By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (Aug. 14, 2025) The Ocean Pines Association is in stellar financial health, officials said last week. On Saturday, Aug.9, OPA held its annual membership meeting. Here, community leaders provided residents with updates on ongoing initiatives and the homeowner association’s financial position. Reports revealed that Ocean Pines’ coffers are in good… Read more »

By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (Aug. 14, 2025) For the Ocean Pines Association, the board of directors will remain as is, as incumbents Monica Rakowski, Steve Jacobs, and Stuart Lakernick secured the most votes in this year’s election. In OPA’s 2025 Board of Directors election, four residents campaigned for the governing body’s three open seats…. Read more »

By Tara Fischer Staff Writer Improvements and new partnerships are coming to the Ocean Pines food and beverage service, including a party boat experience from the community’s Yacht Club to Seacrets in Ocean City. Since this spring, restaurant group Touch of Italy (TOI) has been the operator of the Ocean Pines Association’s food and beverage… Read more »

By Tara Fischer Staff Writer A handful of local chefs will compete at the Berlin Farmers Market this Sunday for a chance to attend 2025’s World Food Championships. This week, on Aug. 10, Berlin chefs will compete in a Guy’s Grocery Games-style competition at the town’s farmers market. The winner will receive a “golden ticket,”… Read more »

By Tara Fischer Staff Writer A potential cell phone tower in Ocean Pines could benefit the majority of residents, with equipment redirection and small cell towers serving as supplementary support toward more reliability. Last week, representatives from Milestone Towers, a cell tower building company, and Verizon Wireless hosted a question-and-answer-style town hall for Ocean Pines… Read more »

By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (July 31, 2025) Town of Berlin officials say they are working toward placing sidewalks along Old Ocean City Boulevard to enhance pedestrian safety and walkability. Residents from the neighborhoods near the road flocked to the Berlin mayor and council’s meeting on Monday to implore the town to make real progress… Read more »

By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (July 31, 2025) To establish and encourage use of the Town of Berlin’s new parking lot on the corner of West and Washington Street, the municipality’s Town Council green-lit the allocation of funds for improvements to the carpark, and approved updated parking restrictions. At its meeting on Monday, July 28,… Read more »

By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (July 31, 2025) The Town of Berlin’s effort to appeal a property tax assessment of Dollar General, which yielded a reduction in property value of more than 20%, failed as the state tax office affirmed the lowered valuation. In May, Wayne Hartman, owner of the property leased to Dollar General… Read more »

By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (July 31, 2025) Ocean Pines homeowners will have until this Wednesday, August 6, to cast their votes for the three open seats in the community’s board of directors’ election. The Ocean Pines Association’s Board of Directors, a seven-person body tasked with community-wide police setting, has three positions available for this… Read more »

By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (July 24, 2025) Uplighting will replace the current in-tree string lighting found in the trees in downtown Berlin, along Main Street, per a favorable vote by the municipality’s council last week. On Monday, July 14, the Berlin Town Council green-lit a change in downtown that will see the transition away… Read more »