocomoke High School, said school administration has visited more than 250 families to deliver a holiday card and treats to every student throughout December.

In addition, families in need will receive holiday feasts on Dec. 21.

Pocomoke area schools are participating in a program to ensure families receive hot meals and food bags over winter break. Conner added that Pocomoke Middle School has maintained a food bank to serve the community.

Eric Cropper Jr., a senior at Stephen Decatur High School, said the National Honor Society is run-

ning a canned food drive for Diakonia and the Key Club is preparing goodie bags for local shelters.

Riley Leonard, a senior at Snow Hill High School, said educators delivered holiday snack packages to all 339 students on Dec. 10.

The Rotary Club of Snow Hill will adopt seven public school students and provide them with $100 Walmart gift cards for holiday shopping.

Snow Hill High School has also joined with the Maryland Food Bank and received an anonymous donation of $1,300 to launch the Eagle’s Bounty Food Pantry.

“The Eagle’s Bounty Food Pantry at Snow Hill High School provides students with supplemental food and items to make sure they are fed throughout the evenings and weekends, especially the long weekends when students are without the two meals they are provided with during the school hours,” Leonard said.

On Dec. 21, Snow Hill area schools will distribute over 50 boxes of food to local families in need.

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

WORCESTER COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BRIEFS

By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) The following took place during the Worcester County Board of Education meeting on Tuesday:

Principal of the Year Matthew Record, the principal of Pocomoke Middle School, was recognized by Superintendent Lou Taylor and the school board members for being named Maryland Middle School Principal of the Year.

“One of the most impressive things besides his instructional leadership is his attention to detail in every aspect of the school,” Taylor said. “When you ride up to his school, it’s different because the grounds are immaculate.”

Record is working on his doctorate.

Retirements Taylor presented proclamations to retiring District 2 Board member Barry Brittingham and District 3 Board member Sara Thompson at their last meeting.

“They have always stayed focus on what the needs are for our kids, and I’m going to miss them,” Taylor said. “I’m going to B. Brittingham miss their leadership.

I’m going to miss their support. I’m going to miss their way of handling business here.”

Brittingham was elected twice to the Worcester County Board of Education, Sara Thompson serving for nine and half years.

Thompson is the longest serving Worcester County board member with 26.5 years of service. Taylor said she is the longest consecutive serving board member in the state.

“She’s been one of those people who has made our school system successful and that will carry on for years and years to come,” he added. “And I’m grateful to her on a personal note for the support she has given me at every level that I’ve always worked in the school system for the last 37 years.”

Donald Smack and Dr. Jon Andes will begin their terms on the board on Jan. 19, 2021.

Holiday card contest Worcester County Public Schools hosted a holiday card making contest with the theme “High-tech Holiday.”

Students were encouraged to use digital photography and graphic design through iPad apps to create card de-

www.oceancitytoday.com

signs.

Cecilia Diehlmann, a fifth grader at Berlin Intermediate School, was the elementary school winner for her “Let’s Zoom into the Holidays!” design.

Luke Riser, a sixth grader at Berlin Intermediate School, was the middle school winner for his #BetterTogether snowmen design with the county school system’s logo.

Silas Cascio, a senior at Stephen Decatur High School, was the high school winner for his snowman holiday card that featured the binary code as snow.

Lastly, Ashley Alvarez, a senior at Continued on Page 14 PHOTO COURTESY WORCESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Matthew Record, principal of Pocomoke Middle School, was recognized by the Worcester County Board of Education on Tuesday for being named Maryland Middle School Principal of the Year.

PAGE 13

PAGE 14

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

WORCESTER COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BRIEFS Continued from Page 13 Snow Hill High School, was the overall winner for her “Happy Holidays” card with holly and decorated reindeer.

Check for hotspots The Worcester County Education Foundation presented a check for $45,000 to the school board to purchase additional internet connectivity hotspots.

Covid-19 training Dr. Dwayne Abt, chief safety and human relations officer at the public schools, told the board that employees are being trained almost daily about safety protocols. The training began on Dec. 2 and will continue until early January.

Bus contractors were also trained via conference call on Monday about covid-19 prevention protocols pertaining to the buses, Abt said.

Lastly, more sanitation materials and personal protective equipment will be purchased with a safety grant.

PHOTO COURTESY WORCESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Worcester County Education Foundation presented the school board a check for $45,000 to purchase additional hotspots. Pictured, from left, are Worcester County Board of Education President Eric Cropper, Worcester County Education Foundation Chairman Ray Thompson, Board of Education member Todd Ferrante, Worcester County Education Foundation Manager of Operations & Community Relations Olivia Momme and Superintendent Lou Taylor.

Showell update

PHOTO COURTESY WORCESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Ashley Alvarez, a senior at Snow Hill High School, was the overall winner of the county school system’s “High-tech Holiday” card-making contest.

Federal fund audit approved by county board of education

By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) An audit of the federal program funds used by the Worcester County public school system in the past fiscal year found nothing but full compliance, according to a report to the board of education Tuesday.

The audit was conducted by the accounting firm TGM Group Vince Tolbert LLC of Salisbury.

Vince Tolbert, the chief financial officer for the school system, said

there were 73 different federal grant program awards last year for an approximate total of $7.7 million.

The federal money was used for the Summer Food Service Program, Title I School Grants, Title III grants, Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Grants and covid-19 CARES Act technology grants.

The school board approved the audit as presented.

The school board also approved the monthly financial report as presented by Tolbert for the period ending on Nov. 30. Last month’s salaries total was $6.6 million and other expenditures totaled $2.6 million.

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Joe Price, facilities planner for the county school system, presented a monthly Showell Elementary Replacement School contractor construction requisition request for the board’s approval.

The payments to date for the new school construction are $37 million.

The total contract amount is nearly $40 million.

The board approved the current payment requisition of $484,267.56.

Electronic signatures Bess Cropper, resources and management and monitoring facilitator at Worcester County Public Schools told the board that a policy regarding electronic signatures needed to be adopted.

The board agreed to adopt the new policy that states “the superintendent may authorize the use of secure electronic or other types of digital signatures when required by law or regulation and when required for efficient operation of the school system.”

The electronic/digital signatures may be authorized for specific purposes or for specific people.

According to the policy, the electronic/digital signature must be: authorized by the superintendent, required by law or regulation or deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the school system by the superintendent, be secure and verifiable, be in compliance with local, state and federal laws and regulations and be renewed annually.

The superintendent will maintain the roster of people authorized to sign electronically or digitally and permit procedural uses of such signatures.

DECEMBER 18, 2020

PAGE 15

Ocean City Today

WCPS calendar proposals to be voted on in Feb.

By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) The Worcester County Board of Eduation has two academic calendar proposals to consider for 2021-22, with both of them allowing for the possibility of attending school from home.

The school system’s traditional calendar committee was not able to convene for a work session because of covid-19 restrictions, but Carrie Sterrs, coordinator of public relations and special programs, gave the board proposals that address what subcommittees would typically focus on, she said.

The proposals differ in length for vacation or breaks, marking periods and professional days, but both contain three inclement weather days built into the end of the year.

Beyond those three inclement weather days, the 14 public schools will switch to distance learning rather than close.

Sterrs said the first proposal shows an early end to the school year with students starting summer break on June 14.

“This proposal includes a winter break beginning on Thursday, Dec. 23, and students returning on Monday, Jan. 3,” she said.

The school system extended spring break by one day to the state mandated holidays.

The second proposal features more frequent and longer breaks, resulting in the extended summer break starting on June 21.

“You’ll see a full two-week break for

PHOTO COURTESY WORCESTER COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

winter, beginning Monday, Dec. 20, with students returning Jan. 3,” Sterrs said. “Spring break has also been extended for families, with an early dismissal on April 12, followed by a professional day on [April 13] and a full closure from Thursday, April 14 through Tuesday, April 19.”

In January 2021, a calendar proposal survey will take place to collect additional comments from students, staff, parents and the community.

Sterrs said she will present the survey results to the school board in February as well as Superintendent Lou Taylor’s recommendation for the calendar for the board members to approve.

All five Wor. Library branches offer hotspots for checkout (Dec. 18, 2020) Worcester County Library announced the launch of its mobile WiFi hotspot lending initiative, expanding free internet access to patrons beyond its five public service locations.

Hotspots will be available to borrow at all five branches; if all hotspots are checked out, adult patrons (18 and older) may place a hold via the online catalog.

The hotspots will check out for 30 days at a time.

Each WiFi hotspot kit contains a hotspot device, Micro USB cable, adapter and instructions. They will use the Verizon cellular network.

Libraries serve purposes “beyond the book” as crucial community anchors for internet access.

Wireless hotspot lending programs in libraries around the country have helped library users bridge gaps in access to health care, education

and employment.

During the covid-19 pandemic, a time when many residents are doing their schoolwork, research, and job searches from home, this program extends the benefits of the library and broad information access beyond the library walls.

“These hotspots will assist Worcester County residents in many ways. Wireless hotspots allow people otherwise ‘unconnected’ to complete GED programs, to help their kids do homework, and to search for jobs,” said library director Jennifer Ranck.

Kajeet is the provider of the hotspots, and will provide technical support for the devices, and library staff will be available to assist patrons who need help placing a hold. Additional information for patrons is available on the WiFi FAQ page at https://worcesterlibrary.org.

The Worcester County Board of Education has two academic calendar proposals to consider for 2021-22. The first proposal features an early release in June, while the second proposal has more frequent and longer breaks, resulting in the extended summer break starting on June 21.

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DECEMBER 18, 2020

The Worcester County Board of Education agreed to recommend a proposal to the county commissioners to repair Stephen Decatur Middle School’s roof after it was damaged on Aug. 4

by Tropical Storm Isaias.

ALLY LANASA/ OCEAN CITY TODAY

Atlantic Physical Therapy partners Top-rated shore provider joins forces with Phoenix to expand outreach in future

By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) Looking to expand its market presence, Atlantic Physical Therapy merged operations last week with Phoenix Physical Therapy.

Atlantic Physical Therapy Director of Clinical Operations Bobby Hammond III said his namesake father founded the company in 1998 to provide exceptional patient care.

“As dad has gotten older, his health has started to decline and more has fallen on me,” he said. “I wanted to partner with a company that is going to continue to help us build our brand and expand throughout the mid-Atlantic region.”

Suzanne Manella, Phoenix Physical Therapy vice president of marketing said the company was established in 1997 and has grown to include more than 120 clinics in nearly a dozen states.

“We believe we’re a leader in the middle market for physical therapy,”

she said. “We have the ability to be small enough to care but big enough to make a difference.”

Manella said Phoenix Physical Therapy has remained focused on growth and expanded into Ohio and Colorado during 2020.

“Part of our growth strategy is to … identify markets we already have some … presence in and be able to expand …

B. Hammond III through acquisition,” she said.

Phoenix Physical Therapy, which is headquartered in Cranberry Township outside Pittsburgh, now adds Atlantic Physical Therapy’s nine Eastern Shore-based offices to its roster of providers.

“We already have some clinics in the area, so this was a great opportunity for us to grow that presence by partnering with an established firm,” she said.

Manella said Phoenix Physical Therapy remains focused on operating community-based clinics that retain connectivity with patients.

Looking for a eck Ch new home? out the

“Phoenix can help provide some of that back office support to allow Bobby and his team to focus more on patient care,” she said. “The patient always comes first.”

Hammond said joining forces with Phoenix Physical Therapy seemed a logical step as both businesses share a common vision.

“Our cultures aligned perfectly,” he said. “I wanted to continue the vision that we originally had and continue to grow.”

Hammond said Atlantic Physical Therapy hopes to develop a larger footprint than its current nine offices in Ocean Pines, Berlin, West Ocean City, Salisbury, along with locations in Delaware.

“Our plans are to expand throughout the mid-Atlantic region and all along the Eastern Shore,” he said.

“I want the people on the Eastern Shore to know my father and I are so grateful for the support,” he said.

“We’re going to continue to support them.”

To learn more contact Atlantic Physical Therapy at 410-208-3630 or 1-888-208-3828.

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New roof at SDMS recommended by Wor. school board

By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) Stephen Decatur Middle School’s roof has been leaking since Tropical Storm Isaias passed by on Aug. 4 and damaged enough shingles that it’s going to cost $240,987 to fix it.

That was the low bid the Worcester County Board of Education agreed to recommend to the county commissioners Tuesday after listening to an assessment of the situation from the school system’s roofing consultant Garland Industries.

Even though Garland Industries asserted that the roof needs to be replaced, the school system’s insurer will cover just a portion of that, and installing a standing metal roof would be prohibitively expensive at $1.5 million.

Faced with an unbudgeted project, the board picked low bidder Raintree Services, one of five companies to bid, to take on the project.

Sam Slacum, the maintenance and operations manager for Worcester County Public Schools recommended that the board approve Raintree Services’ proposal, which will now be sent to the county commissioners for funding consideration.

According to the board agenda packet, the project will entail removing all the shingles, tar paper and ice and water shield from one section of the roof at a time and replace it with new material.

Then, synthetic underlayment will be installed over the roof, ice and water shield will be installed at all eaves, rakes and valleys, starter shingles will be installed on the perimeter edge and HD architectural shingles will be installed over the entire proposed area to resolve the issues.

Raintree Services’ proposal includes a workmanship warranty of two years. A lifetime warranty on the shingles will be provided as well.

The project is expected to take two to three weeks, weather permitting, with minimal disruption to those in the building.

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

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PAGE 18

Ocean City Today

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Boxcar on Main opens Friday in downtown Berlin

By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) The newest restaurant on Berlin’s menu, Boxcar on Main, officially opens Friday at the former DiFebo’s restaurant location at 104 N. Main St. downtown.

Paul Suplee, the chef and owner, took occupancy of the space on Nov. 1 and renovated the venue in six weeks.

“The Berlin location is, of course, the home of ‘The Runaway Bride’ since it was the Berlin Paul Suplee Hardware Store,” he said. Suplee added that the atmosphere of Boxcar on Main differs from his Boxcar40 restaurant on Gumboro Road in Pittsville with high ceilings and big windows, which brighten the venue.

“With the walk-in traffic, it’s a different vibe altogether,” he said.

Boxcar40 has more of a rustic, historic feel.

“It is built in the original Pittsville firehouse, with exposed brick walls and rich walnut wood,” Suplee said.

“Some of the original flooring was even used to build the bar upstairs.”

Suplee said he will begin remodeling the upstairs of the Berlin restaurant in January with plans for an intimate bar, where local artists can perform acoustic music.

Suplee held open houses Thursday through Sunday last week at Boxcar on Main.

“We offered food off the menu, but we just kind of did a chef’s table, where we just brought [them] food and filled them up,” Suplee said.

The restaurant offered salmon on a Sicilian lemon arugula, caprese salad, shrimp and grits and brie with homemade preserves.

Suplee said the open houses were successful, adding that Boxcar on Main served about 20 guests on Thursday, 90 guests on Saturday and another 60 on Sunday.

“I’ve been trying to get into Berlin for years. It’s just awesome to be here,” he added. “I knew it was going to be a warm welcome, but I seriously can’t believe how amazing it has been.”

Suplee said he has received many positive responses from the community, such as “You’re going to kill it,” “This is the best thing to happen to Berlin in years,” and “I love how everything in here has a story.”

The restaurant was closed for staff training Monday through Wednesday.

Boxcar on Main opens full-time on Friday. The restaurant will be open six days a week for lunch and dinner as well as for brunch, lunch and dinner on Sundays.

The operating hours will be Mon-

PHOTO COURTESY PAUL SUPLEE

Boxcar on Main, 104 N. Main St. in Berlin, had a successful open house on Sunday from 5-9 p.m. prior to the restaurant’s grand opening this Friday.

day through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. or later if it’s busy and Sunday with brunch served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. then lunch and dinner served until 9 p.m.

Suplee said that the menu of Boxcar on Main is different from Boxcar40’s menu to encourage people to visit both locations.

Although most people probably would not open a restaurant during a pandemic, Suplee said he could not be happier with his decision, even if it was a gamble.

“I am not an ordinary person, in general. I tend to do things my own way, and it shows,” he said. “Luckily, I have found a team of players who are as enthralled by the unorthodox as I am. I believe that this synergy will be

fun and positive for Berlin.”

The Berlin restaurant’s menu features American cuisine with a Southern style, such as steaks, seafood and brick-roasted specialties, such as baked brie with homemade preserves and roasted root vegetable raclette.

“Boxcar40, our flagship, specializes in smoked treats such as pork ribs, pulled pork and brisket,” Suplee said.

“We also offer hand cut steaks and pride ourselves as the only restaurant in Wicomico County who offers ‘you catch, we cook’ for anglers.”

In addition, Suplee’s recipes can be found weekly in Bayside Gazette.

For more information about the restaurants, visit https://www.boxcar40.com/?fbclid=IwAR0HnKEYrIR4oU1STrclSJDyTa2YcV5fMq Sl7tghH2Ca8CSYtV3HPPLWjI.

REAL ESTATE REPORT

Critical Area Program helps protect fish, plant habitats

By Lauren Bunting Contributing Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) Worcester County’s Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Program, which was adopted in 1990, accommodates future growth within the Critical Area, while providing for conservation of fish, wildlife and plant habitats, and minimizing adverse water quality impacts.

Among other requirements, the law generally requires a minimum 100-foot buffer of naturally occuring or planted vegetation, measured from the mean high-water line of tidal waters, tidal wetlands and tributary streams with any new development within the Critical Area.

In order to know where the 100foot buffer begins on a property, a wetlands delineation needs to be done. A wetland delineation is a procedure that determines the location and extent of wetlands on a property.

This is typically completed before a property can be developed, and is not usually offered by land surveyors, but instead done by environmental consultant agencies.

The Worcester County Chesapeake Bay Critical Area begins 1,000 feet beyond the head of the tide at Whiton Crossing, and includes about 10,000 acres of the county that lie within the Pocomoke River watershed.

Worcester County’s program places all lands in the Critical Area into one of three land use categories, See COUNTY’S Page 19

DECEMBER 18, 2020

PAGE 19

Ocean City Today

BUSINESS BRIEFS

REAL ESTATE REPORT

Property sale

County’s program categorizes land by development

Matthew Trader of Rinnier Development Company, recently closed on the sale of the North Bay Shopping Center located on 127th street in Ocean City, for $3.825 million.

This was an off-market deal that Trader negotiated and closed from start to finish in approximately three weeks. The center was purchased by a local investor.

The North Bay Shopping Center was built in 1985 and is home to local and national tenants. Out of respect to the buyer and seller, that is all of the details that can be provided at this time.

Trader specializes in the sale, leasing and marketing of commercial properties. For more information, call 443-614-4297, or email mtrader@rinnier.com.

Matthew Trader of Rinnier Development Company, recently closed on the sale of the North Bay Shopping Center on 127th Street in Ocean City.

Fire co. adds day to Santa’s tour

By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) The Berlin Fire Company is expanding its annual Santa escort to a two-day event this weekend in town.

Fire Company President David Fitzgerald said the tour with Santa will cover the company’s entire fire coverage district on Saturday and Sunday, beginning at noon on both days.

Fitzgerald said the fire company decided to expand the tour because the town is too large to cover in one day during daylight.

On Saturday, the fire company will escort Santa on the west side of Route 113. Then, Santa will tour Berlin communities on the east side of Route 113 on Sunday.

In addition, the fire company is accepting nonperishable donations for Stevenson United Methodist Church’s Spirit Kitchen.

The Spirit Kitchen was established in 2011 to provide a free lunch every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and a food pantry for people in need.

As a result of the economic down-

town and other covid-19 concerns , the Spirit Kitchen has been offering a drive-through food pantry, where volunteers place canned and dry goods in the trunk of cars.

Appointments must be made for the drive-through pantry. For anyone in need of groceries, call 443-2353531.

Fitzgerald encourages residents to leave their food contributions on the curb. Canned goods will be collected by cadets and fire company representatives throughout the Santa tour this weekend.

Fitzgerald also said all fundraising events for the fire company have been canceled because of social distancing restrictions amid the pandemic. Mailers have been sent to residents and the fire company is seeking donations for its Emergency Medical Services (EMS) division.

Donations to the Berlin Fire Company EMS can be mailed to the Bank of Ocean City, 627 William St. Berlin, Maryland 21811.

Donations to the Berlin Fire Company can be mailed to Taylor Bank, P.O. Box 5 Berlin, Maryland 21811.

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Donors should indicate if the contribution is for a specific purpose.

According to the fire company’s website, there is a $1,000 donor plaque program for its headquarters and a Station 3 Building Fund plaque program.

For more information, visit berlinfire.com.

Continued from Page 18 which are: • Intensely Developed Areas. Residential and other development predominates to the virtual exclusion of natural habitat.

• Limited Development Areas. Low or moderately dense development coexists with natural plant and animal habitats.

• Resource Conservation Areas.

Natural resource areas (habitats, wetlands, forest) and resource-oriented activities (farming, fishing) predominate.

In order to accommodate growth, 5 percent of the total Resource Conservation Area may be converted to a Limited Development Area or an Intensely Developed Area. This process is called Growth Allocation.

The official maps delineating the Worcester County Chesapeake Bay Critical Area and exhibiting the land use classifications assigned, are publicly available on the county’s website at co.worcester.md.us.

Lauren Bunting is an Associate Broker with Atlantic Shores Sotheby’s International Realty in Ocean City.

PAGE 20

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

OC resident writes autobiography Author recounts experience of Vietnam War for his wife, children in new paperback

By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) Ocean City resident Joe Myles has published an autobiography called “Fury: A Soldier’s Journey� about his service in Vietnam between 1968 and 1969. “When I went to Vietnam, I was coming out of a special program in the states to create sergeants.

So, I went into VietJoe Myles nam as a sergeant after one year in service,� Myles said. “I was immediately given a platoon to lead with the 1st Infantry Division, which is usually a lieutenant or a first lieutenant’s position.�

He added that he led about 30 men through daily search-and-destroy missions, which later became “search-and-rescue missions� in the U.S. Army.

After 50-plus years, Myles was inspired to write a book about his experiences in the Vietnam War to leave a firsthand account for his relatives. “I hadn’t spoken of my events or service or anything having to do with that time period to my kids, wife or anybody,� he said. “I wanted to get it down on paper for the kids especially.�

Myles said his few pages of notes developed into a 174-page paperback book published by Salt Water Media in Berlin and released in March. The autobiography also includes pictures from his service in Vietnam. “The fact that I started writing ‌ opened up more thoughts of what I kind of put in the back of my head, I guess, and it has gotten easier to talk about it,â€? he said. “I was thinking that there’s a lot of soldiers, soldier’s wives and children of soldiers that might even have a question about what when on in their husbands’ or fathers’ lives.â€?

Myles believes most soldiers can identify with the first part of the autobiography. “The basic training and advanced infantry trading I went through most

soldiers encountered the same experiences,� he said. “First of all, it was the new experiences that no one in civilian life encounters, such as having a drill sergeant decide your life’s actions — when to sleep, when to eat, how to stand, run, march, dress.� “Fury: A Soldier’s Journey� is available for $19.95 at Amazon, Walmart.com, and Google Books, Barnes & Noble, The Greyhound Independent Bookstore and Fine Art Gallery on South Main Street in Berlin, Salt Water Media in Berlin and directly from Myles.

After being discharged from the service, Myles spent 18 years working in the elevator trade. “Right before I went in the service, I started an intern program with the [Montgomery Elevator], building elevators and installing and maintaining [them],� he said.

He installed elevators and escalators at Woody’s Department Store in the Iverson Mall in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland.

He went on to buy an elevator company and operated it for several years before selling it in 1995.

Later, he opened up Little Italy on

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Myles moved to Ocean City fulltime in 1996, but he has owned properties in the area since 1984.

In addition, Myles belongs to American Legion Post 166 on 24th Street.

For more information, contact Myles at realchefjoe@yahoo.com.

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Ocean City Today

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Ocean City Today

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Live Nativity scene at SonRise Church and MBS in Berlin

By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) The Berlin campus of SonRise Church has incorporated covid19 safety protocols in its live Nativity this year by making the Sunday, 6-8 p.m. presentation a drive-through event.

“This is the third year we’ve done the live Nativity,” Pastor Tim Robinson said.

“Normally people get out of the car and they can stand in front of the live Nativity and enjoy it that way. Then, as they exit, we have refreshments and we invite people to our Christmas Eve services.”

Robinson said the Nativity scene will be staged in the back of the property on 10026 Main Street, behind the main building in a grass parking area.

“That way it will take a while to get there. When people pull in, they’re not going to see it right away,” he said.

“We’ll have socially distanced stations.”

As drivers enter the property, they will pass a few stations.

“Then, they’re going to hit a shepherd area,” Robinson said. “It’s going to be lit up.”

He added that drivers will be encouraged to turn off car lights when approaching the Nativity in the back of the property.

Near the Nativity scene, five bagpipe players and two drummers from Ocean City Pipes and Drums will provide music.

Marshall Creek Farms, which is owned by Angela Smithhisler, will provide sheep and goats for the event.

Last year, the church had three camels for the live Nativity.

SonRise Church parishioners will act out the Nativity story in Biblical costumes.

“We’ll also have a live baby Jesus,” Robinson said.

Logan Adams will portray baby Jesus.

SonRise Church also has an FM transmitter, so, as drivers enter the property, they can set their FM car radios to 93.3 to hear a welcome and the Christmas story.

After driving through the display,

PHOTO COURTESY SONRISE CHURCH

The Berlin Campus of SonRise Church, 10026 Main Street, has adapted its annual live Nativity with stable animals and actors from the church to be a free drive-through event on Dec. 20 from 6-8 p.m. because of covid-19 concerns. Pictured is the 2019 Nativity production on the church’s property.

traffic will be directed to exit right toward Route 113. Drivers will be notified to stay in a single file.

Robinson said that the church will consider the drive-through option for the future as well.

“For this first year, we’re going to just keep it simple and have a few different stations, some music playing and a time where they can park in front of the live Nativity, coming in through Route 50 [and] exiting out toward [Route] 113,” he said.

Robinson added that during the novel coronavirus pandemic, people are searching for peace and comfort.

“The birth of Christ reminds us that the Savior is coming to the world to be the light of the world,” he said. “This time of year, people are seeking peace, and Christ can bring that peace.”

Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, 11242 Racetrack Road in Berlin, is also hosting a drive-through live Nativity on Thursday and Friday from 6-8 p.m., weather permitting.

“It will be located at our entrance on the west side of the building,” said Amanda Evans, the director of admissions and advancement at the school.

“Cars will simply drive past, pause to see and proceed forward. We are asking that no one gets out of their vehicles.”

Traffic will be monitored by staff.

“This year, it will simply be the students in character in the manger but not acting out the Nativity play,” Evans added. “Next year, we hope to have it set up like a walking tour of Bethlehem.”

Little Farm in Berlin will lend ani-

mals for the drive-through event. A donkey will be present on Thursday and more animals on Friday.

For more information, call Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic School at 410-208-1600.

Santa to visit Ocean City on fire truck Saturday, Sunday (Dec. 18, 2020) Fire Chief Richie Bowers has spoken with Santa at his North Pole workshop and confirmed that he will use an Ocean City fire truck to visit the boys and girls of Ocean City this weekend.

Santa Claus will be arriving with the help of Ocean City Fire Department personnel, on Saturday, Dec. 19, and Sunday, Dec. 20.

Rain date information will be posted on the departments website at www.ocvfc.com, if needed.

Keep in mind that time is limited, and every effort has been made to have the route of travel close to as many areas as possible.

Candy canes will be distributed and letters for Santa Claus will be collected by his fire department cadets.

All personnel will be wearing masks and using hand sanitizer.

Saturday, Dec. 19, in West Ocean City, North of Route 50: (All times are approximate) 3 p.m.: Santa Claus will depart Ocean City Fire Station 5 on Keyser Point Road traveling on Creek Drive to Bonita Drive over to Blue Marlin Drive returning to Keyser Point Road 3:15 p.m.: Santa’s journey will take him for a loop down Nature Park Drive on to West Torquay Road over to Sussex Road on to Kent Road to Windsor Road and back to Keyser Point Road 3:30 p.m.: Santa will turn on West Torquay Road over to Balte Road and back to Keyser Point Road See APPROXIMATE Page 23

DECEMBER 18, 2020

PAGE 23

Ocean City Today

Approximate OC tour times for this weekend Continued from Page 22 3:45 p.m.: A left into Whisper Trace Drive traveling a loop around to Broken Sound Blvd making a left going to Center Drive turning right 4:05 p.m.: A right turn off Center Drive on Thoroughfare Farms Road around Queens Circle and back to Center Drive 4:25 p.m.: North Road to Motter Road over to Golf Course Road proceeding to Center Drive, over to Riggin Ridge Road and back to Golf Course Road 4:45 p.m.: Horn Island Drive to North Avenue over to Charles Street and back to Golf Course Road 5 p.m.: A loop though Seaside Village, with a left on to Bay Ct Ln, left on Seaside Lane, and left on Sand Bar Lane 5:15 p.m.: Travel through the Tanger Outlets 6 p.m.: Golf Course Road south to Swordfish Drive to Harbor Road proceeding to Sunset Avenue over to Stephen Decatur Highway via Old Bridge Road, with a loop behind the Full Moon Saloon 6:15 p.m.: Stephen Decatur Highway to Mystic Harbour Blvd, on to

Anchor Way Drive around to Mystic Harbour Blvd back out to Stephen Decatur Highway 6:45 p.m.: Airport Road to Deer Point Circle on to Ocean Reef Drive to the end going to Harbor Lights Drive to Lake View Drive and back to Airport Road 7:05 p.m.: Left on Whispering Woods Drive from Stephen Decatur to Winding Trail Drive and back to Stephen Decatur Highway 7:15 p.m.: Left on Old Bridge Road, left on to Mooring View Ln and left on Harbor Master Blvd 7:30 p.m.: Cross over to Village Lane making a loop and proceeding to Route 50 westbound at Keyser Point Road 7:45 p.m.: Right on Waterview Drive to Pine Rest Drive back to Route 50 returning to Keyser Point Firehouse.

Sunday, Dec. 20: (All times are approximate) 3 p.m.: Santa Claus will begin his journey on Dorchester Street traveling to St. Louis Avenue northward to 14th Street. He will proceed to Jacqueline Avenue over to Teal Drive before exiting north from 15th Street

COMMUNITY BRIEFS

Inducted Jayna Griffith was inducted into the Alpha Nu Omicron Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Wor-Wic Community College on Oct. 19.

Griffith is majoring in Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer, and is the Jayna Griffith daughter of Robert D. Griffith of United States Navy-Seal Team.

Training complete Chase A. Fletcher commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army after successfully completing the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program and graduating with a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia.

Fletcher will attend an officer basic course relating to his particular military occupational specialty, or job. He will then complete advanced training by attending basic officer leadership courses for career progression purposes.

Fletcher is the son of Suzanne Fletcher of Cross Junction, Virginia.

He is the grandson of Shirley Rohrer

of Ocean City, Maryland, and John Fletcher of Ashburn, Virginia. He is the step-father of Kayla Shaw of Clear Brook, Virginia.

Fletcher is a 2016 graduate of Clarke County High School, Berryville, Virginia.

Fundraiser Eastern Shore Type 1 Diabetes Support Foundation is hosting a fundraiser ticket drop auction online at est1dsf.ourraffle.org.

There are 46 baskets and gift certificate packages available. Visit the group’s Facebook page to view the silent auction items. Winners will be announced on Dec. 19.

The foundation’s mission is to provide support for individuals living with Type 1 Diabetes and those that may be caring for someone with the disease by raising funds to send children to camp, currently.

The foundation is working to set up a scholarship program for a graduating Type 1 diabetic senior and to create a non-medical support network on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Southern Sussex County Delaware.

For more information, reach out on Facebook, email Katie@fraoc.com or call 410-251-4793.

on Philadelphia Avenue. Santa will then cruise the slow lane/bus lane from 15th Street to 118th Street.

3:30 p.m.: Santa Claus will make a right turn from Coastal Highway on 118th Street to Assawoman Drive then going north to 130th Street and returning back to Coastal Highway northbound.

3:50 p.m.: This route will lead him to 142nd Street westbound over to Dukes Avenue. He will travel to N. Surf Road to Caine Stable Road around to Laurel Avenue to Seaweed Lane. He will proceed on to Tunnel Avenue to 141st Street.

4:20 p.m.: 141st Street to Loop Road entering Sea Captain Road on to Twin Tree Road then looping on Sailing Road, Fiesta Road Barge Road, N. Ocean Road back to 136th Street.

From here he will travel to 136th Street to Fountain Road over to 139th Street to Sinepuxent Avenue. The route will then take him to Peachtree Road over to Pine Tree Road to Atlantic Avenue down to South Ocean Drive.

4:50 p.m.: Santa will proceed west on South Ocean Drive to Harbour Road on to Gulf Stream Drive to Oyster Lane over to Beachcomber Lane and back to Coastal Highway at 130th Street.

5:20 p.m.: Santa will then travel

down to Edward Taylor Road to North Heron Drive, South Heron Drive and back to Coastal Highway.

He will then make a trip down Newport Bay Drive, then on to Jamestown Road around Captain Quarters Rd back to Coastal Highway. He will then make a pass through Channel Buoy Road, Old Wharf Road, Winter Harbor Drive proceeding down to 94th Street.

5:55 p.m: Santa Claus will travel down 94th Street to Rusty Anchor back out to Caribbean Drive to Bearing Road returning to Coastal Highway.

6:20 p.m.: From 94th Street, take right onto Chesapeake, loop North & South Pacific Ave left back up Caribbean, then right to loop West & East Biscayne Dr, left up to Mediterranean, then out Bering to Coastal Hwy. 6:45 p.m.: 67th Street onto Island Edge Dr, right on to Sunset Island Dr to left on Fountain Dr East, right onto Fountain Drive West, left onto Seaside Drive, left onto Shore Point Dr to Sunset Island Dr, right onto Beach Side Dr, left onto Island Edge Drive to return to Coastal Hwy. 7:15 p.m.: Southbound to 32nd Street making a loop on Penguin Dr, down to Robin Drive and left to Bayshore Drive returning to firehouse for departure to the North Pole.

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DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

Christmas concert to benefit BIT

By Lisa Capitelli Managing Editor (Dec. 18, 2020) Country music recording artist, singer/songwriter, Jimmy Charles, has come back to the area and will perform a concert to benefit Believe in Tomorrow’s Children’s House by the Sea, tonight in Salisbury.

“I have not worked with them before. I just discovered them this past year and immediately knew I wanted to help,” Charles said.

Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation provides hospital and respite housing services to critically ill children and their families. Since 1982, Believe in Tomorrow has provided over 900,000 individual overnight accommodations, from every state in the U.S. and more than 82 countries worldwide.

The Believe in Tomorrow Children’s House by the Sea on 66th Street in Ocean City is open year-round to provide a free getaway to the beach for critically ill children and their families whenever they may need to escape the stresses of their child’s illness.

Families can also vacation at the Believe in Tomorrow House in Fenwick Island and House by the Bay on 28th Street.

“I always love to come home this time of year and do something good for a local charity. My friend and longtime Delmarva radio personality, E.J. Foxx, let me know about this organization

that houses children and their families that are battling life-threatening illnesses,” Charles said. “This was the perfect time. Being a new father I cannot imagine what these families are dealing with. It breaks my heart to see them struggle and no kid should ever have to deal with cancer or any other serious illness at such a young age. I want to do what I can to help them.”

Wayne Littleton, coordinator for the Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation Beach Respite Housing Program, said he is grateful that Charles wants to support the organization.

“There are a lot of worthy charities our there. It’s very nice that he chose us,” Littleton said. “I have heard very good things about him. Whatever he [can raise] will be great. Every dollar helps.”

The “Don’t Stop Believin’” event will take place at The Pavilion, 1400 S. Salisbury Blvd. and Hopper’s Tap House, in Salisbury from 6-9 p.m., tonight.

Doors open at 5 p.m.

“It’s a huge pavilion with several different restaurants and Hopper’s Tap House inside,” Charles said. “Fortunately, it’s such a big open area that we can still have a good amount of people and stay socially distanced. Masks must be worn when not at the table.”

With limited capacity, about 40 tickets were still available as of Thursday morning. Tickets cost $20 for adults

and $10 for children, 12 and under.

Children’s 3 and under get in free.

“Tickets are a donation for the cause,” he added.

Purchase tickets online at h t t p s : / / y o u n i q u e nashville.ticketleap.com/?fbclid=IwAR 3L6ukwbjELnIzNQwys1MHZnpDZxqHYgOwDyetz6JpxHY_LMtsEOeJIie4 or at the door, if still available.

There will also be a silent auction, food and a 50/50 raffle.

For those who are unable to attend, Charles plans to live stream the event on Facebook.

“There is no charge [to watch online], but we ask everyone tuning in to my Facebook live to donate any amount they feel comfortable. There will be a link on the live feed,” he said.

Charles was born and raised in the Ocean City area and is a Stephen Decatur High School graduate. He typically visits the shore around Christmas time and performs a few shows.

“Being displaced during tragic times makes things so much worse. Having a place they know is just for them, decorated for the kids with free activities and no charge can bring hope and sense of not being alone in this battle,” Charles said. “My nonprofit, I Am Not Alone, focuses on making sure those battling cancer never feel alone, so this ties right in with our mission. We will be making a donation to Believe in To-

Jimmy Charles

morrow from I Am Not Alone, in addition to the funds we raise that evening, so Believe in Tomorrow can continue to do the wonderful work that they are doing right here on the Eastern Shore.”

On Saturday, Charles will play at Bourbon Street on the Beach on 116th Street in Ocean City from 6-9 p.m.

There is a $5 cover charge.

For more information about Charles, check out his official website at www.jimmycharlesmusic.com or check out his Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

To learn more about Believe in Tomorrow, visit http://believeintomorrow.org.

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DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

PAGE 25

Commentary

Ocean City Today Dec. 18, 2020

Page 26

At last, things start to look up for 2021 The most recent shot heard ‘round this world might have been the one administered to the left arm of intensive care nurse Sandra Lindsay at Long Island Jewish Medical Center on Monday.

That would be outside of the clinical trials and after Great Britain got a head start on the United States and other countries when it inoculated 90-year-old Margaret Keenan against the covid-19 virus in London last Tuesday.

On Friday, Atlantic General Hospital will begin vaccinating its frontline personnel, with the rest of us following in the order prescribed by the state’s detailed immunization protocol.

Even though it seems this moment would never arrive, as people became sick and sometimes died, and as businesses were forced to close and jobs were lost, it is certainly a time to be respectfully optimistic about the days ahead.

Cheering would be inappropriate considering all the losses the county, state and nation have endured, but good news has been so hard to come by for most of the year, that a small smile of relief would not be out of order.

What it means, for the coastal communities, is the possibility of a much improved summer. With federal health officials indicating that the vaccination program should be mostly complete by mid-June, there’s a good chance that pent up demand for a summer weekend or full week of sweet relief might be on the agenda of the hundreds of thousands of people in the region who have been stuck at home since, it sometimes seems, the beginning of time.

Add to that the increasing possibility of a second round of federal payroll protection program money early next year to help small businesses through the spring, and 2021 suddenly begins to look, well, not terrible.

We’ll happily take “not terrible” and be thankful for it after the miserable past nine months or so. The situation, it seems, is starting to look up.

Ocean City Today P.O. Box 3500, Ocean City, Md. 21843 Phone: 410-723-6397 / Fax: 410-723-6511.

EDITOR ............................................ Stewart Dobson MANAGING EDITOR ................................ Lisa Capitelli STAFF WRITERS....................Greg Ellison, Joshua Kim, ....................Elizabeth Bonin, Ally Lanasa, Lea Leonard ASSISTANT PUBLISHER .......................... Elaine Brady ACCOUNT MANAGERS.......... Mary Cooper, Vicki Shrier CLASSIFIEDS/LEGALS MANAGER .... Nancy MacCubbin SENIOR DESIGNER ................................ Susan Parks GRAPHIC ARTIST .................................... Kelly Brown PUBLISHER........................................ Christine Brown ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ...................... Gini Tufts Ocean City Today is published weekly by FLAG Publications, Inc. at 8200 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, Md. 21842.

Ocean City Today is available by subscription at $150 a year.

Visit us on the Web at www.oceancitytoday.com.

Copyright 2020

Here’s a hoax shot for you This just in ...

For all the covid-19 deniers who are preparing to line up for vaccines, even though they know there’s no reason whatsoever to do so, this exciting news has just surfaced: Reliable insiders By involved in Stewart the medical Dobson research world have revealed that the pharmaceutical firm, Fold, Spindle & Manipulate LLC, headquartered at Box 2871A, Grand Cayman Island, c/o Offshore Account, is about to release its highly effective Hoax Vaccine.

Designed specifically for people who don’t deserve a vaccine, considering all their angry arguments about why vaccines shouldn’t be needed in the first place, the new Hoax Vaccine is guaranteed to look like a vaccine, feel like

PUBLIC EYE

a vaccine and maybe even smell like a vaccine, but is nevertheless guaranteed not to protect deniers from any strain of the nothing that’s been making the rounds since the early months of the year.

Company officials, who choose to remain unidentified for IRS and other legal purposes, said extensive testing has returned “Amazing Results or Your Money Back,” and that the required double-dose of Hoax is 100 percent ineffective at doing anything for recipients who don’t believe they need it anyway.

The side effects of being Hoax vaccinated for that which does not exist appear to be minimal.

Obviously, this is an exciting breakthrough for the millions of people here and elsewhere who will punch you in the nose if you suggest there’s a slight possibility, they could be wrong.

“No, the coronavirus is not what causes good Mexican beer to go bad.”

Whap.

“No, we did not make up all this covid business to

drive up ratings for C-Span, Ghosthunters and Real Housewives of Topeka while you’re were on lockdown.”

Whap “No, 7.4 billion of the 7.8 billion people on the planet do not greet each other with a secret handshake and a double-wink to denote they’re in on the top secret campaign to mess with your head.”

Whap.

You have to admit, though, that adding the Hoax vaccine to the country’s medical arsenal makes sense from a public health perspective.

In other words, why waste good vaccines on people who argue they don’t need them, but who want them just because … well … they just do?

I say break out the needle, advise them that “You’re going to feel a little pinch,” followed by “Congratulations, thanks to the Hoax vaccine, you’re now fully unprotected, not that you care.”

As they say, what you don’t know can’t hurt you.

Unless it does, in which case a Hoax vaccine clinic will soon be available near you.

Your Online Community: www.oceancitytoday.com

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

PAGE 27

WORLD WAR II

German Merchant Cruiser Komet hits seas

By Sam Ghaleb Contributing Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) This week, 80 years ago, the German Auxiliary Merchant Cruiser Komet was on her first cruise, to hunt, sink or capture Allied merchant ships sailing in the Pacific Ocean.

At 3,287 tons, the Komet was the smallest of all the German Auxiliary Merchant Cruisers when it embarked on a mission similar to that of the Imperial German Navy in World War I. These Auxiliary Merchant Cruisers formed a sort of “Pirate Fleet” that roamed the oceans in search of Allied merchant ships to sink or capture.

These cruisers were given mythical names such as Atlantis, Penguin, Thor, Widder, Orion, Komet, Kormoran, Steir and Michelle.

The success of these cruisers was far more impressive than any of the Kriegsmarine’s pocket battleships, battleships, battle cruisers or heavy cruisers during World War II. The German capital ships were designed with a primary function — to conduct commerce raiding. It was a huge investment for Germany to build such powerful warships to conduct this type of warfare.

These capital ships were only able to sink 58 merchant ships with a total tonnage of a little more than 318,000 tons.

In comparison, the Auxiliary Merchant Cruisers sank 110, and captured 31, Allied merchant ships, with a total tonnage of more than 900,000 tons.

These disguised commerce raiders accomplished this in a period of less than three years, with an investment cost of almost one percent of the total cost to build these powerful and complex warships.

But the true value of these commerce raiders was not only in the ships they sunk, but in Robert Eyssen the disruption they caused to the Royal Navy by sending false signals of raider activity that forced the British to spend invaluable fuel and time chasing ghosts across all the oceans of the world.

These commerce raiders were also used to lay hundreds of mines in the channels and the entrances of enemy ports.

The Komet was launched on Jan. 16, 1937, at the Deschimag-Werk-Weser in Bremen, for the Nord-Deutscher Lloyd line to be operated as the freighter Ems. It was selected by the German Naval High Command to be converted to an Auxiliary Merchant cruiser.

In such a role she was intended to be used as a commerce raider. At 359 feet long, a beam of 50 feet, and drawing less

than 20 feet of water, she was powered by two 6-cylinder two-stroke MAN diesel engines, producing 3,900 horsepower, driving a single shaft.

She had a top speed of 16 knots and a range of 51,000 miles (twice the distance around the globe on the equator) at 9 knots.

The Komet was armed with six 5.9 inch- L/45 C/16 guns of World War I vintage, one 60mm cannon, one twin 37mm C/30 flak mounting, four single 20mm C/30 flak guns and six 21 inch torpedo tubes, with 24 torpedoes, two Arado Ar-196 A-1 seaplanes and a Light Mine-laying Speedboat, LS-2, with 30 sea-mines.

The crews of these Auxiliary Merchant Cruisers were thoroughly trained to alter the look of their ships and make them look like any commercial ship from any country. They had the tools and the materiel on board to do it.

The Komet was commanded by the 48-year-old Capt. Robert Eyssen, who knew exactly what kind of ship he wanted, and personally chose the smallest of those being prepared for commerce raiding service.

He also knew the advantages of being able to safely transfer warships from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and when he was informed of the idea that his ship should sail in the Arctic Ocean, on top of the So-

viet Union, to reach the Pacific Ocean, Eyssen was confident that he and his tiny ship could be the ones to do it.

Since the Soviet Union and Germany had a Non-Aggression Pact, signed in August 1939, Germany asked the Soviet Union to provide ice-breakers to assist the Komet in her passage through the Arctic ice fields.

The Komet, the last of the first wave of raiders to put to sea, sailed from Gotenhafen on July 3, 1940, in the company of minesweepers MJ7 and M18.

With 35 German cargo vessels stranded in the Pacific region by the outbreak of war, the high command was anxious to test the feasibility of bringing them home during the summer of 1940, as well as exploring the possibility of using the Arctic route for other shipping, preferably commerce raiders, enabling them to safely pass to and from the Pacific.

The Komet passed the North Cape on July 12, 1940, but was unable to proceed much further east due to weather conditions.

Capt. Eyssen rejected the Soviet suggestion that he should wait in the port of Murmansk until conditions improved.

The Kriegsmarine felt that his ship would eventually be spotted by the British and his mission would be compromised.

Capt. Eyssen chose to remain at sea Continued on Page 28

PAGE 28

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

WORLD WAR II

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Continued from Page 27 off the island of Nova Zemelya.

The Soviet government was concerned that having assisted a German warship to reach the Pacific could be interpreted by the Royal Navy as a breach of neutrality.

When Komet was only 400 miles from the ice-free Bering Strait and the open Pacific Ocean, Capt. Eyssen managed to persuade the Soviet officials to allow him to proceed by giving them written assurances that he understood the Soviet position and was taking full responsibility for his actions.

On Sept. 10, the Komet entered the Pacific Ocean and headed for her operational zone. Capt. Eyssen was instructed by the high command to operate off the coast of Australia and in the Indian Ocean, and, if possible, to seek out the Antarctic whaling fleets.

Eyssen was also to lay mines off ports in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Once she was in the Pacific, she started hunting for Allied commercial ships. Capt. Eyssen took his ship to an area of operation northeast of Australia, around New Zealand, and all the way to the Galapagos Islands.

The Komet in this regard was the only Merchant Raider to go that far. It also teamed with the Merchant Raider Orion and supply ship Regensburg forming a “Far East Squadron” hunting naval group.

On that first cruise, the Komet sailed

87,000 miles lasting 524 days, crossed the equator eight times, and working alone, or in conjunction with the Orion, sank nine ships and captured one, totaling 52,130 tons.

This was a little more than the Admiral Graf Spee accomplished in her sortie to the South Atlantic in 1939.

After her Pacific cruise, Capt. Eyssen took the Komet back to Germany, arriving at Hamburg on Nov. 30, 1941.

For the next 11 months, the Komet was repaired and overhauled while Capt.

Eyssen started planning for a second cruise.

However in March 1942, Eyssen was given a new assignment as a naval liaison officer with the German Air fleet IV in the Soviet Union.

The Royal Navy worked feverishly to prevent the Komet from reaching the Atlantic to go on her second cruise. The Royal Navy formed two naval combat groups of nine destroyers and eight motor torpedo boats (MTB) with the sole purpose of preventing the Komet from breaking out to the Atlantic Ocean.

On the night of Oct. 7, 1942, the Komet departed under the command of Capt. Ulrich Brocksien, with a group of minesweepers.

Off the coast of Dunkirk, four of the minesweepers were lost to mines. After a week of playing hide and seek with Royal Navy, the Komet, escorted by four motor torpedo boats, made a run for the open sea on Oct. 13, 1942.

Shortly after midnight, they were

Holiday bruschetta adds spice

By Deborah Lee Walker Contributing Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) The art of entertaining is defined as providing amusement or enjoyment.

While this is true, there is much more than meets the eye. Choosing a theme, deciding on a buffet or sit-down dinner, and one’s budget must be considered for memorable festivities.

In addition, the covid-19 pandemic has certainly changed the rules for merriment.

It is the host’s responsibility to take into account the safety of their guests, but invited company must also be accountable.

The following suggestions are meant to be a guide. There is much to discuss, so let’s get started.

First and foremost, the number of guests should be your first consideration.

If some of your intended guests have traveled recently, you might want to reconsider extending an invitation.

It is up to the host to determine safe distancing. Instead of having one large sighted by the Royal Navy, and a fierce gun battle erupted. At 2:15 a.m., the Komet was hit by a torpedo fired by the Royal Navy torpedo boat MTB 236.

Within minutes she exploded and sank. Thus ended her career as a Merchant Raider.

Next week: Siege of Giarabub

table, you might want to think about having several smaller tables.

Planning your menu is the next task at hand.

Amuse-bouches, passed hors d’ oeuvres, or appetizers are a possibility. They can add elegance and at the same time control one’s budget.

It is important to feel comfortable with your choices and at the same time one should not be afraid to step out of their comfort zone.

Adult beverages are the next topic for thought.

Stocking a traditional bar can be quite pricy. Concentrate on a few different types of wine and follow suit with the beer.

Champagne punches are easy, celebratory and a nice surprise. Guests can help themselves which saves the host time and effort.

Normally, upscale disposable cups would be frowned upon, but an exception to the rule is warranted during these unusual circumstances.

A few pointers ensure a successful champagne punch.

All liquids need to be chilled. Otherwise, the ice will melt and dilute the tasty flavors you have developed.

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Ocean City Today

PAGE 29

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Christmastime recipe ideas Continued from Page 28 faster and ice sculptures are a more stunning presentation.

Ice sculpture molds can be purchased online at a very reasonable price.

While we are on the subject of beverages, chances are you will have a few guests that do not drink alcohol.

Take the time to prepare a special non-alcoholic drink for them. It is the thoughtful details that will set you apart from other hosts.

Buffets are popular because it allows the guests to help themselves, which is always a good thing. However, buffets have a reputation for being boring and not grabbing one’s attention.

Following the rules of plating will ensure a dazzling display of food. Incorporate height, color and texture for an impressive appearance.

Finger food during a pandemic is not advisable. Make sure every dish has the proper serving utensils so one does not use their fingers. Precaution is the theme of 2020.

Set your buffet table in advance. Make sure glasses and silverware are polished, dishwater spots are not attractive. Tablecloths must be ironed; I am astounded how this simple step is ignored.

A small flower arrangement can make a huge difference.

The flowers should blend in with the overall theme. Do not be afraid to combine vegetables and fruits with your arrangement for a unique look.

If desserts are not your forte, it is perfectly acceptable to buy them. Keep in mind, if your dinner consists of rich, heavy food; you will want to serve a light, final course.

I always send my company home with a memento. Small red bags from the Dollar Store filled with three individually wrapped truffles along with a recipe from one of the dishes that was served are a nice touch.

Always go with odd numbers; one truffle is not enough, three is perfect.

In closing, entertaining is an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Do not allow covid-19 to spoil your Christmas.

Take precautions and enjoy your time with family and friends.

If you are undecided about an appetizer, consider Holiday Bruschetta. It is easy to make and easy on one’s budget.

The colors of the fresh tomatoes, sundried tomatoes and roasted peppers enhances the theme of the holidays.

Capers and slivers of black olives heightens the flavor profile and adds a delicious twist to traditional bruschetta. A touch of edible gold dust puts Holiday Bruschetta in a category of its own. Enjoy!

Holiday Bruschetta Ingredients 5 tablespoons good quality olive oil, plus extra for brushing slices of baguette 1 baguette 1 small sweet onion, finely chopped 2 large cloves garlic, minced

6 large Roma tomatoes, seeded, and finely chopped 2 (28 oz.) can good quality whole tomatoes, drained, seeded, hard ends removed, and finely chopped 8 sun-dried tomato slices, finely chopped 1(12 fl. Oz.) jar roasted peppers, drained, and finely chopped 1 ½ tablespoons capers, drained 10 oil cured black olives, seeded, and finely chopped 5 teaspoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons dried basil 2 tablespoons fresh basil, plus extra for garnishing kosher salt to taste edible gold dust 1. In a small pan, sauté onions and garlic in 5 tablespoons of olive oil over

medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, combine cooked veggies including olive oil, and the rest of the ingredients except for the fresh basil and gold dust. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours, stirring occasionally.

3. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

4. Slice baguettes thinly at a 45-degree angle. Brush each side with olive oil.

Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes.

5. Strain tomato mixture, add fresh basil, and readjust seasoning if necessary.

6. Top slices of baguettes with tomato mixture, add a sprinkling of gold dust, and garnish with fresh basil. * Note – Edible gold dust can be purchased online.

Serves 8 to 10 people as an appetizer Secret Ingredient – Sophistication.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Jeff Rich

PAGE 30

Ocean City Today

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Over 1,600 grants awarded to local nonprofits in FY20 (Dec. 18, 2020) The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore recently announced a total of $5.5 million in charitable grants for the 2020 fiscal year.

These funds were awarded through more than 1,690 grants supporting various community needs and nonprofits across the Lower Eastern Shore, as well as more than 400 scholarships totaling $539,000.

Despite the challenges brought on by covid-19, the foundation continued to demonstrate its commitment to the community.

While the pandemic imposed many hurdles this year, the foundation was able to continue serving area nonprofits and donors by quickly adapting its operations while creating new grant-making opportunities for nonprofits.

The foundation responded by creating the covid-19 Emergency Response Grant Program, the Nonprofit Pandemic Recovery Technical Assistance Program, and moved nonprofit trainings and networking to an online format.

The impact of local philanthropy has been essential to helping meet urgent needs, including supporting education, providing mental health services, serving vulnerable populations and supporting local nonprofit organizations to ensure they can survive the economic ramifications of covid-19.

“For every challenge that demanded we be creative, nimble and resilient, we were joined by others willing to adapt to new realities,” said Community Foundation President Erica Joseph. “By working with community partners, donors and nonprofits, we assisted with existing needs while attacking the many emerging needs head-on. We have always known we are stronger when we work together, and this year has re-

LISA CAPITELLI/OCEAN CITY TODAY

SNACK TIME

Seagulls swarm a woman as she treats them to some French fries on the beach last weekend. Although they seemed to enjoy the snack, visitors are discouraged from feeding them.

ally proven that.”

As leaders, grant makers and stewards of philanthropy, the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore connects people who care to causes that matter for the common good of the Lower Eastern Shore.

The 501c3 nonprofit with an inspiring history of fostering charitable endeavors, has provided $89 million in grants and scholarships to the local community since 1984.

It collaborates with individuals, families and businesses to match their charitable interests with community needs and strengthen local nonprofits through grants and resources. It is devoted to improving the regional community and believes in the power of philanthropy.

Your Online Community: www.oceancitytoday.com

Wor. Co. high school seniors receive college scholarships (Dec. 18, 2020) The board of trustees at Wor-Wic Community College recently recognized the recipients of scholarships awarded to local high school graduates.

This year’s scholarship recipients from Worcester County include Mikayla Cantine from Stephen Decatur High School and Andrew Truitt from Snow Hill High School.

The board of trustees provides a twoyear full-tuition scholarship for the most academically-talented high school senior applicant from each of the 10 public high schools and two of the four private high schools in Wicomico, Worcester and Somerset counties.

In order to qualify for the scholarship, applicants must have at least a 3.25 GPA on an unweighted 4.0 scale. They must also apply for admission to WorWic before April 1 of their senior year in high school, as well as complete a board of trustees scholarship application form.

The scholarships are awarded to the applicant with the highest GPA from each school, followed by the highest total number of credits earned and the earliest admission application.

Recipients must maintain a 3.0 GPA. High school students interested in more information about the scholarship should call the college’s financial aid office at 410-334-2905.

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

PAGE 31

Troop plants trees, shrubs in Nov. at Assateague Island (Dec. 18, 2020) Boy Scout Troop 225 from Berlin/Ocean City, completed a service project at Assateague Island National Seashore on Nov. 13, that will enhance the landscape surrounding the visitor center, parking area and environmental education complex.

The National Park Service has been working during the past few years to convert several managed garden beds in these areas to more natural, lower maintenance plantings. Troop 225 assisted with this effort by successfully planting 12 native trees and approximately two dozen native shrubs during this service project.

“Making even small changes to any landscape by planting native trees and shrubs can provide significant benefits to birds, pollinators and other wildlife, and planting a tree just makes you feel good,” said Bill Hulslander, chief of Resource Management at the National Seashore.

The Maryland Coastal Bays Program donated the native trees for this project, which included species such as American sycamore, river birch, tulip poplar and black oak. Boy Scout Troop 225 provided the necessary labor to get these plants into the ground.

Reflections of Life project provides discounted leaves (Dec. 18, 2020) In celebration of the holiday season, the Ocean City Beautification Committee is presenting a special offer to the public for the committee’s Reflections of Life project.

The project provides a distinctive means of recording important events and interests in the lives of individuals, their loved ones and businesses by placing a gift of a bronze, silver or gold leaf or stepping stone on the “Reflections of Life” bronze tree sculpture mounted inside the lobby entrance of the Roland E. Powell Convention Center on 40th Street.

The Beautification Committee special that began Nov. 11 and runs until the end of December, features leaves at 50 percent off the normal price. Order gold leaves for $250, silver leaves for $175 and bronze leaves for $125.

Tax-deductible donation forms are available at two locations in the convention center, at the project site near the main entrance and in the visitor center, along with Northside Park, 125th Street bayside.

Forms can also be found on the town’s website at https://oceancitymd.gov/oc/city-hall/mayor-andcity-council/beautification-committe e/reflection-of-life/.

Checks should be made payable to the Town of Ocean City. For more information, call Toni Wagner at 410-250-0892.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 225 from Berlin/Ocean City, recently planted trees and shrubs at Assateague Island National Seashore.

PAGE 32

Ocean City Today

DECEMBER 18, 2020

COMMUNITY/SCHOOLS SCHOOL SUPPORTERS The Bescak, Ruggerio and Yonker families showed their appreciation for the return of Worcester Prep Middle/Upper School fall sports this year by making donations of sponsorship and signage to enhance the school’s athletic programs. Chesapeake Eye Center owners, Dr. Todd and Allison Bescak (WPS parents of T.J. ’21, Olivia ’17, Madison ’17), from Berlin, and Drs. Jason and Preeti Yonker, (WPS parents of Ayla ’26 and Rani ‘28), from Ocean City, were the 2020 corporate sponsor of the WPS Player of the Week awards where studentathletes were gifted a T-shirt and recognized for excellence in the classroom, practice and games. Pictured, from left, are Dr. Todd Bescak, Player of the Week recipients, Myranda Beebe (soccer), Ansley Gardner (soccer), Michael Wehberg (soccer), Bella Marinelli (field hockey), Brice Richins (soccer), T.J. Bescak (golf), Caitlyn Hoen (cross country) and Vanesska Hall (golf), Director of Athletics Matt McGinnis, and Assistant Director of Athletics J.P. McIntyre. Not pictured: Dr. Jason Yonker.

NEW SIGN Cindy and Rhett Ruggerio (WPS parents of Maxine ‘25 and Vivien ’28), from Dewey Beach, Delaware, donated a 96” by 240” Worcester Prep Mallard Nation aluminum billboard sign prominently displayed below the scoreboard on the soccer fields.

ORIGAMI Dr. David Gell, assistant principal at Berlin Intermediate School, gives an Origami lesson in Heather Riser’s 3D Art class. Fifth grader Delaynie Kerrigan and Gell show off the finished product.

ALL SMILES DONATION Carol Withers of A Perfect Face Day Spa in West Ocean City, right, presents a check to Mary Bellis, representing the American Cancer Society. The money was raised from the spa’s annual raffle.

Students in Wendy Nash’s sixth grade science class at Berlin Intermediate take a break to pose for the camera after reading the Science World article, “Understanding a New Virus,” last month.

They created posters explaining how to lower the risk of getting the virus and are social distancing, wearing masks and washing their hands for at least 20 seconds.

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Art League of OC debuts ‘We Made It’ book of recipes (Dec. 18, 2020) The Art League of Ocean City has published a new book pairing the visual and culinary arts entitled “We Made It,” now available in the gift shop of the Ocean City Center for the Arts on 94th Street.

The book costs $29.95 and all proceeds will fund the programs of the Art League.

Sixty artists have shared original and cherished family recipes paired with a piece of their original art in colorful 132-page spreads, coupled with the stories behind the recipes and art.

Featured are appetizers, entrées, side dishes and desserts.

“The concept for the cookbook came from our weekly drop-in painting group who had been meeting on Zoom during the quarantine,” Rina Thaler, executive director of the Art League, said. “The artists felt that painting and cooking helped them get through the shutdown and they suggested publishing a book filled with recipes and art as a fundraiser for the Art League.

“This book was 100 percent funded by the generous artists who participated,” she continued. “You’ll discover unique recipes handed down from generations and the sweet family stories behind them.

The 60 artists also shared a piece of their beautiful original art and what inspired them to create it. This book makes a perfect holiday gift and supports the Art League at the same time.”

Susan Jones, executive director of the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association, called the book, “An awesome example of making lemonade out of lemons.”

Phil Cropper, chef at Worcester Technical High School, said it is “a wonderful collection ... to inspire everyone who loves art and food — in my world the two best things on the Earth.”

And Denver Gerhart, general manager at Liquid Assets, said the book “... gives you a deep appreciation for the recipes and family traditions brought to the Eastern Shore from around the world.”

For questions or to place an order, contact the Arts Center at 410-524-9433 or ArtLeagueOfOceanCity.org.

The Art League of Ocean City is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the visual arts to the community through education, exhibits, scholarship, programs and community art projects.

Financial support comes primarily through membership dues from individuals and corporate sponsors.

Ocean City Today

PAGE 33

Worcester ice rink holiday hours

Recreation center in Snow Hill taking reservations for limited skating availability

(Dec. 18, 2020) Worcester County Recreation & Parks staff have announced the December hours for open skating on the synthetic ice rink at the Worcester County Recreation Center in Snow Hill.

“Last year over 200 skater participants visited over a seven-day time period,” Recreation Program Manager Allen Swiger said. “We’re excited to be able to expand this year’s ice rink schedule to 22 days with extended hours. Our safety protocols have all been vetted through the

Worcester County Health Department, making ice skating the perfect opportunity to have fun indoors this holiday season.”

Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an immediate family adult member at all times.

Children 6 and under are not permitted to skate without an immediate family adult on the ice with them.

Reservations are required, and time slots are limited to 15 participants per hour to coincide with Maryland’s phased reopening plan and to protect public health during the current pandemic.

Spots are available on a first-callfirst-serve basis. Call 410-632-2144 to reserve a spot. When making

www.oceancitytoday.com

reservations, include the names of each member in the party.

The cost is $2 per person for all skaters and skate observers. The price includes skate rentals, 45 minutes of skate time, and reserves a time slot.

The following dates are open to skate from noon to 7 p.m.: Dec. 2123, 26-30; and Jan. 2-3, 5, 7, 9-10, 12, 14, 16-17, 19, 21, and 23-24.

Protective masks are required at all times. All recreation programs and special events adhere to state and local health department protocols that may be modified pending covid19 updates.

For more information, contact Swiger, at 410-632-2144, ext. 2520 or email aswiger@co.worcester.md.us.

PAGE 34

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

COMMUNITY/SCHOOLS INDUCTEES The Charles R. Jenkins Chapter of the National Honor Society at Worcester Preparatory School recently inducted 42 new members on Nov.12.

Inductees are: Kate Abbott, Austin Airey, Grace Baeurle, Lily Baeurle, Ayush Batra, Myranda Beebe, Hannah Brasure, AnnaMarie Buas, Alex Bunting, Austin Cannon, Anna Carpenter, Charlotte Catapano, Hugh Thomas Cropper, Brooke Emeigh, Ethan Griffith, Nick Hearne, Aria Islam, Sydney Lamson-Reich, Carter McCabe, Graham McCabe, Anna McDonald, Marshall Mumford, Ava Nally, Nathan Oltman, Hayes Peterson, Vincent Petrera, Brooke Phillips, Camden Rayne, Brice Richins, Ashlyn Roselle, Riley Schoch, Sumira Sehgal, Jarett Sofronski, Anders Taylor, Bennett Tinkler, Jack Tucker, Chelsea vanVonno, Megan Waller, Michael Wehberg, Tristan Weinstein, Morgan White and Anna Williams.

MEMBER RECOGNIZED

GRATITUDE In honor of Veterans Day, Melanie Coleman’s first grade class at Ocean City Elementary sent thank you letters to her cousin, Lt. Col. Wilbur Scott Oles IV’s Marine squadron. He is the lieutenant colonel of VMM-163 Evil Eyes at Miramar Military Base in San Diego, California.

As a commemorative partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration, the General Levin Winder Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution is encouraged to recognize Vietnam-era servicemen and women. On Veterans Day, the chapter honored member Carol Wanzer, right, by presenting her with a DAR certificate recognizing her military service along with a Vietnam Veteran lapel pin and copy of the Presidential proclamation for the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. Wanzer was a nurse in the US Army during 1973-1976. She is pictured with Commemorative Events Chair Pat Arata.

MONTHLY CRAFTER

MISSING IN ACTION In a moving tribute during its Veterans Day program, Ocean City American Legion Post 166 remembered those who are still Missing in Action in America’s wars. The small table symbolizes the frailty of the prisoner. Its white tablecloth is symbolic of their intentions to respond to the country’s call to arms. A single rose in the vase speaks to the blood they may have shed. A vase with a red ribbon represents an unyielding determination for a proper accounting of MIAs. A slice of lemon on the plate is to remind everyone of their bitter fate and salt sprinkled on the plate represents fallen tears of their families. The glass is inverted because they cannot toast with us at this time and the chair is empty because they are not here. The candle is the light of hope to illuminate their way home and the American Flag reminds us that many of them may never return and have paid the supreme sacrifice to insure freedom.

The Pine'eer Craft Club of Ocean Pines chose Robyn Baker as the December crafter of the month. She has always enjoyed creating crafts and just recently began to upcycle wine and liquor bottles.

She loves giving them character and a new purpose. See Baker’s creations and that of other artisans at the Artisan Gift Shop in White Horse Park at 239 Ocean Parkway in Ocean Pines.

It is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as well as Fridays in December from 4:30-7:30 p.m.

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

PAGE 35

The Worcester Preparatory School girls’ soccer team earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award and the Team Pinnacle Award for the 2019-20 academic year.

Wor. Preparatory girls’ soccer team presented award (Dec. 18, 2020) The Worcester Preparatory School girls’ soccer team was the recipient of the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award and the Team Pinnacle Award for the 2019-20 academic year.

Coached by Carol Hartnett and Allison Bescak, this is the fourth year the Lady Mallards have earned the Team Academic Award, which recognizes student athletes for their commitment to achievement on the field and in the classroom.

This is the first time that the Prep squad has been awarded the Team Pinnacle Award.

The group was one of only 33 teams (24 high school and nine college teams) nationwide to be honored, of which only three were from Maryland.

The Team Pinnacle Award was initiated two years ago to recognize teams that achieve a high level of fair play, educational excellence, and success on the pitch.

To be considered for this award, teams must have previously received the Team Academic Award, earned a Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award, and achieved a winning percentage of .750 or higher during the respective season.

Generac 3 x 8.42

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Ocean City Today

DECEMBER 18, 2020

SURF REPORT

Surfboard fins vary in size, shape and impact activity

ATHLETIC AWARDS Coached by Carol Hartnett, left, and Allison Bescak, this is the fourth year the Worcester Preparatory School girls’ soccer team has received the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award and the first for the Team Pinnacle Award. Joining them is senior captain Waverly Choy.

NOW PLAYING HIGH FIVE SWAN DUO Seacrets: Friday, December 18, 5-9 p.m.

By Dave Dalkiewicz Contributing Writer (Dec. 18, 2020) We’ll start this one with a little humor.

You can tune a piano, you can tune a guitar, but you can’t tuna fish. But yes, you can tune a surfboard.

We will consider this idea regarding the fin, or fins, on a surfboard, whether it be a single fin or multi-fin arrangement.

These days the fin, or fins, setup of choice will be removable.

This will aid the maker of the board, but can also be a bonus for the rider.

It can also facilitate things when the board, or boards, has to be shipped from one point to another.

This column will be more directed toward the riding of the board and the difference and versatility that fins can make.

The first notion, and probably the most obvious, is using a different fin or fins, be it in size or shape or both, than is initially in the board.

Let’s start with the assumption that the board is a single fin.

Companies such as Fins Unlimited will have quite a variety of fins, both in size and shape. Unless a glass-on fin is used there will be a fin box, or channel, which will provide another option of changing the position of the fin, fore or aft.

Even just a quarter-inch adjustment one way or the other can make a difference.

If the board is a twin fin the positioning of the fins can be critical.

This is usually the loosest fin setup and the surfer will often find that the board tends to slide too much in a steep, hollow wave.

This can be mitigated with the addition of a stabilizer fin or fins behind the main twins or even another pair

of fins forward of the main twins.

Terms such as “four fin,” which refers to a pair of smaller fins behind the main twins, or “twinzer,” which refers to a smaller pair of fins forward of the main fins will be used.

A lot of this fin conundrum can become almost fashion or “flavor-ofthe-month” in nature.

Sticking with the basics is always a good place to start and the “standard,” if there is such a thing, has been a three fin set-up for about the last 40 years or so.

Because surfing is such an individual activity, if the person pursues it enough, he or she will eventually find what works for them.

Just because your friend rips on a particular board and/or fin setup doesn’t mean that you will, and vice versa.

Through a lot of thought and experimentation, my favorite fin setup, at least currently, is a three fin with a longer box or channel in the middle and two smaller boxes or channels on the side.

This can be used with almost any size or shape of surfboard and provides enough versatility and “tunability” without getting too crazy. It’s widely known as a 2 plus 1 setup.

There are enough combinations of fins that can be used with this arrangement to keep one busy and indeed tune the board to your desire.

Plus, there’s the versatility factor of having one board and different fin combinations for various wave conditions.

As the saying goes “you only need one,” but more can be done with more than one!

You can’t tuna fish, but you can tune a surfboard and a fin or fins are a great way to do it.

– Dave Dalkiewicz is the owner of Ocean Atlantic Surf Shop in Ocean City.

LIMA BEAN RIOT DUO Seacrets: Saturday, December 19, 5-9 p.m.

SEACRETS 49th Street and the bay, Ocean City 410-524-4900 / www.seacrets.com Dec. 18: High Five Swan Duo, 5-9 p.m.

Dec. 19: Lima Bean Riot Duo, 5-9 p.m.

Looking for a new home?

TATE GUIDE S E L A E R L A T S On newsstands and COA online at Oceancitytoday.com

Check out the

Winners of fishing tournament (Dec. 18, 2020) The Ocean Pines Anglers Club recently announced the winners of the 2020 Walt Boge Fishing Tournament.

Winners are: Harry Winand (bluefish, 31 inches), Budd Heim (tautog, 18 inches; flounder, 23 inches; croaker, 10.5 inches; sheepshead, 18.5 inches), Jillian

Donahue (weakfish (trout), 22 inches), Adam Thompson (tuna, 68 inches), Greg Donahue, (red drum, 18 inches), Kevin Welkner (black drum, 18.5 inches), Jim McWinney (black sea bass, 16 inches), Chuck Tornetta (large mouth bass, 25 inches) and John Jewer (fresh water trout, 12.5 inches).

Local News • Cuisine • Entertainment Classifieds • Business • Opinion Calendar www w..baysideoc.com

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

PAGE 37

AGH Penguin Swim adapted for pandemic (Dec. 18, 2020) Atlantic General Hospital’s annual New Year’s Day Penguin Swim fundraiser will take place as usual according to the calendar, but how it takes place will see some differences because of covid-19.

Because the risk of exposure to covid19 exists in any public place where people are present, Penguin Swim guests and participants will voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure, hospital officials said.

In addition, face coverings will be required for everyone at the event — participants, spectators, volunteers and staff — and everyone must follow all posted instructions and the directions of volunteers and staff for physical distancing before, during, and after the event.

The registration fee is $25 per swimmer. All swimmers must register either online or in-person and check-in to receive a wristband to gain access to the swim area. Participants will receive an email with specific directions for where and how to check-in on event day.

The entire event will take place out-

Special Christmas OP Holiday Market slated for Dec. 23 (Dec. 18, 2020) The Ocean Pines Farmers & Artisans Market has been in elf mode for several weeks, as its merchants have been working to turn the marketplace at White Horse Park into a hub for shopping during the holiday season.

Although the market normally takes place on Saturdays, market manager David Bean said it is being moved up to Wednesday, Dec. 23, because of the holidays.

“Friday is the day that most of our merchants use to prepare for the following Saturday morning market,” Bean said. But because Friday is Christmas, the market will offer a holiday edition from 9 a.m. until noon on Wednesday.”

Along with artisan merchants, produce and seafood vendors, the Wednesday holiday market will emphasize baked goods.

“No time to bake dozens of cookies or make the perfect pies? The options available from the market’s bakers will be astonishing,” he said. “All of the market’s bakeries are now taking special orders for holiday sweets and confections, to be picked up at the Dec. 23 special market day.”

As for the work by artisans, John Chandler, who manages that section of the market, said pottery, leather goods, paintings, and fashions will be offered.

The Ocean Pines Farmers & Artisans Market will return to its marketplace at White Horse Park on Saturday, Jan. 2. Market winter hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., through March 2021.

doors this year.

Event day online check-in and in-person registration begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 12:30 p.m. The swim will take place at 1 p.m. The swim area on the beach will span from 91st to 94th streets to allow for physical distancing for participants and spectators.

Advance online check-in and in-person registration will be available at the Princess Royale on 91st Street from 1-5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to avoid long lines on event day. Wristbands and shirts can be picked up early.

Participants who register on or before Dec. 10 are eligible to receive an official 2021 Penguin Swim short-sleeve T-shirt.

Shirts for participants who register after Dec. 10 will be available at online check-in and in-person registration while supplies last.

Individual participants who raise or

donate $100 or more will be also eligible to receive an official 2021 AGH Penguin Swim long-sleeve T-shirt while supplies last.

Those who have participated before should log in first online before signing up for this year’s event.

A virtual awards ceremony will be held in the weeks following the event, with special recognition awards for the oldest and youngest penguins and trophies for first, second and third place for those who raise the most money in each division.

Swimmers who are quarantining or can’t make the event can register and fundraise online then take an ice-cold dip wherever they are and post a photo or video on social media.

Use #OCPenguinSwim when posting about the Penguin Swim on social media and make sure the post is “public” so all

can see it.

For more information, call the Atlantic General Hospital Foundation office at 410-641-9671, visit www.aghpenguinswim.org or find the event on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Each year, hundreds of penguins raise funds to help the Berlin not-forprofit hospital provide quality care the community depends on.

Individual and team fundraising efforts by Penguin Swim participants enable Atlantic General to continue to provide that care. Business sponsors help make the event a success as the Penguin Swim is one of the hospital’s largest fundraisers in support of its mission to provide a coordinated care system with access to quality care, personalized service and education to create a healthy community.

Ocean City Today

PAGE 38

Annual N.O.E.L. Christmas dinner adjusted for covid (Dec. 18, 2020) The N.O.E.L. (Nothing Other than Eating and Loving) Community is looking forward to providing food for local residents at Christmas again this year.

“While a big part of our Christmas Day dinner allows for entertainment and social gathering, we have modified our outreach this Christmas to ensure safety for everyone involved,” Monica Martin, volunteer chairperson said.

On Thursday, Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, between the hours of 10 a.m. and noon, the N.O.E.L. Community will distribute bags of non-perishable items and some traditional foods to prepare at home.

For those who are not able to prepare food, the organization will provide a special bag with items to enjoy.

The bags will be distributed at St. Paul’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church on Third Street and Baltimore Avenue, at the main entrance to the church hall (separate entrance than Shepherd’s Crook).

Masks must be worn.

For more information about the N.O.E.L Community or this event, contact the office at St. Paul’s by-the-Sea at 410-289-3453.

To make a donation to the N.O.E.L. Community, send donations to: The

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Believe in Tomorrow receives grant (Dec. 18, 2020) The Robert I. Schattner Foundation has provided the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s House By The Sea with a $10,000 matching grant to promote “growth through giving” throughout the month of December.

All new donors who contribute to the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s House By The Sea’s pediatric respite program, will have their contributions doubled by this grant.

“This is a wonderful growth opportunity that will have a direct and very positive impact on the families that we serve here in Ocean City,” said Believe In Tomorrow’s Founder Brian Morrison.

The matching grant will begin on Dec. 1 and continue through the month of December until the full amount of the grant is utilized. All funds raised will go directly to Believe In Tomorrow’s Ocean City respite program.

This grant was made possible through the direction of Sidney N.O.E.L. Community c/o St. Paul’s by the Sea, 302 N. Baltimore Avenue, Ocean City, Maryland 21842.

The NOEL Community provides outreach year-round to local pantries and social service agencies in the area.

Bresler, the president and chairman of the Robert I. Schattner Foundation, who read an article about the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s House By The Sea in a local newspaper last summer.

Bresler, a Bethesda, Maryland resident who owns a home in Ocean City, recently toured the Children’s House By The Sea with his wife Phyllis.

“We are honored to help the many families who stay at the Believe In Tomorrow Foundation’s Ocean City respite housing find relief, particularly during these very difficult times with the added stress of covid-19,” Bresler said. “Our goal at the Robert I. Schattner Foundation is to make grants where they will do the most good and where our gifts will make a difference in the quality of people’s lives.”

Dr. Schattner was a renowned dentist who used his knowledge of chemistry to launch a highly successful career as a national-level entrepreneur.

He was the inventor of Chloraseptic and Sporicidin and used his success with these products to fund the foundation and its charitable endeavors.

He served on many corporate boards and for 15 years served on the

University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine Board of Overseers.

The Robert I. Schattner Foundation is a private charitable foundation established in 1992 by Dr. Robert I. Schattner. Although Dr. Schattner passed away in 2017, his legacy of giving lives on through the Robert I. Schattner Foundation.

In 1986, Believe In Tomorrow created the first pediatric respite program in the United States in Ocean City. Today, the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s Foundation is a national leader in the area of pediatric respite and hospital housing, and has provided over 900,000 overnight accommodations to critically ill children and their families.

Believe In Tomorrow’s flagship beach respite location is on 66th Street in Ocean City, across from the beachfront Holiday Inn. All donations will go toward a respite expansion being planned for a property on 65th Street.

Anyone interested in contributing can do so by going to the Believe In Tomorrow website, https://believeintomorrow.org, and designating the Children’s House By The Sea in their online contribution, or by calling the Believe In Tomorrow office at 410-744-1032 or 410-7232842 and designating TCHBTS.

■ LONGBOARD CAFÉ 6701 Coastal Hwy., Ocean City 443664-5639, www.longboardcafe.net $$-$$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Classic and creative American dishes and cocktails are showcased in a festive, surf-themed setting with weekly specials. Featuring burgers, tacos, prime rib, seafood and more. Closed on Tuesday.

Dine-in and curbside pick-up.

■ MARLIN MOON Located in the Double Tree Hotel, 3301 Atlantic Ave., Ocean City 410-2891201, www.marlinmoonocmd.com $$ Open Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.to 10 p.m. Restaurant and bar with fresh seafood, small plates, desserts and cocktails.

■ SEACRETS 49th Street, Ocean City 410-524-4900, www.seacrets.com $$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Open Thursday, 4-11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Island atmosphere.

Soups, salads, Jamaican jerk chicken, appetizers, sandwiches, paninis, pizza and fresh seafood. Outdoor dining.

phere. Serving breakfast, Friday through Sunday 7-11 a.m. Featuring a breakfast buffet or special order from the regular menu. Enjoy our delicious 3 Course Dinner for $25 served every Friday and Saturday, 4-9 p.m. with the choice of appetizer, entree and dessert.

Dining Guide ■ PRICE RANGE: $, $$, $$$ ■ RESERVATIONS: Reservations accepted ________________________________

DOWNTOWN

South end to 28th Street ■ CAPTAIN’S TABLE 15th Street and Baltimore Avenue, inside The Courtyard by Marriott 410289-7192/7191, www. captainstableoc.com $$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Breakfast served Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dinner and lite fare served Friday through Tuesday featuring seafood, steaks, and poultry. Early Bird served Friday through Tuesday, 5-6 p.m. Daily chef specials.

■ THE VIEW AT CROPPER’S LANDING Located in the Cambria Hotel, 13 St. Louis Ave., Ocean City 443-373-4095 $$-$$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Casual dining with beautiful bay view.

Breakfast served Saturday and Sunday, 7-11 a.m. Light fare, small and large plates menu items served Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 4-10 p.m. Happy hour, 4-7 p.m. Featuring local craft beers and signature cocktails. Open Christmas Day, 4-10 p.m.

MIDTOWN

29th to 90th streets ■ 32 PALM Located in The Hilton,32nd Street, Ocean City 410-289-2525, www.32palm.com

$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Open daily, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bar and lounge.

Western Caribbean cuisine with a mix of traditional Eastern Shore favorites.

■ BJ’S ON THE WATER 75th Street, Ocean City 410-524-7575, www.bjsonthewater.com $-$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Entire dining menu served Thursday through Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., year-round. Dine in or carry out. Daily specials, daily duck feeding. Bayside venue with deck seating. Serving pub grub and seafood.

■ THE DOUGH ROLLER 41st Street and Coastal Highway 410524-9254; 70th Street and Coastal Highway 410-524-7981 Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday. See description under downtown location. Breakfast served daily at 41st, and 70th streets.

Carryout available at all locations. Order online for 41st, 70th and WOC at www.TheDoughRoller.com.

■ JOHNNY’S PIZZA PUB 56th Street, Ocean City 410-723-5600, www.johnnyspizzapub.com $ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Featuring homemade pizzas, 18 gourmet pizzas, a variety of calzones, subs, burgers, sandwiches and jumbo wings with 20 different sauces. Open everyday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dine in, pickup, carryout and delivery.

UPTOWN

91st to 146th streets ■ REEF 118 118th Street, in the Carousel Oceanfront Hotel and Condos, Ocean City 410-524-1000, www.carouselhotel.com $-$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Oceanfront dining in a casual atmos-

WEST OCEAN CITY ■ THE DOUGH ROLLER West Ocean City, 12849 Ocean Gateway 410-213-7655 Hours are Friday through Monday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (no breakfast). See description under midtown location.

OCEAN PINES ■ CLUBHOUSE BAR AND GRILLE 100 Clubhouse Drive, Ocean Pines 410641-7222, oceanpinesgolf.org/dining $$ | Full bar With sweeping views of the 18th hole, the new Clubhouse Bar and Grille serves freshly prepared breakfast and lunch items. Full bar. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, weather permitting.

■ OCEAN PINES YACHT CLUB 1 Mumford Landing Road, Ocean Pines 410-641-7222, www.OPyachtclub.com $$-$$$ | Full bar The Ocean Pines Yacht Club offers casual coastal cuisine for lunch and dinner in a beautiful bayfront setting. Fresh seafood, signature drinks, live music and more. Open Thursday through Sunday at 11 a.m.

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

PAGE 39

New Year’s Day Assateague walk canceled (Dec. 18, 2020) After several meetings and discussions with Assateague State Park personnel, Assateague Coastal Trust has made the decision to cancel the New Year’s Day Iliah Fehrer-Judy Johnson Memorial Beach Walk.

Instead, Assateague Coastal Trust is encouraging people to spend the

new year’s weekend outside with family or for a solo hike, walk, paddle, or even simply finding a quiet bench along a trail.

“On Jan. 1, and everyday for that matter, I strongly encourage you to take to the trail, or off the trail, get in the woods, get on the water, take time to reflect and remember what is im-

Numerous county residents earn degrees from Wor-Wic (Dec. 18, 2020) The following Worcester County residents completed their program requirements to graduate with a certificate of proficiency (CT), associate of applied science (AAS), associate of arts in teaching (AAT), associate of science (AS) or associate of arts (AA) degree from Wor-Wic Community College this past fall, spring and summer.

Berlin: Mathew C. Boland, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Cameron T. Campbell, AAS, Physical Therapist Assistant; Angela M. Chronister, CT, Nursing; Robert W. Cook, AAS, Physical Therapist Assistant; Tyler Jonathan Cook, AA, General Studies; Ashley Nicole Davis, AA, General Studies; Daniel P. Dell’orso, AAS, Criminal Justice; Kevin B. Ellington, AA, General Studies; Jenna Pearce Enderle, AS, Nursing; Marissa Noel Fatzinger, AAS, Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Management; Chloe E. FauntLeRoy, AS, Nursing; Rebecca Figueroa, AA, General Studies; Sandra Alice García-Moreno, AAS, Physical Therapist Assistant; Holly J. Getchell, CT, Nursing; Anna M. Gisriel, AA, General Studies; Nancy L. Holland, AS, Nursing; Kaitlyn Jones, AA, General Studies; Barbara Kaloroumakis, AAS, Business; Carrie L. Kilgore, CT, Nursing; Caroline M. Kurtz, AA, General Studies; Sarah J. McKenzie, AAS, Business; Joshua D. Miller, AA, General Studies; Alexis K. Million, AA, Business; James Clayton Monroe, AA, General Studies; Colin Hunter Morris, CT, Criminal Justice; Lisa M. Pachkoski, AA, General Studies; Jainita Patel, CT, Nursing; Kaelan Reilly Patterson, CT, Criminal Justice; Corey Matthew Pavinski, CT, Criminal Justice; Jordyn L. Sigetti, AS, Nursing; Tessa M. Snyder, AAS, Chemical Dependency Counseling; Amy Jo Stephan, CT, Criminal Justice; Matthew Swistak, CT, Criminal Justice; Michal M. Szczesny, AA, General Studies; Nathan R. Thompson, CT, Criminal Justice; Jarrett R. Tillman, AA, General Studies; Morgan Blair Tolan, AA, General Studies; Mirla Trapp, AS, Nursing; Alexandra N. Tushup, AS, Nursing; and John P. Znamirowski, CT, Criminal Justice.

Bishopville: Kaitlyn Elizabeth Anne Custer, AA, General Studies,

AA, Computer Studies; Tara E. Flanagan, CT, Nursing; Hayley M. Jones, CT, Nursing; Nathan O. Langan, AS, Nursing; Claire Schirmer, AS, Nursing; and Joseph Sinclair Jr., CT, Criminal Justice.

Eden: Laurin Nicole Rabon, AA, Education.

Girdletree: Nathan Cook, CT, Criminal Justice; and Cortney E. Smith, AAS, Physical Therapist Assistant.

Newark: Charles W. Sardelis, AAT, Education.

Ocean City: Jekaterina Diehlmann, AS, Nursing; Liangliang DiFilippo, AA, Business; Samantha M. Driscoll, AS, Nursing; Kacey Fabian, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Logan Figgs, AA, General Studies; Alexis N. Gausepohl, AAS, Criminal Justice; Sara Hetherington, CT, Criminal Justice; Samuel E. Ingersoll, AA, General Studies; Paige A. Ketterman, AAT, Education; Paige Alexandra Kreppel, CT, Chemical Dependency Counseling; Patrick J. McElfish, CT, Criminal Justice; Nick Pinzhoffer, AA, General Studies; Holly Elizabeth Roane, AA, General Studies; Diana A. Sabia, AA, General Studies; Amy N. Spilman, AS, Nursing; Amanda Leigh Strayer, AAS, Physical Therapist Assistant; Miguel J. Vargas, AA, General Studies; and Dylan Webb, AA, General Studies.

Pocomoke City: Mikia R. Bailey, CT, Criminal Justice; Katie J. Bodley, AAT, Education; John M. Carson, CT, Criminal Justice; Gretchen W. Fritz, CT, Criminal Justice; Kerra Harris, AAS, Chemical Dependency Counseling; Olivia J. Holland, AS, Nursing; Zachary D. Hurley, AS, Nursing; Abby Grace Matthews, AA, General Studies; Ashley M. Miles, AA, General Studies; Kylie P. Mohler, AA, General Studies; Jason H. Morton, CT, Criminal Justice; Sarah Reyna Sterling, AA, Computer Studies; Taylor Tyler, AS, Nursing; Charles Walter Ward, AS, Nursing; Elisa Weaver, AAS, Chemical Dependency Counseling; Kyle C. Webb, AA, General Studies; and Meredith L. Woodall, AA, General Studies.

Showell: Paige Hall, AA, Computer Studies.

See WOR-WIC Page 40

portant,” said ACT’s Billy Weiland.

“Turn off the news, leave the phone at home, and find what Judy Johnson loved best about Assateague Island – nature at its most ‘genuine.’ Because the genuine nature of the outdoors is and will always be solace for the human race, regardless of current events.”

He suggests finding elements that speak to you and document them with a journal entry or a photograph.

Photographs, videos, or stories people want to share about their

time outdoors can be emailed to Weiland at billy@actforbays.org, or tag the photos with #actforbays and #4Judy.

The annual beach walk has been a longstanding tradition for Assateague Coastal Trust. Since the first walk in 1980, members from the local community and afar have gathered with the organization to celebrate a new year on the National Seashore and State Park, Assateague Island.

The first Assateague Beach Walk, held on Jan. 1, 1980, was hosted by ACT’s founding member Ilia Fehrer.

CROSSWORD

Answers on page 8

PAGE 40

Ocean City Today

United Way report finds high Wor-Wic college numbers face financial ruin awards degrees (Dec. 18, 2020) Before the covid-19 pandemic, 39 percent of Maryland’s households and 46 percent of those living in Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties, were already one emergency away from financial ruin.

That’s a 10-year record high, according to the United Way’s ALICE report (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), and that sets the stage for unprecedented economic impact of the crisis The financial hardship study found that while more than 14 percent of lower shore households live below the federal poverty level, another 32 percent are ALICE households – earning enough to place them above the poverty line but not enough to afford basic household necessities like food, housing, transportation, health care, and childcare.

The ALICE Report for Maryland was made possible by eight United Ways in Maryland with generous support from Kaiser Permanente, BEACON at Salisbury University, Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore and additional statewide sponsors.

“The ALICE Report demonstrates how counties on the lower shore are among the poorest in Maryland, and this is based on pre-covid data,” said Pam Gregory, president/CEO of United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore. “The new 2020 ALICE Report includes updated data specific to Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties, which provides detailed statistics and analysis that can be used to generate resources and guide advocacy. With many more households now struggling because of COVID, the ALICE Report is an even more vital resource to help address the barriers and inequities local families face.”

Franklyn Baker, president and CEO of United Way of Central Maryland, who

guides the project for the Maryland Association of United Ways, added, “The pandemic has exposed exactly the issues of economic fragility that the ALICE Report reveals and for thousands that the impact of covid-19 has suddenly thrust into the ALICE population.”

The United Way concluded that the data shows that while hardship is pervasive, the legacy of systemic and institutional racism stigmatizes Black households uniquely. In every state, including Maryland, United For ALICE research documents the persistent and widening disparities in income and wealth between Black households and households of other races and ethnicities.

The report shows that in 2018, the cost of survival on the lower shore ranged annually from $24,867 for a single adult, to $27,993 for a senior citizen and $70,065 for a family of four with an infant and a preschooler.

At the same time, the median hourly wage for cashiers, the most common occupation in Maryland, was $10.67, or $21,340 per year, if someone is working full-time, year-round.

Though minimum wage in Maryland has been raised to $11 in 2020, that is still an income of $22,000 for a full-time, year-round worker – less than any of the budgets.

This mismatch between wages and costs is revealed by a new measurement debuting in this report, called the ALICE Essentials Index.

This index chronicles how the cost of housing, food, transportation, health care, childcare, and a smartphone plan rose at nearly twice the rate of inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

The result is that in 2018, two parents on the lower shore working full time needed to earn a combined hourly wage

Continued from Page 39 Snow Hill: Taylor Armstrong, CT, Criminal Justice; Amber Marie Bailey, AAS, Chemical Dependency Counseling; Jesse Thomas Bozman, CT, Criminal Justice; Benjamin L. Coleman, AA, General Studies; Daniel S. Downes, AAS, Criminal Justice; Alexandra Outten Harrison, AS, Nursing; Tesman L. Morris, AAS, Physical Therapist Assistant; April Danyielle Powell, AAT, Education; Angela M. Puskar, CT, Nursing; Shelby Lynn Smith, AS, Nursing; Sarah Spencer Wood, AA, General Studies; and Kennedy Wooten, CT, Nursing.

Whaleyville: Geoffrey S. Failla Jr., AS, Nursing; Joshua Patrick O’Ferrall, CT, Criminal Justice; and Karen M. Shipley, AAS, Criminal Justice. of over $35 in order to afford the Household Survival Budget for a family of four.

During the last decade, the number of low-wage jobs in the state grew by 61 percent, accounting for the largest number of jobs in Maryland in 2018.

OBITUARIES MICHAEL A. DOTSON Ocean City Michael A. Dotson, age 63, passed away on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, at his home.

Born in West Virginia, he was the son of the late Donald and Isabella (Martin) Dotson.

He is survived by his daughter, Jamie C. Cinotti, and her husband Edward, and dear friend and partner, Shirley Kelly.

There are three grandchildren, Adalyn, Grayson and Easton.

Continued on Page 41

DECEMBER 18, 2020

HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 It is time to make some new connections, Aries. Invite someone you trust to take the lead for a change instead of you running the show. You may enjoy the break.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, you may find yourself taking more risks and acting more boldly.

Don’t be afraid to give other things a try. Try public speaking or ask to helm a new project.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Reality will not be nearly as exciting as you hope it to be this week, Gemini. You may have to offset things a bit by watching movies or reading books for a great escape.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, messages from friends or family members could reach you this week. Expect some exciting news about a reunion of sorts. It’s a good time for communication.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 You might be tempted to break up with someone or put a friendship on ice, Leo. Maybe your feelings were hurt or there was a misunderstanding.

Think before acting.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, when one door closes another opens, and you will find this to be true this week. A cycle comes to a close and something entirely new will come your way.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, your empathy for others is ramped up this week as you make a concerted effort to help the less fortunate. Consider all ways you can provide assistance.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Remember the people who have helped you along the way, Scorpio.

Give thanks to everyone who has supported you in any and all endeavors.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 It can be challenging for you to be as productive as you want to be, Sagittarius. For some reason your focus keeps being drawn elsewhere. Hunker down and concentrate.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, a reason to throw an intimate party will present itself in the days ahead. Keep it small and write up a guest list of those closest to you.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 This week you learn a new skill or something relating to electronics commands your attention, Aquarius.

This can put you in good spirits as you figure out ways to apply what you learn.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, you may find that you are mixing business with pleasure. Just be careful to follow the rules if you’re thinking of a workplace romance.

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Ocean City Today

PAGE 41

OBITUARIES Continued from Page 40 Also surviving are his siblings, Brian J. Dotson and his wife, Jackie, and Deborah A. Fogle and her husband, Stephen; a niece, Stacey, and her husband, David Rankin, as well as numerous relatives and friends.

Michael grew up in Pasadena,

POLICE/COURTS

Domestic assault Michael Larock, 37, of Ocean City was arrested for first- and second-degree assault on Nov. 30 following an argument with his wife.

Larock’s spouse contacted law enforcement for a reported domestic assault on Nov. 30 just prior to 1:30 p.m.

She told police that she had returned from the grocery store to her St. Louis Avenue residence and that her husband became upset that she had not brought food for him.

The woman said Larock began repeatedly hitting her in the face with a pillow and proceeded to push her onto the bed and began choking her.

Police found Larock a short distance away and placed him under arrest.

Homeless nuisance Iassac Wyatt, 49, of no fixed address was arrested for trespassing on Dec. 10 at a retail establishment in the 2600 block of Philadelphia Avenue.

Police said the store owner, who had asked Smith to leave the property days earlier for panhandling passersby, had just asked him to leave the store again after attempting to purchase a hot dog Police found Smith nearby and quickly discovered he was on probation and had not checked in with his probation officer since March.

Police said Wyatt is homeless and had become a nuisance after repeatedly seeking money from strangers on a daily basis.

Armed bicyclist John Mason, 40, of Berlin was arrested for possession of a spring-assisted knife, failure to obey a traffic light and riding while wearing headphones on Nov. 28.

Police reportedly saw a bicyclist, later identified as Mason, traveling south on Philadelphia Avenue near 17th Street at dusk.

Police said Mason, who was wearing black clothing while riding a white beach cruiser-style bike, was seen traveling on Philadelphia Avenue without observing red traffic signals.

When police proceeded to stop Mason, they saw he was wearing headphones that covered both ears.

Police also found Mason had a springassisted knife, which is illegal in Ocean City.

Police subsequently discovered Mason was on probation and had been charged with burglaries and drug possession.

Maryland, attending Severna Park High School.

From the ages of 12-17, he was a member of the Green Beret Majorette Drum and Michael Dotson Bugle Corp where he played drums.

Michael attained the level of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts.

He followed his father and paternal grandfather in his vocation of sheet metal work.

He attended Prince George Community College where he completed the vocational courses of sheet metal work while working as an intern.

Michael worked in the sheet metal field for 30 plus years. He was very talented in his field.

He could visualize and then fabricate any object in metal you asked him to create. He enjoyed making metal artwork when time allowed.

He worked with many of the restaurants in Ocean City making countertops and hoods.

He worked on boats, jeeps and cars repairing the metalwork or fabricating a part the customer requested.

Michael’s passion was the beach, fishing and boating. He enjoyed fishing the tournaments and of course, winning!

Cremation followed his death from lung cancer. No formal services are planned at this time, but a Celebration

of life, date to be determined will be held.

A donation in his memory may be made to: American Lung Cancer Society.

Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com.

Arrangements are in the care of the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin.

LARRY WAYNE CORKRAN Millsboro On Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, Larry Wayne Corkran passed away peacefully at his home in Millsboro at the age of 64.

He was surrounded by his loving wife and family.

After a lengthy illness, Larry transitioned to his eternal resting place with the Lord and will be grievLarry Corkran ously missed by his beloved family.

Larry was born in Baltimore, on Jan. 2, 1956, to the late Mildred Mae (Stottlemeyer) and Charles Lake Corkran. He was raised from the age of 5 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

He attended Cambridge High School in Cambridge, Maryland.

In his early years, Larry worked as a waterman in the Cambridge area and later spent the rest of his career working in construction.

Larry is survived by his wife,

Wendy Corkran of Millsboro, Delaware, and his brother, Charles Corkran (wife, Marsha) of Parsonsburg, Maryland.

Additionally, he is survived by three children, Christopher Corkran, Carl Corkran and Kassie Corkran; his stepson, Shawn Kauffman; grandchildren, Chase and Grace Kauffman, and Brooke and Nathan Corkran; and a sister, Frances Irene.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Brian Corkran.

He also leaves behind three beloved dogs, Boomer, Tucker and Pookie, who could always be found faithfully by his side.

Larry enjoyed many hobbies and was an avid golfer and pool player, winning several championships and tournaments. He enjoyed fishing and spent some of his last days by the water with his family.

Larry will always be remembered by his willingness to help others, his sense of humor, and his love for his family. His life will be forever cherished by the lives of those that survive him.

In recognition of covid-19 guidelines and regulations, visitation and funeral services will be by invitation.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Larry to the IPF Foundation at https://ipffoundation.org/donate/.

Electronic condolence via www.watsonfh.com.

PAGE 42

Ocean City Today

DECEMBER 18, 2020

Calendar Submit calendar items to: editor@oceancitytoday.net.

Submission deadline is 5 p.m. Monday, the week of publication. Local submissions have priority. Area event listings are subject to space availability.

Fri., Dec. 18

selfie on social media with the hashtag #walkedwithagh.

BERLIN BOOK OF THE MONTH

Meeting via Zoom, 2:00 PM. Featuring “Good Omens” by Neal Galman and Terry Pratchett. Books are available at the Berlin branch and on Hoopla. Register: www.worcesterlibrary.org under events.

LIVE NATIVITY PAGEANT

Buckingham Presbyterian Church, 20 S. Main St., 5:00 PM. Held on the front lawn.

BRUNCH WITH SANTA AND FESTIVAL OF TREES

Princess Royale Hotel, 9100 Coastal Highway, 10:00 AM. The event will feature Christmas trees decorated by Atlantic General Hospital sponsors, breakfast and photos with Santa, children’s crafts and complimentary hot chocolate. Reservations: 410-524-2544, Ext. 2023.

FOOD DRIVE

Ocean Pines Community Center, 239 Ocean Parkway, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City will be collecting nonperishable goods for Diakonia in the parking lot.

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY MARKET

White Horse Park, 239 Ocean Parkway, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM. The Ocean Pines Farmers and Artisans Market for the week of Christmas will be held Dec. 23 rather than Dec. 26. All of the market’s bakeries are now taking special orders to be picked up on Dec. 23. Also featuring artisan merchants and producers of fresh, local fruits and vegetables, gourmet foods, seafood and meats. The market will return to its regular Saturday schedule on Jan. 2. http://www.oceanpines.org/web/pages/farmers-artisansmarket

FARMERS & ARTISANS MARKET DRIVE-THROUGH LIVE NATIVITY

Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, 11242 Racetrack Road, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Presented by the Middle School students and complete with real stable animals. Guests are asked to remain in their cars.

EASTERN SHORE TYPE 1 DIABETES SUPPORT FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER

Participants are invited to the Annual Ticket drop auction at est1dsf.ourraffle.org. Also, join their page on Facebook for the silent auction items. There are 46 baskets and gift certificate packages available. Ticket sales end 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 18. Winner will be announced on Dec. 19. Info: Katie@fraoc.com or 410-251-4793.

LETTERS TO SANTA

Shore United Bank encourages children to drop off their letters to Santa in the mailbox located inside the lobby of the bank’s Ocean City location, 12905 Ocean Gateway, during business hours. Letters will be accepted through Dec. 18. Santa’s helpers will take care of the rest. Info: 443-856-2180.

LETTERS TO SANTA

Residents and visitors are invited to drop off their letters to Santa in the vestibule at the Berlin Welcome Center until Dec. 18. Children will receive a letter back from Santa and a coupon for a treat downtown. Info: iwells@berlinmd.gov.

Sat., Dec. 19 VIRTUAL WALK WITH A DOC

Join the group for a virtual Walk with a Doc on the Atlantic General Hospital Facebook page, where there is a short presentation by a doctor on a current health topic, 9:00 AM. Participants can then walk wherever they like and share a

Saturdays - White Horse Park, 239 Ocean Parkway, 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Shop for everything from fresh local produce to unique handmade artisan goods. Open to the public.

Sun., Dec. 20 DRIVE-THRU LIVE NATIVITY

SonRise Church, 10026 Main St., 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Featuring live animals, live actors, music and snacks.

‘CHAMBER MUSIC BY THE SEA’ 2020 FESTIVAL Hosted on Zoom at 7:00 PM. The program will feature the musical talents of Tom Poster, piano and Elena Urioste, violin and include Clara Schumann Romances, Beethoven Spring Sonata, JukeBox favorites, with some holiday surprises. Tickets: https://www.wced.foundation/events.

Mon., Dec. 21 STORY TIME - HATS AND MITTENS WITH A LIBRARY-TO-GO KIT

Meeting via Facebook, 10:30 AM. Listen and watch a delightful, funny, wintery story about a mitten and animals. Also, see what the Library-To-Go kit will be.

Ages 2-10 years. No registration required. http://www.worcesterlibrary.org

TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY MEETING

Meeting via conference call, 6:00 PM 6:30 PM. Dial 605-472-5789, wait for voice command, then press 944874.

TOPS is a weekly support and educational group promoting weight loss and healthy lifestyle. Berlin group No. 169.

Rose Campion, 410-641-0157

Thurs., Dec. 24 23RD ANNUAL N.O.E.L. COMMUNITY DINNER St. Paul’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, 302 Baltimore Ave., 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. The church will distribute bags of non-perishable foods filled with some traditional food items to prepare at home. There is a special bag available for those who are not able to prepare food. The bags will be distributed at the main entrance of the church. All those picking up are asked to wear a mask.

Donations are always appreciated and can be mailed to The N.O.E.L. Community c/o St. Paul’s by the Sea, 302 N. Baltimore Avenue, Ocean City, MD 21842. 410-289-3453

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE

Church of the Holy Spirit, 10001 Coastal Highway, 6:00 PM. Masks and social distancing are required. 410-723-1973

ONGOING EVENTS WORCESTER COUNTY ICE RINK

The Worcester County Recreation Center in Snow Hill will offer the synthetic ice rink again this year. The following dates are open to skate from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; December 21 to 23, 26-30; and January 2-3, 5, 7, 9-10, 12, 14, 16-17, 19, 21, and 23-24. The cost is $2 for all skaters and observers and includes skate rental and 45 minutes of skate time.

Reservations are required: 410-6322144.

‘SAVE OUR STORIES’

Wed., Dec. 23

The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum is asking community members to send in their accounts as to how COVID-

19 has impacted them. The submissions can be a specific experience, direct answers to the prompt questions, or a combination. No story is too long or too short. To submit, visit www.ocmuseum.org. Info: Christine@ocmuseum.org.

LIGHT UP SNOW HILL

Consider registering to be included in the 2020 Light Up Snow Hill House Tour. Simply make sure your lights are on every evening from December 14-28 from 5-8 p.m. and enjoy seeing all of the holiday cheer as visitors drive by on their way through the tour route. Also consider sending in a picture of your decorated house after registering to be included in the competition portion of this event. Register your home: https://www.snowhillchamber.com.

BERLIN HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES

Downtown Berlin shop windows will be decorated for the holiday featuring works from local artists.

• The town is hosing a Light Up Berlin: Holiday House Decorating Contest and Tour beginning Dec. 11. Tour map link will be on facebook and berlinmainstreet.com.

Info: iwells@berlinmd.gov.

• Free carriage rides are offered on weekends in December at Pitts Street from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Sheep Trail - Participants can find trail cards in the vestibule at the Berlin Welcome Center and participating shops.

Write down the name of the sheep next to the store on the trail card. Completed trail cards can be returned to the welcome center or Buckingham Presbyterian Church mailbox. Trail cards that are returned by each Friday at 3 p.m. will be entered into a prize drawing. Cards will be collected until Dec. 24 and the grand prize winner will be drawn on Christmas morning. Info: https://fb.me/e/35lZDNeXL.

WINTER READING CHALLENGE

Beginning Dec. 1, log your books, attend virtual programs and explore activities to earn badges and chances to win the grand prizes. Sign up for free at https://worcesterlibrary.beanstack.org.

KIWANIS 2021 LOTTERY RAFFLE

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City is selling tickets for their 2021 Lottery Raffle. All sales must be completed by Dec. 31 to be eligible.

All Kiwanis members have tickets to sell and the club will also be selling tickets at the Ocean Pines Farmer’s Market every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. For only $20 a ticket, the purchasers get 365 chances to win. Match your number to the Maryland “Pick 3” Evening drawings. Winners will automatically be sent a check. Proceeds support local scholarships and youth programs. www.kiwanisofopoc.org, Facebook.com/Kiwanis Club of Ocean Pines/Ocean City.

DECEMBER 18, 2020

43 Classifieds now appear in Ocean City Today & the Bayside Gazette each week and online at oceancitytoday.com and baysideoc.com.

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED Hiring ALL Positions!!

HIRING ALL POSITIONS!!

Full time & Part time To apply go to: www.mygcjob.com

Full time & Part time Stop by our location on 52nd street! or call 443-664-2825

Run your business card in our SERVICE DIRECTORY CALL 410-723-6397 for pricing!

Become a Better You in 2020!

NOW HIRING!!

Production Crew for our WOC kitchen facility Up to $17.50/hr.

Apply online at: www.delmarvadd.com

To Order Product Call Christine 443-880-8397 or email: snowhillavon@ comcast.net

FURNITURE STORE MANAGER Monogram Furniture of MD & DE searching for STORE MANAGER with Insight, Integrity, and Experience who can promote a positive attitude and teamwork is the ideal candidate. We provide an environment that rewards excellence and promotes individual growth. We offer a noncommission pay structure. Please email resume and salary requirements to: info@monogramfurniture.com 12319 Ocean Gateway Ocean City, MD 21842 410-213-2520 EOE/M/F/D/V

Agent Associate (Position 125246) University of Maryland Extension seeks FCS Financial Capability Educator.

Full‐Time, 12‐month, professional‐track faculty position in Worcester County, MD. Master's degree preferred.

Salary commensurate with experience; Bachelor’s base: $39,049; Master’s base: $40,826. Annual contract, renewed annually pending performance and continued funding.

The University of Maryland offers benefits.

For more information and to apply, go to: https:// ejobs.umd.edu Employment is contingent upon successful completion and clearance of a Criminal History Record Check. EEO/AA

RENTALS RENTALS

2BR, 1BA Year-Round Rental in West Ocean City. $800/month plus one month security. 410-289-5335 Seeking Year-Round & Seasonal Rentals!

Call Howard Martin Realty 410-352-555500

BUDGET MOVERS

DONATIONS DONATIONS Do you have an old bicycle not being used? It could mean a world of difference to a hard-working international student. We are looking to get as many bikes as possible. Your donation will be taxdeductible. Contact Gary at 443-975-3065.

443-664-5797 LOCAL & EAST COAST MOVING Full Packing Service Piano Movers - Full Service www.facebook.com/OCBudgetMovers

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Ocean City Today

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Ocean City Today

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PAGE 46

Ocean City Today / Public Notices

McCabe, Weisberg & Conway LLC 312 Marshall Avenue, Suite 800 Laurel, Maryland 20707 301-490-3361 Laura H.G. O’Sullivan, et al., Substitute Trustees Plaintiffs vs.

Christopher Larmore Defendant IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND Civil No. C-23-CV-20-000096

NOTICE

ORDERED, this 30th day of November, 2020 by the Circuit Court of WORCESTER COUNTY, Maryland, that the sale of the property at 912 Cedar Street, Pocomoke City, Maryland 21851 mentioned in these proceedings, made and reported by Laura H.G. O’Sullivan, et. al, Substitute Trustees, be ratified and confirmed, unless cause to the contrary thereof be shown on or before the 4th day of January, 2021 next, provided a copy of this notice be inserted in some newspaper published in said County once in each of three successive weeks before the 28th day of December, 2020, next.

The report states the amount of sale to be $63,750.00.

Susan R. Braniecki CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND True Copy Test: Susan R. Braniecki Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD OCD-12/3/3t _________________________________ McCabe, Weisberg & Conway LLC 312 Marshall Avenue, Suite 800 Laurel, Maryland 20707 301-490-3361 Laura H.G. O’Sullivan, et al., Substitute Trustees Plaintiffs vs.

Sheryl Diane Rowland, Rhonda L. Disbrow and Donald A. Rudkin Defendants IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND Civil No. C-23-CV-20-000045

NOTICE

ORDERED, this 2nd day of November, 2020 by the Circuit Court of WORCESTER COUNTY, Maryland, that the sale of the property at 74 White Horse Drive, Berlin, Maryland 21811 mentioned in these proceedings, made and reported by Laura H.G. O’Sullivan, et. al, Substitute Trustees, be ratified and confirmed, unless cause to the contrary thereof be shown on or before the 4th day of January, 2021 next, provided a copy of this notice be inserted in some newspaper published in said County once in each of three successive weeks before the 28th day of December, 2020, next.

The report states the amount of sale to be $115,000.00.

Susan R. Braniecki CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT

WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND True Copy Test: Susan R. Braniecki Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD OCD-12/10/3t _________________________________ Ryan D. Bodley Ayres, Jenkins, Gordy & Almand, P.A. 6200 Coastal Highway, Suite 200 Ocean City, MD 21842 Harbor Lights Condominium Association c/o Ayres, Jenkins, Gordy & Almand, P.A. 6200 Coastal Highway, Suite 200 Ocean City, Maryland 21842 Plaintiff vs.

Matthew B. Rhodes 722 Anchor Chain Road Unit 14 Ocean City, MD 21842 Defendant IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF MARYLAND FOR WORCESTER COUNTY STATE OF MARYLAND Civil Case No. C-23-CV-19-000358

NOTICE

ORDERED, by the Circuit Court for Worcester County this 2nd day of December, 2020, that the foreclosure sale of Harbor Lights Condominium, Unit 14, 722 Anchor Chain Road, Ocean City, Maryland, made and reported by Ryan D. Bodley, Trustees, be RATIFIED AND CONFIRMED, unless cause to the contrary thereof be shown on or before the 4th day of January, 2021, provided a copy of this Order is published in a newspaper of general circulation in Worcester County, Maryland, once in three successive weeks, before the 28th day of December, 2020.

The Report states that the total proceeds form the sale of the property to be Ten Dollars ($10.00).

Susan R. Braniecki CLERK, CIRCUIT COURT True Copy Test: Susan R. Braniecki Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD OCD-12/10/3t _________________________________

NOTICE

OF PASSAGE OF BILL 20-7 WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Take Notice that Bill 20-7 (Zoning – Casino Entertainment District) was passed by Commissioners Bertino, Church, Elder, Nordstrom and Purnell on October 20, 2020.

A fair summary of the bill is as follows: §ZS 1-103(b). (Adds the definition for “Casino” in the Zoning and Subdivision Control Article to describe a building or structure in which gaming tables, wagering devices or machines, or other games of chance are present and available for persons to wager. It does not include games of chance that are operated by a charitable organization licensed under County Law.) §ZS 1-103(b). (Adds the definition for “Gaming Facility” in the Zoning and Subdivision Control Article to

describe a “casino” as well as the associated amenities, such as but not limited to a restaurant, bar, hotel, retail establishment, or exhibition hall.) §ZS 1-202(b)(20). (Adds “Casino entertainment district” to the list of uses permitted in the A-2 Agricultural District.) §ZS 1-352. (Adds this entirely new section to the Zoning and Subdivision Control Article to establish an overlay district for the “casino entertainment district” with the intent of encouraging comprehensive planned gaming facilities or casinos under a unified plan of development that allows for flexibility while also requiring harmonious design within the development and ensuring compatibility with and minimum impact upon existing and future development in the surrounding area; establishes requirements for the district, including: a minimum lot area of fifty acres; direct access to a major collector or arterial highway; provides a list of permitted uses; parking and pedestrian circulation requirements; open space and landscaping provisions; architectural design; height limitations; and establishes a review and approval process with specific standards and criteria to be evaluated by the Planning Commission.)

This bill becomes effective fortyfive (45) days from the date of its passage.

This is only a fair summary of the bill. A full copy of the bill is posted on the Legislative Bulletin Board in the main hall of the Worcester County Government Center outside Room 1103, is available for inspection in Room 1103 of the Worcester County Government Center, and is available on the County Website at www.co.worcester.md.us.

THE WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OCD-12/10/3t _________________________________

NOTICE

OF PASSAGE OF BILL 20-8 WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Take Notice that Bill 20-8 (Zoning – Accessory apartments) was passed

by Commissioners Church, Elder, Mitrecic, Nordstrom and Purnell on November 17, 2020.

A fair summary of the bill is as follows: §ZS 1-338(b)(2). (Eliminates the requirement that the property owner reside in either the primary dwelling unit or the accessory apartment on the premises.)

This bill becomes effective fortyfive (45) days from the date of its passage.

This is only a fair summary of the bill. A full copy of the bill is posted on the Legislative Bulletin Board in the main hall of the Worcester County Government Center outside Room 1103, is available for public inspection in Room 1103 of the Worcester County Government Center once County Government Offices are opened to the public. In the interim, a full copy of the bill is available on the County Website at www.co.worcester.md.us.

DECEMBER 18, 2020 THE WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OCD-12/10/3t _________________________________

NOTICE

OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Estate No. 18514 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF JUNE STIELPER AKA: JUNE FRANCES STIELPER Notice is given that Michael Stielper, 31 Timber Lane, Hanover, PA 17331, was on December 03, 2020 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of June Stielper who died on October 18, 2020, 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 3rd day of June, 2021.

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, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine 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.

Michael Stielper 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: December 10, 2020 OCD-12/10/3t _________________________________

NOTICE

OF INTRODUCTION OF BILL 21-1 WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Take Notice that Bill 21-1 (Zoning – Height regulations in the A-1 and A-2 Agricultural Districts) was introduced by Commissioners Bertino, Church, Elder, Mitrecic, Nordstrom and Purnell on November 17, 2020.

A fair summary of the bill is as

DECEMBER 18, 2020 follows: §ZS 1-201(e)(1). (Adds a new subsection to establish a special exception provision for the increase in the height of residential accessory structures in the A-1 Agricultural District.) §ZS 1-202(e)(1). (Adds a new subsection to establish a special exception provision for the increase in the height of residential accessory structures in the A-2 Agricultural District.)

A Public Hearing will be held on Bill 21-1 at the Commissioners’ Meeting Room, Room 1101 – Government Center, One West Market Street, Snow Hill, Maryland on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at 10:30 a.m.

This is only a fair summary of the bill. A full copy of the bill is posted on the Legislative Bulletin Board in the main hall of the Worcester County Government Center outside Room 1103, is available for public inspection in Room 1103 of the Worcester County Government Center once County Government Offices are opened to the public. In the interim, a full copy of the bill is available on the County Website at www.co.worcester.md.us.

THE WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OCD-12/17/2t _________________________________ STEVEN W RAKOW ESQ 5700 COASTAL HIGHWAY SUITE 305 OCEAN CITY, MD 21842

NOTICE

OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Estate No. 18521 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF SHIRLEY MCCAFFREY Notice is given that David Richard Gado, 150 Nottingham Lane, Berlin, MD 21811, was on December 10, 2020 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Shirley McCaffrey who died on November 18, 2020, 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 10th day of June, 2021.

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, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine 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

PAGE 47

Ocean City Today / Public Notices 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.

David Richard Gado 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: December 17, 2020 OCD-12/17/3t _________________________________ SMALL ESTATE

NOTICE

OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18518 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF ROBERT ERNEST PORTER Notice is given that Laura Marie Gonzalez, 14 68th Street Unit 305, Ocean City, MD 21842, was on December 09, 2020 appointed personal representative of the small estate of Robert Ernest Porter who died on August 3, 2020, 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, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine 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.

Laura Marie Gonzalez 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: December 17, 2020 OCD-12/17/1t _________________________________

NOTICE

TO HOLDERS OF CLASS "B", "C", AND "D" ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSES ISSUED BY WORCESTER COUNTY An ad has gone out to the newspapers in error regarding New Year's Eve. The hours for Class "B", "C' and "D" alcoholic beverage licenses have not been extended on January 1, 2021 until 4 a.m. The closure time is l 0 p.m. as dictated by the Governor's Order as a result of COVID-19.

BOARD OF LICENSE COMMISSIONERS FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, William E. Esham, Jr., Chairman R. Charles Nichols, Member Marty W. Pusey, Member *********************** April R. Payne, License Administrator OCD-12/17/2t _________________________________ IN THE MATTER 0F: Nickolas Stoyanov Koleva FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO: Nickolas Stoyanov Barilski

BY AND THROUGH THEIR MOTHER/FATHER/GUARDIAN: Pravda Koleva CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND Located at 1 W. Market Street, Snow Hill, MD 21864 Case No. C-23-FM-20-000412

NOTICE

FOR PUBLICATION (MINOR) (Md. Rule 15-901) The above petitioner has filed a Petition for Change of Name to chane the name of a minor from Nickolas Stoyanov Koleva to Nickolas Stoyanov Barilski.

The petitioner is seeking a name change because: He would like to have his biological father’s last name.

Any person may file an objection

to the Petition for Name Change on or before 1/28/2021.

The objection must be supported by an affidavit (written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation) and served upon all parties (Md. Rule 1-321). If no timely objection is filed, the court may enter a default judgment or grant the name change.

A copy of this notice must be published one time in a newspaper of general circulation in the county/city at least fifteen (15) days before the deadline to file an objection.

Susan R. Braniecki Clerk OCD-12/17/1t _________________________________ McCabe, Weisberg & Conway LLC 312 Marshall Avenue, Suite 800 Laurel, Maryland 20707 301-490-3361 Laura H.G. O’Sullivan, et al., Substitute Trustees Plaintiffs vs.

Andrea Leigh Bounds Defendant IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND Civil No. C-23-CV-20-000054

NOTICE

ORDERED, this 15th day of December, 2020 by the Circuit Court of WORCESTER COUNTY, Maryland, that the sale of the property at 12512 W. Torquay Road, Ocean City, Maryland 21842 mentioned in these proceedings, made and reported by Laura H.G. O’Sullivan, et. al, Substitute Trustees, be ratified and confirmed, unless cause to the contrary thereof be shown on or before the 18th day of January, 2021 next, provided a copy of this notice be inserted in some newspaper published in said County once in each of three successive weeks before the 11th day of January, 2021, next.

The report states the amount of sale to be $166,000.00.

Susan R. Braniecki CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND True Copy Test: Susan R. Braniecki Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD OCD-12/17/3t _________________________________

OCEAN CITY TODAY

Legal Advertising Call Nancy MacCubbin 410-723-6397, Fax: 410-723-6511 or E-mail: legals@oceancitytoday.net

PAGE 48

Ocean City Today

DECEMBER 18, 2020