School district puts politics above kids Editor, In a closed-door meeting in May, the Somerset County Board of Education voted to terminate School Superintendent Ava Tasker-Mitchell. The Board left the meeting without answering questions from parents who waited outside the closed doors. No reason to support the firing was provided. One parent politely asked a… Read more »
News
Letter To The Editor: Courts need to do better
Courts need to do better Editor, The recent from Ken Kuyawa hits the nail on the head with respect to strict sentences as one of the most effective deterrents to the lawlessness we see throughout Ocean City. Whether it is participants in these pop-up events terrorizing our streets and beaches, guys beating up on wives… Read more »
08/21/2025 Bayside Editorial: Diakonia perseveres and moves forward
Diakonia perseveres and moves forward Diakonia, the West Ocean City-based provider of services to the homeless, knows something about adversity as well as how to overcome it through perseverance. The nonprofit organization demonstrated the latter last Wednesday at the groundbreaking for a project that at one time appeared to be forever doomed. It’s not clear… Read more »
James G. Whalan
James G. Whalan New York James (“Jim”) G. Whalan, 77, passed away on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, at Achieve Rehab and Nursing Facility, in Liberty, N.Y. He is the brother of Judith Ann Whalan, of Ocean City, and the uncle of Caitlin Whalan Jones, formerly of Ocean City. Jim, the son of Francis and Joan… Read more »
Deborah J. Fredo
Deborah J. Fredo Ocean Pines With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Deborah J. Fredo (referred to by old friends as Debbie), a beloved resident of Ocean Pines, who peacefully left us on Aug. 5, 2025, at the Pam and Macky Stansell House of Coastal Hospice. Deborah was born on Nov. 14, 1949, in… Read more »
Free parking could be going away in Berlin
By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (Aug. 14, 2025) Although a timeline has not been established, paid parking could be introduced in the Town of Berlin to generate money to cover the repair for existing spaces, potentially ending the longstanding practice of free downtown parking. Parking issues and their solutions have been a recurring topic of… Read more »
Berlin Community Center wish list totals $35M, study finds
By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (Aug. 14, 2025) A proposed community center in Berlin could take the steep price of $35 million to get off the ground. This week, Daniele Haley of Haley Architecture presented a community center feasibility study conducted by the firm, which revealed the proposed space, incorporating each and every resident wish,… Read more »
OPA officials reveal annual economic report
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 »
Berlin loses nearly $1M in funding for Route 113 work; mayor calls grant cut ‘heartbreaking’
By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (Aug. 14, 2025) The future of a project to create safe bicycle and pedestrian crossings on Route 113 in Berlin now looks bleak, as a significant portion of already awarded funding has been rescinded due to an action by the federal government. An initiative aimed at improving pedestrian and biking… Read more »
Berlin sets new fee structure for peddler licenses
By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (Aug. 14, 2025) The Berlin Council adopted an ordinance this week that restricts peddling in town outside the hours of Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and prohibits the practice on holidays. A new fee structure for solicitors was also implemented. At its meeting on Monday, Aug. 11,… Read more »