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Comfort station for Stephen Decatur Park moving ahead; Town to use two months of slot revenues to pay for the project’s soaring expense

By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (July 31, 2025) A comfort station will soon be installed at Stephen Decatur Park, featuring two restrooms, a drinking fountain, and a maintenance room, after town officials covered an unexpected funding gap of nearly $60,000. At its meeting on Monday, July 28, the Berlin Town Council unanimously agreed to contract… Read more »

Berlin loses challenge of Dollar General property assessment

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 »

Voting deadline approaches for Ocean Pines board seats, referendum

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 »

Current Berlin council favors uplighting trees downtown

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 »

State says wind permit rules have been properly followed

By Brian Shane Staff Writer (July 25, 2025) We’ve done it the right way, federal rules don’t apply here, and we won’t be reissuing any permits. That’s the upshot of a July 17 letter from Maryland’s Department of the Environment (MDE) to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a response that pushes back against the… Read more »

Commissioners briefed on solar ag projects

By Brian Shane Staff Writer (July 24, 2025) Worcester County officials want more control over the outcome when a field of solar panels dies and the cleanup costs come due, but state law is tying their hands. The issue came up through discussion of a proposed Queponco Road solar project, from Massachusetts-based developer New Leaf… Read more »

New mixed-use project proposed for Berlin

By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (July 24, 2025) Burley Building Company, a Berlin-based construction business, is looking to create a multi-phase mixed-use project in its hometown to include the business’s headquarters, additional commercial space and employee housing. The Berlin Planning Commission reviewed the project’s conceptual site plan at its meeting on Wednesday, July 16. The… Read more »

‘Runaway Bride’ screening on lawn planned

By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (July 24, 2025) The Berlin-filmed “Runaway Bride” movie will be honored for its 26th anniversary this weekend with a showing on the lawn of the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum. This Saturday, July 26, the Taylor House will screen “Runaway Bride,” the 1999 film starring household names Julia Roberts and… Read more »

Aquatics Committee clarifies member roles; Protocol states suggestions must be in writing, sent to OPA general manager first

By Tara Fischer Staff Writer The Ocean Pines Association’s Aquatics Advisory Committee aims to strengthen its working relationship with community staff and the board of directors to ensure facility excellence, following a recent situation in which a member of the volunteer group made unsolicited recommendations to pool professionals. The Ocean Pines Aquatics Advisory Committee met… Read more »