ANNAPOLIS – The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) Weights and Measures reported the following enforcement activity between April 14, 2011 and July 11, 2011.  Giant Food # 362, Germantown — On April 14, MDA received $1000 for a civil penalty assessed for short weight. Giant Food # 140, Hyattsville — On April 15, MDA received… Read more »

BERLIN —  When Upton Sinclair got the country and its politicians all atwitter about the conditions under which meat was produced, America was a radically different country. Gasoline wasn’t even really the main fuel for moving things around the planet and the notion of highly-centralized production being the best way to handle all commodities was… Read more »

BERLIN — If it wasn’t clear that the folks on the lower Eastern Shore were against the proposed increase in the Bay Bridge toll, the fact that Del. Norman Conway was shouted down by the crowd for suggesting a compromise should have driven the point home. Conway was one of the many people who came… Read more »

BERLIN — In an effort to bring a few recalcitrant landlords into line, the Mayor and Town Council began deliberations this week on how to finesse the town code to make it harder for non-compliant or unregistered businesses to operate as they have been. The expectation is that there will be a way to do… Read more »

BERLIN — This week the Town Council didn’t so much call Congress’ bluff as they did ignore it. As the town prepares to get to work on the new spray site, the approved funding for the project remains part of the unapproved federal budget. Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development program… Read more »

BERLIN — When Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services took up the challenge to provide the town with children’s programs, there wasn’t a lot of concern about their qualifications. The nonprofit merely convinced the town that allowing them the $24,000 annually that had originally been set aside for one part-time employee to do the work… Read more »

OCEAN PINES — Before taking questions at this week’s town hall-style meeting, General Manager Bob Thompson set the tone by dealing directly with what were likely the most divisive issues currently facing the community, especially the assessment increases and the facilities advisory committee. When discussing his support for the facilities advisory committee — people selected… Read more »

SNOW HILL — Worcester County has run dangerously low on cash and could have to borrow from its reserves, Worcester County Finance Officer Harold Higgins told the county commissioners Tuesday. He said circumstances beyond the administration’s control had caused the situation, but that the county is generally low on cash at this time of the… Read more »

BERLIN — Word hasn’t quite gotten out yet about the new farmers’ market near Atlantic General Hospital so the small group there spent a relatively slow July 4 afternoon fending off a combination of heat and boredom. The new market was initiated by Crystal Mumford, an AGH employee health assistant who is on the hospital’s… Read more »

BERLIN — The end of an era. A former champion’s return. Redemption from a disastrous loss. These are only a few of the oddly compelling story lines surrounding next weekend’s Bathtub Races on Main Street.  Jesse Turner, owner of the Berlin Shoe Box, has run a tub in each of the last 16 races but… Read more »