By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 20, 2018) Toy Town Antiques owner Richard Seaton said the Snow Hill Mayor and Council are not telling the whole story when it comes to the controversy surrounding his store. Seaton was lured to Snow Hill from Berlin in 2016, when the town offered to deed a historic building in… Read more »
News
Police arrest suspect in Berlin vehicle thefts
By Rachel Ravina, Staff Writer (Dec. 20, 2018) A 44-year-old Whaleyville man was arrested in connection with several vehicle break-ins in Berlin during the last several of months, the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation said Tuesday. Joseph Brian Moseley was charged with a host of offenses, including malicious destruction of property, theft between $100 and $1,500,… Read more »
GM Bailey on dos and don’ts of fire pits
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 20, 2018) Following up on a November press release by the Ocean Pines Association, General Manager John Bailey, during a public board meeting earlier this month, sought to clarify the rules on having fire pits in the community. “Can one have a fire pit? Yes! Can one have an existing… Read more »
Community rallies around Jake Newcomer
Rachel Ravina, Staff Writer (Dec. 20, 2018) It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – after a community rallied around 11-year-old cancer patient Jake Newcomer to give him a night he surely would not forget. Newcomer’s step-grandfather, Ocean Pines Police Department Lt. Greg Schoeph, said the boy’s illness prevented him from attending celebrations in… Read more »
New traffic pattern still concerns council
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) Berlin Mayor and Council members are still not comfortable with traffic patterns coming out of the new Ocean’s East apartment complex onto Seahawk Road and near Stephen Decatur High School. Town officials complained of unsafe conditions during the last several months and asked Planning Director Dave Engelhart to… Read more »
Thousands brave cold for annual Christmas parade
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) Below-freezing temperatures did little to deter the crowd of several thousand spectators who lined up to watch Berlin’s annual Christmas parade, last Thursday. Eighty-two groups participated in the parade, sponsored the Town of Berlin and Berlin Main Street, and paid for from donations by Berlin-area businesses. “It went… Read more »
Pines signs point to Northstar; special meeting Friday
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) A decision on new financial software narrowed on Friday, as the Ocean Pines Board of Directors appeared to rule out outsourcing through Legum & Norman, a regional subsidiary of the Associa corporation that manages 8,000 communities in the U.S. Following that apparent decision at a board work session,… Read more »
Utility deficits eroding general fund, audit shows
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) A Town of Berlin fiscal 2018 audit report on Monday night came with several notes of caution, as representatives from Ocean City firm PKS & Company said negative fund balances were rapidly eating away at the general fund. Auditing Partner Michael Kleger began by presenting an unmodified, or… Read more »
General manager asked to explore OPA organization
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) A special Ocean Pines Board meeting on Friday was short-lived, as the directors said they had already discussed the lone agenda topic, board priorities, at length. The top priority that emerged was an exploration of the organizational layout of the association, with directors tasking General Manager John Bailey… Read more »
Disbelief following cell tower lease rejection
By Rachel Ravina, Staff Writer (Dec. 13, 2018) Calvert Crosslands partner Barb Pivec said she was blindsided by the Worcester County Commissioners’ decision last week to reject a lease agreement for a cell tower site at the Ocean Pines Wastewater Treatment Plant. Pivec said she entered the meeting with the belief the lease would be approved…. Read more »