Ocean Pines residents’ concerns about speeding on roads addressed by new coalition formed to protect bikers, walkers
By David Bohenick Staff Writer
As some residents worry about the safety of cyclists and pedestrians who exercise on busy Ocean Parkway and throughout the community, Ocean Pines officials are using $4,600 in Maryland Office of Highway Safety grant money to purchase bicycle lights and reflective bands for nighttime pedestrians.
Patti Stevens is the founding co-chairwoman of the Worcester County Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition, and is also involved with the Ocean Pines Bike and Pedestrian Safety Committee. She was also appointed by Gov. Wes Moore to join the Commission on Transportation Revenue and Infrastructure Needs.
Stevens has worked closely with the Ocean Pines Association and Police Chief Tim Robinson to enforce safety measures for bicyclists and pedestrians and called Robinson “a great partner.”
“His workers and inspectors have identified a concern for people walking around with dark clothing,” Stevens said.
However, some Ocean Pines residents think the solution is elsewhere.
She said a number of comments on the Ocean Pines News and Info Facebook group indicate a desire for the speed limit along Ocean Parkway to be reduced. The current speed limit on Ocean Parkway is 35 miles per hour.
“I was in Chincoteague driving on the main road and noticed their speed limit is 25 mph. It’s been proven that reducing the speed limit by just five miles per hour greatly lowers the risk of death or injury in the event of an accident,” Stevens said.
According to the Maryland Office of Highway Safety’s website, the likelihood of a pedestrian being severely injured or killed by a vehicle traveling at 20 miles per hour is 10 percent. However, that same risk to a pedestrian rises to 80 percent when a vehicle is traveling at 40 miles per hour. Robinson reported 50 cases of speeding during his monthly police report at the OPA board meeting on Nov. 23.
AGH, TidalHealth hospitals announce plan to collaborate
The presidents of Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin and TidalHealth Peninsula Regional hospital in Salisbury this week signed a non-binding letter of intent to combine organizations. They plan to finalize the agreement in spring 2025, pending further board approvals and regulatory review.
The AGH Board of Trustees announced the launch of a strategic partnership exploration process earlier this year. TidalHealth was
chosen as AGH’s partner because of its shared mission in serving the health care needs of the Lower Eastern Shore and Delaware residents.
In a news release issued this week, AGH officials stated the partnership will improve health care for area residents.
“Together, we can make advancements in recruiting and retaining top physicians, as well as invest in the infrastructure and technology that will improve our care delivery,” Doug Cook, Chairman of the AGH Board of Trustees, stated.
‘You can’t make people do the right thing’
Pines resident recounts sad day wife was killed while out for a walk near her home; says incident had deep impact on family, calls for speed bumps to slow racing drivers
By David Bohenick Staff Writer
On the morning of May 1 last year, Scott Shellenberger was walking along King Richard Road in Ocean Pines with his wife, Pamela, when a car approached.
As he remembers it, the driver made eye contact with him, then the car swerved and struck his wife. She was airlifted to TidalHealth Peninsula Regional in Salisbury where she died from her injuries. She was 64.
The driver was charged with traffic violations.
Shellenberger then wrote e-mails to Maryland Sen. Mary Beth Carozza and Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser in an effort to prevent future pedestrian fatalities.
“I never heard back from Mary Beth, but Kris Heiser replied to me and I wasn’t asking her to relook at the case, but maybe something good could come out of it because it’s going to happen again,” Shellenberger said.
“She forwarded it to two delegates and Ocean Pines General Manager John Viola. I think he replied back to her saying they were looking at safety, which I think what they were looking at then was the crosswalk at Route 589,” he said.
Shellenberger – who addressed the Ocean Pines Board of Directors during a recent meeting – said he believes side streets should be one-way passages and speed bumps should be installed, especially since
OCEAN PINES • WEST OCEAN CITY • BERLIN MD
Staff Report
ROC Edition • Submitted
Scott Shellenberger recalls walking with his wife, Pamela, when she was struck and hit by a car on Ocean Pines’ busy roads. She died from her injuries. Shellenberger is urging Pines officials to take steps to make roads safer.
RENOVATIONS Home Improvements
SPEEDING
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Racquet Center Manager Tim McMullen said he thinks speed bumps are a good solution to speeding. McMullen claims speedbumps implemented two years ago at the Racquet Center have slowed some drivers down.
“We’d have 120 people coming to the Racquet Center a day. People were speeding and we put in speed bumps and it’s much safer now,” McMullen said.
McMullen has lived in Ocean Pines since 1974 believes the community is now home to more families with young children than ever before.
“They’re riding bikes or playing in their yards. We have to do everything possible to keep those young children safe,” McMullen said.
However, Chief Robinson disagrees that speedbumps would be the final solution.
“There are other things such as speed enforcement and education on the speed limit,” Robinson said.
Robinson said studies indicate the vast majority of drivers obey the speed limit and Ocean Parkway is relatively safe if pedestrians practice due diligence.
“We see on a regular basis cyclists and pedestrians on the wrong side of the road, which potentially contributes to an accident. The motorist and the pedestrian both have the responsibility to be safe and look out for each other,” he said.
In another effort to increase safety, the Pines Public Works Department installed a sidewalk section near Manklin Creek. Officials say the walkway is frequently used by pedestrians, adding the project serves as an example of how safety committees continue to make an impact in the community.
Stevens said community surveys, like the Strategic Planning Survey, serve as valuable tools for gaining insight on how citizens hope to improve roadway safety for all users.
“People regularly report that having safe places to walk and bike is a top priority for them. So, we’re happy to work with our local government and our local communities to try and make that happen,” Stevens said.
For Stevens, the mission of both the Worcester County Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition and the Ocean Pines Bike and Safety Pedestrian Committee is personal. She said she moved to Ocean Pines in 2019 with her husband, and soon identified public roadway access and pedestrian and bicyclist safety needs.
“My husband and I had planned to be a one-car household because we both are very active and we thought we could walk and bike to get around to our basic needs. After we lived here a little while, we found that was not very reasonable… It’s not particularly safe on our roadways and it’s difficult to get around safely,” Stevens said.
For more information e-mail: WCBikePedsafety@gmail.com
RIGHT THING
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it’s easy to drive too fast on Ocean Parkway.
“The whole infrastructure is campground infrastructure. Is that intersection dangerous? It shouldn’t have been. But people don’t drive 35 mph on Ocean Parkway. Honestly, it’s easy to go over 35 on Ocean Parkway because it’s nice, wide and smooth. You almost need speed humps or speed bumps. Whether they are the portable ones or not, you need something that is going to make people adhere to the speed limit.
“You can’t make people do the right thing. They have to want to do the right thing. But if she knew that speed hump was there, maybe it would’ve caused her to slow down,” he said about the driver.
“It’s frustrating because in eyesight, when you’re going around that bend and get to Footbridge Trail, the next street after King Richard, you can essentially see where we were crossing. It’s probably three football fields long,” he said.
Shellenberger said cars tend to park on the shoulder of Pines
streets, especially in the summer, making them more dangerous for pedestrians.
“My daughter-in-law is a runner. Her and my son live in Connecticut but they come down a good bit and she looks forward to it because it’s a nice place to run. She says that she tries going by the rules and people park (along the shoulder) and it forces you to dodge in and out,” he said.
Shellenberger worked at Armstrong Ceilings in Marietta, Pa., for 45 years. While he was there, he became a supervisor representative for a worldwide safety team to implement a new safety system within the company.
“I ended up doing safety from 2001 to 2004, which is where I was doing observations and things were jumping out at me. In a factory setting, it’s a lot easier to do that thing. We addressed hot spots because we could capture near misses, but how do you do that in a residential setting, really? How many near accidents do you think go on there every day? I bet you tons, but there’s probably hot spots,” he said.
None of the OPA Board members contacted him after his wife died,
but when he spoke before than at a meeting in November, Board President Stuart Lakernick, who was not a board member at that time, offered his condolences and said he wasn’t aware that nobody talked to Shellenberger, who met his wife in 1968 when they were in elementary school. He still carries her ashes with him.
The fatal accident impacted him and his family for months. The couple’s dog, Paws, died the same week as his wife and his father’s health rapidly declined.
“He was 87 when she got killed but he was self-sufficient. He drove, he went to the farmer’s market. He did all this stuff and all of a sudden he just stopped. He couldn’t walk anymore. He had to use a walker.
“The day she died, it started this chain reaction of things and my dad eventually died Dec. 29. Seven months after her, but he started dying on May 1. His death certificate lists multiple things. It doesn’t say that killed him, but it did,” he said.
“There’s no doubt in my mind. I sat here and I watched it.”
The death of his wife, Pamela, inspired Scott Shellenberger to speak before the Ocean Pines Board of Directors, asking for speed bumps and other methods to slow speeding and distracted drivers.
Devoted hiker suggests new walking path at Pintail Park
By Tessah Good Staff Writer
A new, quarter-mile trail, the seventh in Ocean Pines and extending from Pintail Park to the Mumford’s Landing entrance is now open.
Walkers can access the trail by parking at the Pintail Park lot then traveling left toward the tree line. The opening of the trail is located near the roadway.
The trail was built at the suggestion of Pines resident Ralph Ferrusi, who said the idea came to him one September Day following his normal routine of stopping at the Southside Deli for lunch, then eating on a bench at Pintail Park. After his ritual of munching on a Swiss cheese sandwich on rye bread, potato chips and sweet tea, he contacted the Worcester County Bike and Pedestrian Coalition.
He suggested a rustic, meandering path through the open woods, saying it would allow pedestrians to avoid Ocean Parkway while accessing Mumford’s Landing.
Senior Public Works Director Eddie Wells liked the idea, reviewed the area and agreed it would be an appropriate place for a trail. Wells relayed the message to Ocean Pines General Manager John Viola, “who enthusiastically endorsed it,” Public Relations Director Josh Davis said.
Public Works employees trimmed branches, removed debris and cleared a quarter-mile path using leaf blowers, according to a Pines news release.
“Eddie’s team did an excellent job and we’ve had great feedback on the trail so far,” Davis said.
Ferrusi said on his next visit to Pintail Park, he was greeted with a path where he had suggested.
“What is wonderful about this quarter-mile path is that it draws you along… It’s what a good trail should do,” Ferrusi said.
He has visited the path more than 10 times since it opened.
“It bobs and weaves and curves. It is hardly ever in a straight line. It is right alongside the creek and far enough from the road, away from all the noisy cars,” Ferrusi said.
“One woman said she doesn’t feel safe by herself in the woods, but she said on this path (she’s) right next to Ocean Parkway and there are houses right on the other side … She said here she felt safe,” Ferrusi said.
The other trails are White Horse Park Trail, Bainbridge Park Trail, Sherwood Forest Trail, South Gate Pone Trail 1, South Gate Pond Trail 2 and the Swim and Racquet Trail.
Ferrusi and his wife, Kathy, are devoted hikers who have journeyed through 68 countries together. Having conquered a variety of complicated trails, including the one leading to Everest Base Camp in Nepal and Kilimanjaro’s Marangu Path. Ferrusi said he even has a trail shelter in the Appalachian Mountains named after him, the Ralph’s Peak Hiker’s Cabin.
And, Worcester County residents are no strangers to loving the outdoors. According to the Ocean Pines website, walking and jogging are among the most popular forms of exercise and outdoor activity throughout Ocean Pines and the Worcester County area.
“We encourage families to walk together and make walking a regular activity for all ages,” the website states. See www.oceanpines.org/ web/pages/trails.
ROC Edition • Tessah Good Dedicated walkers and hikers have a new path to enjoy at Pintail Park, one of several located throughout the community.
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TIDALHEALTH
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As the organizations work toward a final agreement, daily operations will not be impacted, nor will patients or associates see changes to normal routines, the news release states.
AGH employees were provided with letters, signed by AGH President Don Owrey, announcing the partnership and stating AGH chose TidalHealth because of their similar missions and shard commitment to locally controlled healthcare.
“TidalHealth has a longstanding tradition of providing the highest level of specialized care, while ensuring patients continue to receive care from their local physicians … it was clear that we are better together and that our affiliation provides a tremendous opportunity for both organizations and more importantly, our community,” the letter states.
Employees were encouraged to submit questions, which will be answered at information sessions.
“We are excited about the opportunity to combine and bring together two strong organizations, each with outstanding reputations for the patient experience and quality of
care,” Memo Diriker, Chairman of the TidalHealth Board of Directors stated.
According to Atlantic General Hospital officials, the partnership will provide access to integrated medical records through Epic, the software the hospital uses, improve coordination of services and access to care for patients, provide capital funding to expand such services and strengthen AGH’s ability to retain and attract a high-quality workforce.
“This partnership is a win for our patients, our associates and the communities we serve … by affiliating with TidalHealth, we have the opportunity to combine the strengths of our two organizations to fundamentally improve the availability of high-quality healthcare close to home,” Owrey stated.
“TidalHealth has great respect for (AGH’s) historic contribution to the healthcare needs of its community, and we are honored to have been chosen. We are confident that we can further enhance their strength in the region with AGH becoming part of the robust health system that has been providing high-quality care since 1897,” TidalHealth President Steve Leonard stated.
US Wind project gets authorization for final permit; lawsuit with plaintiffs including OP can change outcome
By David Bohenick Staff Writer
A looming federal lawsuit could impact a recently approved project that would bring 114 wind turbines, measuring more than 900 feet tall and lighted at night, about 11 miles off the coast of Ocean City.
The lawsuit, imposed and fully funded by the town of Ocean City, alleges the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management violated several federal environmental acts during the approval process.
The Ocean Pines Board of Directors is one of more than 20 plaintiffs in the suit, which further alleges federal authorities ignored potential negative impacts to local beaches, the tourism industry and commercial and recreational fishing.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the final federal permit for US Wind’s proposed project on Dec. 3.
US Wind also received a letter of authorization from the National
Marine Fisheries Service on Nov. 26 for the 80,000-acre federal lease area.
However, US Wind must obtain several local permits in Maryland and Delaware before construction can begin. Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan has said town officials plan to delay its part in that process.
US Wind CEO Jeff Grybowski said in a statement that federal approval process included more than four years of environmental analysis.
US Wind has also touted its estimate the turbines could generate up to two gigawatts of offshore wind power and power more than 600,000 homes in the region.
“US Wind’s projects will produce massive amounts of homegrown energy and will help satisfy the region’s critical need for more electricity, all while supporting good local jobs,” Grybowski stated.
Meehan, however, has fought against the project for several years, but said in a statement the federal approval comes as no surprise.
Berlin mayor and family welcome second son Benjamin on Nov. 16
By Giovanni Guido Staff Writer
Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall is on paternity leave as he, his wife Chelsea and their older son Charles celebrate the birth of baby boy Benjamin.
“I think it’s important for anyone that has a newborn to be able to spend that time together as a family. The precious times … They’re only small and young like that for a little while,” Tyndall told ROC Edition.
Benjamin was born on Nov. 16. Charles, almost 6, “loves being a big brother,” the mayor said.
Having a new son “has “been an adjustment as anybody would probably attest to,” Tyndall said.
“Going from one child to a second can be a bit of an adjustment but everybody’s doing well. … My wife’s doing well, baby’s doing well, we’re all doing well and enjoying time together, especially with the holiday. It’s like riding a bike. You get back on and it’s a little unsteady at first but then you get the hang of it. So, I think we’re at the gettingthe-hang-of-it stage,” Tyndall said. Since the baby was born, Tyndall
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Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall cuddles newborn Benjamin, his and wife Chelsea’s second son.
said he and his family have received words of congratulations and strong community support. Three days after the baby’s birth, he posted his gratitude on Facebook.
“This weekend, Chelsea and I welcomed our second son, Benjamin, into the world. We are so grateful for all the kind words, thoughts and prayers from our friends, neighbors and community. Both Chelsea and Benjamin are healthy and doing well. Thank you all for your support and love – it means so much to us.”
“(The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management) has been fast tracking this project from the beginning and it appears, with the (Trump) administration coming on board in January, they are really rushing these approvals through,” Meehan stated.
In the statement, the mayor also alleged BOEM ignored feedback from the Town of Ocean City,
commercial fishermen, property and business owners, as well as residents.
Meehan stated the project was poorly planned, and “leaves more questions to be answered than have been addressed.”
Meehan concluded his statement by affirming that BOEM’s approval of the project will not impact lawsuit proceedings.
ROC Edition • Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Residents of several coastal towns are opposed to wind turbines, including more than 20 plaintiffs who filed a lawsuit to prevent them.
Berlin Council takes steps to ensure share of American Rescue Plan Act funds are obligated as required
By Giovanni Guido Staff Writer
The Berlin Town Council has taken steps to guarantee the remainder of the $4.2 million it received in American Rescue Plan Act funds is obligated by the end of the year, as required by the federal government.
Of that total amount, council reallocated $21,270 from the Planning Comprehensive Plan project to the Parking Study Downtown project and authorized necessary contracts to be drawn between the town and Davis, Bowen and Friedel, Inc. an architectural, engineering and surveying firm based in Salisbury.
These actions were taken during the Monday, Dec. 9, town council meeting.
Council also gave the mayor authorization to proceed with a property lease agreement that will not exceed $60,000 for public parking.
Finance Director Natalie Saleh explained, “ARPA has notified all the municipalities that are recipients of ARPA grants that
the funds have to be obligated.
“It was very vague at the beginning of what obligations are served and thinking that we have the motion and we have the capital projects allocated would be fair enough to say that all of the funds (are) obligated and they are all on the budget of course. Nevertheless, we have to have a little bit more extra paperwork,” she said.
If a portion of the funds is not obligated by Dec. 31, funds will no longer be at the town’s disposal.
Saleh notified the council that reallocating the remaining funds from the Planning Comprehensive Plan project to the Parking Study Downtown project, which already has $64,200 from a previous reallocation, would allow the town to enter into an agreement with Davis, Bowen and Friedel sooner than if the funds stayed in the other project. This agreement, which will include a contract between the town and the engineering firm, will show that those funds are officially obligated.
Although the funding for the
comprehensive plan is being reallocated to another project, the project is not being withdrawn.
“We are not taking it away … because we’re funded by ARPA and we don’t have a contract in place to continue this study, we are just going to reallocate this particular amount to the parking study movement. And then we will re-budget in fiscal (year) 2026,” Saleh explained.
The council not only authorized a contract to be drawn between the town and the firm for the Parking Study Downtown project but also for the Well House No. 1 Powellton Avenue project, which the firm has already worked on.
Work has been done to the Powellton Avenue project by the firm, however, “We don’t have an existing contract signed per se in the moment. We have work performed, we have some several expenses paid to DBF,” Saleh said.
The firm has been working on this project through its general engineering on-call services, which is not enough of an agreement to
qualify those project’s funds as obligated. So, in order for the project’s $180,629.54 to be obligated, the council authorized an agreement to be made between the town and the firm.
The council also authorized the mayor to proceed with an agreement between the town and a certain property owner to lease property to be used for public parking. The funds for this lease will come from the ARPA funds and although no exact amount was given for the property lease, it will not exceed $60,000. This agreement will be discussed in further detail at the next council meeting on Monday, Jan. 13. There will not be a meeting on Monday, Dec. 23, due to the holiday.
Saleh added that the town has until 2026 to expend all the remaining ARPA funds, “which at this moment we have $922,000 left out of a whole $4.8 million that we have received.”
“So, I am pretty confident we will be able to expend all of the funds by 2026,” she said.
PW, Republic Services pick up bagged leaves, debris, or take to PW yard
By David Bohenick Staff Writer
Raked leaves and yard waste are being picked up by both the Ocean Pines Association’s Public Works Department and Republic Services, the community’s trash company.
Residents can put out up to four bags of leaves during the week. Republic Services will pick up bagged leaves and yard waste on residents’ typical trash service days and is offering special pick-up of leaves in paper bags only on Saturdays until Saturday, Dec. 21. Republic Services will collect on each regularly scheduled trash collection day.
Pick up is restricted to leaves. Republic Services customers can include leaves and yard debris in bags left curbside. Branches should be tied in bundles no more than 4 feet long.
If Republic Services normally
collects trash on Mondays and Thursdays, regular collection days for homes north of the Route 90 bridge, Ocean Pines will collect bagged leaves in Tuesdays and Fridays.
If Republic Services normally collects trash on Tuesdays and Fridays, scheduled collection days for south of the Route 90 bridge, Ocean Pines will collect bagged leaves there on Mondays and Thursdays.
There is no limit to how many bags will be picked up by public works.
Pines residents may also drop off bagged leaves at Public Works yard, at 1 Firehouse Lane next to Public Works Department, through Jan. 3 on Mondays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. except on Dec 25 and 26.
All types of yard debris can be dropped off. Plastic bags will not be accepted. Yard waste must be taken in loose or in paper bags only.
Berlin temporarily adopts Worcester County’s Design Guidelines and Standards document with amendments
By Giovanni Guido Staff Writer
The Berlin Town Council unanimously approved adoption of Worcester County’s Design Guidelines and Standards for Commercial Uses, with certain amendments to the document made by the Planning Commission.
Adopting this document as Berlin’s own will act as a temporary solution for the town and the commission, which is in moratorium, or suspension of activity, due to the Planning Director Dave Engelhart’s death in April. When a new planning director is in place, the town will draft its own document of the same nature to suit its needs.
During the Monday, Dec. 9, town council meeting, Planning Commission Chairman Matthew Stoehr, who helped review and amend the document, said, “The importance of this has grown vastly over the last eight months. Our meetings have seen more lawyers involved than in the last four years … This is a
stopgap until we can, you know, produce our own set of documents but this will give us what we need to protect Berlin.”
Stoehr said the document was not perfect and would contain many contradictions if adopted.
“This will need to be updated but this will buy us time until we have a planning director in place who I imagine is going to take six to 12 months to catch up with the backlog, learn what Berlin is and know how we need to go about and create our own document,” Stoehr said.
The document was previously examined by both the Planning Commission and the Historic District Commission, both which supported and recommended the document to the council for approval. Members of both commissions said it will give developers a framework to be guided by when designing structures for commercial use, with the hope of making it easier for the planning commission until they can put a new director in place.
Councilman Jack Orris said he understood the importance of the town adopting this document but had some concerns about it being “a little wishy-washy” and asked whether or not the document had “enough teeth to talk with the developers and lawyers.”
“Absolutely. Because right now … we have very little and this gives us so much more than what we have,” Stoehr said.
Multiple amendments were made to the document concerning language. On several pages the word “shall” was replaced with “should” to avoid pigeonholing developers. For example, on page 25 of the original document where it decrees that “all structures and uses shall be set back at least 100 feet from the right-of-way,” the “shall” was changed to “should.”
“We sat down for a number of hours, went through it and looked at ones that really aggressively stood out as ‘I don’t think that’s right.’ … There was one that talked about how far a parking lot had to be
behind a building and it was tied more into how the Ocean City layout would be. So, like I said, a lot of the changes were just ‘This is obviously not going to work for Berlin.’ Had we spent another 100 hours I probably could have given you 200 more,” Stoehr said.
Along with the amendments, the planning commission is allowed to grant waivers or even expand on to the guidelines and standards when the members deem it necessary. Likewise, the Historic District Commission can use the same abilities for projects in the Historic District.
Once discussions between the council subsided, Orris moved to approve the adoption of the document as the town’s own for the time being, leading to a 4-0 vote, Mayor Zack Tyndall was on paternity leave making Vice President Dean Burrell the acting mayor, in favor of the resolution.
Your voice, your story, honest dialogue matter despite challenges
In every community, there are moments when voices are silenced, not by lack of words, but by the fear of being dismissed, ridiculed or even threatened. For too many, speaking up feels like a risk, especially when the audience includes powerful figures or an unyielding leadership unwilling to listen.
At ROC Edition, we firmly believe every voice matters and we often tell the stories of those who feel unheard. We believe there should be a platform for honest dialogue that fosters an environment where transparency and accountability are valued.
We understand how challenging it can be to stand up in the face of dismissal or hostility. Perhaps you’ve been ignored in meetings, laughed at for expressing your ideas or intimidated into silence by those in authority. These experiences are not just frustrating; they are harmful. They stifle creativity, suppress important conversations and erode the trust that holds communities together.
But silence only allows these dynamics to persist. Speaking up is the first
COMMENTARY
step toward change. When you share your story, you empower others who may be experiencing the same struggles. You remind them and yourself that they are not alone, that their experiences are valid, and that their voices are worth hearing.
ROC Edition is committed to being a safe space for your voice, no matter how small or loud it may seem. If you have faced challenges in being heard, if you have seen injustice, or if you have ideas for creating a more inclusive, respectful community, we encourage you to share them with us. We are happy to talk to you and determine if we can shine a light on issues that need addressing, Always, we celebrate the courage it takes to speak truth to power.
Your story might have the power to inspire change. It may challenge outdated systems, bring awareness to hidden struggles or simply remind others of the importance of empathy and respect. Whatever your story may be, the ROC Edition staff is willing to hear it.
At ROC Edition, we believe your voice matters.
Speaking freely is a right every citizen should enjoy
At ROC Edition, our mission has always been to amplify the voices of our community, especially those who feel they have no outlet. The reality is that environments of intimidation and ridicule aren’t just isolated incidents; they reflect deeper systemic issues that affect us all. When people are silenced, we lose their perspectives, their ideas and their potential contributions to making our community stronger.
We know it’s not easy to speak up. Fear of retaliation, embarrassment or being labeled a troublemaker is real. But change begins when we step forward, despite the fear. It begins when we demand to be heard, not just for ourselves but for everyone who feels trapped in silence.
ROC Edition is a platform where you can speak to the reporters and editors freely, safely and without fear of being ignored. Whether your story challenges authority, questions decisions or simply shares your experience, we will listen and possibly share it with our growing readership.
More Pines residents should complete important community surveys;powerful tool offers opportunity to voice concerns about what matters.
Community surveys are a vital tool in fostering collaboration, transparency and shared decision making within any homeowners’ association.
They provide home owners with the opportunity to voice their concerns, priorities and ideas ensuring the board of directors has a clear understanding of what matters most to residents.
Unfortunately, this year’s Ocean Pines survey shows a significant decline in participation. Out of more than 8,500 homes, only 628 surveys have been returned compared to 1,800 three years ago according to the Strategic Planning committee meeting held today. This raises an important question: Why are fewer people engaging, and what does it mean for the future of our community?
The survey is one of the most powerful tools we have to hold leadership accountable and ensure that decisions reflect the will of the majority.
Click the link and take time to complete the survey provided by the Ocean Pines Strategic Planning Committee. http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2024OPAsurvey
Sherrie Clifford Publisher, ROC Edition
The ROC Staff
Sherrie Clifford Publisher 856-873-6029 sclifford@oceanpinesroc.com
Susan Canfora News Editor 410-208-8721 scanfora@oceanpinesroc.com
Giovanni Guido Staff Writer gioguido56@gmail.com
David Bohenick Staff Writer dbohenick2003@gmail.com
Tessah Good Staff Writer tessahgood@icloud.com
Grace Conaway Staff Writer graceocon3@gmail.com
Ocean Pines ROC Inc. 11202 Racetrack Road Ocean Pines, Md. 21811 www.ROCEdition.com
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Pines resident who never speeds calls for drivers to obey the limit, slow down
Editor, ROC Edition:
I’m a “car nut” and have been ever since I received my first license and my dad went with me and helped me choose, and buy, my first car.
Since then I’ve driven a Ferrari F430 and a Lamborghini Countach and once drove 110 miles per hour in second gear through the traps of a quarter-mile drag strip and rode a big Kawasaki motorcycle 100 miles per hour on the Le Mans Mulsanne straight in France. But, the times they have a-changed.
For quite a while now, I’ve regularly driven the posted speed limits. For example, I live in Ocean Pines and drive 25 miles per hour on the back streets and 35 mph on Ocean Parkway. On Route 589 I drive 55, or 50 mph where it’s posted, and, for example, coming north on 113 into Berlin when the speed limit drops to 45, so do I. Driving like this has become second nature to me, and, overall, very satisfying.
But when I turn off 589 unto 113 north, and settle on 55 mph, just about all the cars behind me inevitably take off like the green flag has been dropped at Daytona, because nowadays it seems it’s just about everyone’s God-given right to drive as fast as they want to, or dare to, when they want to. Why? Because they can!
I think Amy Alkon, the advice goddess, once nailed it when she wrote that basically, all of us are just spoiled brats. “Speed limit schmeed limit, I’m going to drive as fast as I want to, so there.”
I drive the posted speed limits, particularly on Ocean Parkway in Ocean Pines, Maryland, because I live here, walk here and, bicycle here.
Ralph J. Ferrusi
Ocean Pines
Reader disturbed by decision not to support grant application
Editor, ROC Edition:
At a recent Worcester County Commissioners meeting, I was deeply disturbed by their decision to deny support for a critical funding grant application. This decision jeopardizes the future efforts of the Maryland Coastal Bays Program in (Worcester) County.
The MCBP, though not composed of oceanographers or energy engineers, has tirelessly worked to enhance the quality of life and environmental health around the bays. Their efforts are a key reason why so many bayfront businesses in Ocean City thrive. Thanks to MCBP’s work, these establishments don’t have to contend with fish kills or unpleasant odors from the water, enabling them to enjoy significant economic benefits.
Unfortunately, the commissioners appear to be punishing MCBP for not aligning with their stance on the US Wind project. By rejecting the potential grant, they turned down an opportunity to bring over $15 million worth of work and education to the county. Instead, they prioritized political agendas over the health of our bays.
This punitive approach demanding unwavering agreement or imposing consequences is nothing short of bullying. The true losers in this situation are the county’s residents. The commissioners’ actions deepen divisions in our community at a time when unity is more important than ever.
Tim Peck Ocean Pines
When a door opens … STANDING Room Only
Thirty years ago I, as Director of Community Relations for Mountaire Farms in Selbyville, started the Thanksgiving for Thousands program, providing food for scores of Delmarva families in need.
The program still exists today, feeding many during the Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter holidays in this area and beyond.
At that time, there was a day in November when I received a call from someone who was told of our crusade and requested a box of food. And the next morning I loaded our normal food containers of canned, boxed and a large roaster chicken onto a pickup truck and headed out into the wood and dirt-covered roads of Maryland’s Eastern Shore countryside with the directions provided to me on the phone call for help.
As I turned into the winding road from the directions I received, the house became visible, sitting within an over-vegetated landscape.
Unloading the box from the truck, I walked to the house, rapped on the door and was greeted by an elderly women with six crying children clinging to her. She stood in front of me with a surprised look as I explained my presence and the fact that I was following up on her phone call in need of holiday food.
The next few minutes was a shock and surprise to me. She politely explained that she didn’t call and this was a mistake. During our five-minute conversation she went on to tearfully tell me the six children clinging to her were left in her care by her three children who went away, not to return. She couldn’t leave them at home, therefore couldn’t work to provide for the youngsters, average age of 6. She was heartbroken as she told the tale of her three children irresponsibly leaving their children.
By Roger Marino
This distraught, overburdened woman was indeed in need. But it was the wrong house.
Even so, I left two boxes of food and drove down the road to the correct house and dropped off another box to the proper location, all the while hearing the tearful words of that poor woman in my memory.
As I turned back toward the highway and headed home, I passed the “wrong-door” lady’s house and stopped, thinking, “What should I do for this lady who didn’t seem to deserve this plight?”
I was struck with a plan.
The next day I returned to the house in the woods, rapped on the door and cheerfully explained that we would find her a housekeeper and babysitter for half days while she went to a job worthy of her skills. A youthful expression immediately came over her face. There were tears of joy and a new brightness.
Today the house is easier seen because the overgrown foliage is trimmed, the driveway is paved and two of those six children are attending college. A part-time cleaning job became, for her, a management position. Life is now good for that woman who answered the door to greet a man who didn’t know where he was going. It was a new life for that family of seven.
I often remember that moment when I made the wrong turn on a mission to provide a box of food for a family in need. Instead it became one of the greatest experiences of love and compassion in my community relations history. What’s ahead for you when you answer the knock at the door?
Let’s all pray this new year opens new beginnings for all of us. And remember, in 2025 the knock at the door could be your new beginning. Blood is kin. Love is family.
ROC Life
Pines’ Snowball Stand offers frozen fun in form of decorative flavored ice, unique colorful treats; holiday celebration with visit from Santa in the works
By Tessah Good Staff Writer
Ocean Pines’ Snowball Stand provides frozen fun—and the holidays are no exception.
A Christmas celebration is in the works at the Cathell Roal business and as it’s being planned, customers are enjoying a variety of specialty holiday goodies, like Santa Frozen Cocoa, served in a Santa boot.
The most popular item during the holiday, owner Danielle Pohland said, is the Grinch snowball, an icy green offering served with ice cream and topped with a Little Debbie cake.
This time of year the Snowball Stand sells more than 300 snowballs daily. During the busy summer season customers gobble up more than 500 snowballs per day.
Each flavor is made with a mix of homemade simple syrup. Strawberry Shortcake sundae is a fan-favorite. Customers can choose from more than 40 flavors. Other dessert options, like hot brownie sundaes, hot chocolate, apple cider and floats are available.
Holiday treats aren’t the only goodies available at the Snowball Stand this year.
Pohland sells pumpkins in the fall and started selling Christmas trees when her oldest son, Kayden, 6, was 10 months old. Since then, there have been festive decorations each year, plus a new baby boy, Sal.
Last year’s holiday celebration featured Santa Claus, who posed for photos as customers shopped for items from local vendors and joined in the tree lighting and karaoke.
Pohland, 30, has been working at the Snowball Stand since she was 12. When she received news that summer that the business was for sale, she recalled being devastated and begging her father, Craig Pohland, to buy it.
He did. And at the age of 17, Pohland took over the stand as its new owner. It took about one year for the business to really take off and what was once was a fun little summer job, as Pohland described it, became a passion.
“We have so many daily customers that come at certain times of the day. I always walk outside and end up sitting down with customers and chatting for hours … We have great customers, and we build so many relationships that some have become more like family to me than a customer,” Pohland said.
Along with the current crew, Pohland’s father, partner Dakota, and their older son help run the stand.
Pohland said her favorite part of owning the stand is seeing her children take part in a family tradition.
“Bringing my children to work with me is always nice. They get to be a part of something that I have been a part of since I was little … To watch my 6-year-old and now my 1-month-old is always such a fun part,” Pohland said.
The Snowball Stand is typically open between February and December. Pohland said if the weather is unfavorable on a given year, it might remain closed until March.
See @TheSnowballStand on Facebook or www/TheSnowballStand. com.
ROC Edition • Tessah Good
Customers who frequent The Snowball Stand on Cathell Road in Ocean Pines enjoy tasty flavored ices, ice cream, hot chocolate and beverages, while shopping for Christmas trees and gifts sold by vendors.
Children were greeted by the Jolly Elf and Mrs. Claus at Ocean Pines’ Breakfast With Santa, where they wrote letters expressing their heartfelt wishes. Kiwanis Club members cooked breakfast for the Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks Department event, during which children found the perfect gifts in Santa’s Secret Shop.
ROC Edition • Sherrie Clifford, Publisher
Angel Tree program offers opportunity to help Ocean Pines families
Staff Report
The Ocean Pines Administration is collecting holiday gifts to be donated to two local families in need through the Angel Tree program.
The Angel Trees can be found in most of the Ocean Pines Association’s departments, including Administration, Recreation and Parks and Aquatics.
Trees are decorated with ornaments representing items families request. Residents may select an ornament and return new, wrapped gifts by Friday, Dec. 20.
Gifts requested by the families include clothing and toys for children ranging in age from toddlers to teenagers. There is a full list of items available at each of the Angel Trees.
According to a news release from the Ocean Pines Association, it partnered with the Berlin Crisis Center to identify two families requiring assistance this year.
Linda Martin, Director of Administration for the Ocean Pines Administration, said one family is composed of a single mother with three children and the other cannot afford to purchase anything for their children this Christmas.
The two families, along with three others, will also be receiving items to make Christmas dinner. See info@oceanpines.org.
Donations can be dropped off by Dec. 20 at any of the Angel Trees.
Photo courtesy of Ocean Pines Association Director of Public Relations and Marketing Josh Davis
Teal Bay Mitzvah Team asking community to donate beverages, snacks for first responders
By Giovanni Guido Staff Writer
Pines residents are being asked to donate Keurig K-Cups, sugar and snacks to brighten the long, often dangerous, days of firefighters, police officers and those who provide medical care in Ocean Pines.
The collection is an initiative of the Teal Bay Mitzvah Team, whose members say the response has “not been what we had hoped.”
“And that may be because people were very involved in Thanksgiving but we are so hoping for a bigger response. We’re going to keep going until we have enough stuff to make a difference,” Mitzvah member Margit Novack told ROC Edition, adding other items she and fellow members need are artificial sweetener, regular and diet Gatorade and bottled water.
Donations can be taken to 2 Riverside Court in Teal Bay.
The Mitzvah Team is composed of seven volunteers who live in Teal Bay and who joined to benefit the community in 2020.
“It’s one of the ways we find purpose living here. Each year we focus on one or two areas we like to support,” Novack said.
The name, which was Novack’s idea, echoes that sentiment. Being the only Jewish member, she suggested “mitzvah,” which is Hebrew for “commandment” and synonymous with “good deed.” That is the definition Novack had in mind when she suggested the name.
Team members have been working on the new initiative since September.
“Almost all of our ideas have been a result of collaboration … together we come up with better ideas and can implement them because it’s not one person. It’s a group working on a project together,” Novack said.
All the members agreed on the idea because “most of us have actually experienced the benefit of the first responders that serve Ocean Pines personally. My husband had a heart attack here six years ago and the first responders came … and several have had similar experiences so we are so grateful to have this kind of help.
“These are not ‘We’re going to buy a new fire engine’ or ‘We’re going to get new firefighting equipment’ or ‘A new telemetry equipment.’ These are things that are smaller and yet if we can make their
Members of the Teal Bay Mitzvah Team collect coffee, Gatorade, sugar and snacks in individual bags for first responders who police the area, fight fires and respond to emergencies.
life more comfortable and it’s easy for us to do especially as a community by giving just a little we said, ‘Let’s do that,’” Novack said.
In the past, the Mitzvah Team has helped first responders in various ways, “But we said, ‘Is there anything more personal? Any other way we can help?’ So, we reached out to the heads of the fire department and
the EMTs and the police department and said, ‘What could we do that would make the lives of the members easier, more pleasant?’ and they said, ‘Well, there are some things’ and they gave a list,” she said.
Ever since the members met while walking their dogs “we all had the same mindset” of giving back, Novack said.
Berlin and Ocean City to celebrate New Year’s Eve with ball drop, fireworks at 6 p.m., not midnight
By Giovanni Guido Staff Writer
The Town of Berlin will be hosting its New Year’s Eve ball drop event Tuesday, Dec. 31 on the corner of Pitts and Main Streets. The event will begin at 5 p.m. There will be an array of activities for families to enjoy leading up to the ball drop at 6 p.m., which will coincide with midnight in Berlin, Germany.
Activities will include painting stations, as well as music and announcements provided by Radio Ocean City. Local restaurants will also be open for dinner service during the event. Cowbells will be handed out before the ball drop to help everyone ring in the new year.
This year’s celebration marks Berlin’s third. However, last year Berlin Town Council voted to no longer hold the ball drop at midnight due to low attendance.
Ivy Wells, the Town of Berlin’s
Director of Economic and Community development said the late celebration proved difficult for families, business owners, and entertainers.
“People really enjoyed coming to the 6 p.m. [ball drop] and then they weren’t going to turn around and come back for the midnight ball drop… So, it made more sense to invest in the family-friendly 6 p.m. ball drop and no have the midnight ball drop,” Wells said.
Attendance for the 6 p.m. ball drop averages to about 1,500 people, a small percentage of the midnight event, Wells added.
“The families love it. They get to enjoy a ball drop with their kids and the kids get to be home in time for bedtime. Restaurants are busy before and after and we received positive feedback,” said Wells.
Meanwhile, the Town of Ocean City will celebrate the new year with a fireworks display in two locations at midnight. The fireworks will
‘Music speaks when words fail’ Carol Ludwig leads popular Delmarva Chorus
ByTessah Good News Editor
During the years, members of the Delmarva Chorus have established close friendships and made memories that still make them laugh – like the day they were in the car, driving to a performance.
“I hit those rumble strips on the side of the road and a note came out and everyone started singing that note. So, then we were testing what pitch at certain miles per hour. Someone in the back said, ‘Can you imagine a cop stopping us and saying, ‘You were doing an A flat in an F minor?” Director Carol Ludwig said, laughing.
The chorus has been active on Delmarva since August 2001. The 26 members travel and perform for the community, using only their voices and occasionally a ukelele.
A volunteer organization, it was originally known as the Delmarva Women’s Barbershop Chorus, but after passing the audition for Sweet Adelines International, members decided on a new name.
Performances are at nursing homes and retirement centers throughout Worcester, Wicomico
and southern Sussex counties and also at Ocean Pines events including the annual Veterans Day and Memorial Day events.
Ludwig has been involved since it was created and was a member of Sweet Adelines 46 years after spending years directing in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and before coming to Maryland and starting her own chapter of Sweet Adelines.
She remembered when there were only 20 attendees at the first concert. Performers started gaining attention after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The community of Ocean Pines hosted patriotic events and the chorus sang to soothe residents, all saddened, most mourning.
“It seemed to be what they needed at the time,” Ludwig said.
Since then, the choir has been a stable part of the community.
“We just kept singing,” she added. Members, who sing a cappella, rely on donations for the volunteer organization. Donations are used to purchase robes and music and pay for educational conventions and membership fees to Sweet Adelines International.
launch from the beach near Dorchester Street. Patrons may view the show from the beach and boardwalk outside the established safety zone.
Viewers can also watch a fireworks display from the pier at Northside Park from 125th Street and Jamaica Avenue.
Although both fireworks displays will begin at midnight, the beach event will last 20 minutes and the park event will last only 10 minutes.
“Between the two displays, we estimate the draw to be around 4,000 viewers total in the immediate areas and growing,” said Jessica Waters, Communications and Marketing Director for the Town of Ocean City in an email to ROC Edition.
Celebration Fireworks of Slatington, Pennsylvania is providing the pyrotechnics for the beach display.
The Northside Park fireworks are being provided by TEAM Productions of Ocean City and Image Engineering of Baltimore.
Members of the Delmarva Chorus build friendships while entertaining and cheering those who attend shows.
Singers host the annual show Coffee, Tea and Harmony every July, as the main fundraiser. Admission costs $15 and desserts, coffee and tea are included.
Each year singers travel to Lancaster, Pa., to complete against other Sweet Adelines from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia.
The choir has won multiple awards in competitions and been named Most Improved and Audiences’ Choice. Members perform about once each month and more often during the holiday season including at the Community Holiday Sing Along, Ocean Pines Hometown Tree Lighting, Berlin Tree Lighting and at nursing home and retirement homes.
“We go into places where people are not healthy or not having a good
day. We start singing and immediately we get smiles,” said Ludwig, who visits the Worcester County Developmental Center twice weekly, where she presents songs clients dance to.
“Most songs spark happy memories. It just goes in your heart, and you can’t help but hum along. Music makes people happy. It’s common ground. Music speaks when words fail,” she said.
The connection between the chorus members, she added, is “a sisterhood” and anyone interested in joining can attend a rehearsal or contact Ludwig at ludwig692@ outlook.com.
“We’re very supportive of each other,” Ludwig said. “It’s non-competitive. It’s a lot of fun.”
ROC Edition • Submitted
ROC Edition • Town of Berlin
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ROC Edition • Sherrie Clifford, Publisher
Floats and marching bands light up the night at the annual Berlin Christmas Parade where spectators cheered and children watched for Santa to arrive.
All aboard to Plasticville! Train garden now open at OP Volunteer Fire Department
By David Bohenick Staff Writer
Members of the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department are taking residents to Plasticville during the third annual train display at the North Station, weekends until Jan. 5. The family-friendly event, at 249 Ocean Parkway, is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays, 8 a.m. to noon and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays.
Guests are greeted by a large inflatable Santa in the station lobby and once inside, visitors will see the fire station transformed. Plasticville lights up the darkened station with bright red, blue and green LED lights. The display is complete with a miniature farm, lumber mill, doctor’s office, fish shop, airport and monorail.
Several billboards are scattered throughout Plasticville, advertising local businesses including Deeley Insurance Group, Popce’s
Homemade Ice Cream, A Bagel And…, My Backyard, McGee Fence, and Dandy Don’s Bike Rentals. Other sponsors include Preston Automotive Group, Cindy Poremski Realtor and, the featured sponsor, Serpone’s Pizza.
Adults and children can participate in a scavenger hunt, which requires participants to search for model gas stations, restaurants and an elephant, among other little landmarks.
By participating in the scavenger hunt, guests are entered into a raffle for four tickets to Jolly Roger Splash Mountain Water Park in Ocean City. The winner will be drawn once the train garden closes for the season.
Plastic fire helmets are also available in both red and pink for guests to wear and keep. Additionally, volunteers give out crayons, coloring sheets and fire safety pamphlets. Admission is free to all visitors but donations are accepted.
Trains in elaborate settings in a magical town called Plasticville are on display at the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department. The third annual train display at the North Station is open weekends until Jan. 5. The family-friendly event, at 249 Ocean Parkway, is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays, 8 a.m. to noon and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays.
ROC Edition • Sherrie Clifford, Publisher
Goats, cows, donkey surround manger scene, make live nativity realistic at Bluebird Farms
By Grace Conaway Staff Writer
This holiday season Bluebird Farms is hosting an interactive live nativity scene and providing the community with a way to give back.
Bluebird Farms is providing space for Saltwater Mini Farm to showcase its animals. The scene includes two miniature goats, a cow, donkey and representation of baby Jesus in the manger. Visitors can donate to a fund to benefit Diakonia, a temporary shelter in West Ocean City, as well as Coastal Hospice, Boy Scouts of America Troop 621 and Saltwater Mini-Farm.
The nativity scene is open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Christmas in the main building at Bluebird Farms.
Cold weather on opening weekend may have kept some visitors away, Nancie Corbett, Bluebird Farms owner, said.
“For my expectations, it was about mid-range. I was hoping for a little more, but it was a good turnout
… They definitely seemed to enjoy it. Every person that interacted with it brought them joy,” Corbett said.
Saltwater Mini Farm in Berlin is home to 47 rescued farm animals. The owner, Heather Kiser, said although there are other live nativity scenes on the Eastern Shore, this is the only one in Worcester County.
“I just built it. I didn’t even have a place to put it, but Nancie really sold this spot for me. I was set,” Kiser said.
Kiser said it’s also an opportunity to teach her children about the importance of thinking of others during the holiday season.
“I started rescuing animals when my children’s father died. I thought about getting them a kitten and the next morning there were three kittens on my front porch,” Kiser said.
When Kiser first rescued the animals that now live on Saltwater Mini Farm, she said it took them a long time to become comfortable around her, but patience proved to be key.
“They have all come from different walks of life. Some of them have
been completely wild when we got them, so it takes a few months to get used to us … Now we can tell that the animals have a new application since they have been rescued,” Kiser said.
Kiser’s mission, she said, is to give back to the community. She said she uses her animals to help raise funds for non-profits, charities and medical care for her farm’s other animals.
“When she approached me about this event, right away I was really excited about it,” Corbett said.
Kiser also travels to farmers’ markets, birthday parties and special events. Kiser said she has become happier since she started rescuing animals and wants to share the joy.
“I didn’t realize how much happiness they bring me, and they bring everyone happiness, which is why I like stepping out there and going to places because times are tough,” Kiser said.
The farm’s Facebook page is Saltwater Mini Farm. For more information, call 410-251-3442.
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Publisher In time for Christmas, animals including a little cow are on display at the Live Nativity at Bluebird Farms in Ocean Pines.
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SUBMITTED BY: Paisley G. of Ocean Pines
For ages 12 and under. Entries selected at the discretion of the editor. Submit artwork to: info@oceanpinesroc.com
ROC Edition
Sherrie Clifford,
