OC council votes to pass smoking ban

OCEAN CITY -- The Ocean City council voted to pass an ordinance to ban smoking at some parks and playgrounds in town.
Officials also plan to draw up an ordinance that would give new town hires and existing employees a third choice in post-employment health care coverage.

If Mayor Rick Meehan signs the smoking ban into law, people found smoking at listed locations would face a maximum fine of $500 and immediate removal from the park. The new rule would be the first town-mandated restriction on outdoor smoking within resort limits.

According to the ordinance, smoking would be banned at Ocean Bowl Skate Park, the Ocean City
Tennis Center on 61st Street and the tennis courts on Third Street. Smoking would also be prohibited at and near the playgrounds at Bayside, Robin, Little Salisbury, Northside, Gorman and North Surf parks.

It would still be allowed in other areas of the parks, for the time being, something Councilman Joe Hall said he would like to see changed eventually.

Council members Brent Ashley, Doug Cymek and Lloyd Martin opposed the ban. Ashley said he understood the reasoning behind the ordinance, but was against a government mandate that prevents personal choice.

"You can't mandate common sense," Ashley said.

Health Plan

The third health benefit choice is a high-deductible insurance plan with health savings accounts funded by the town that would become available for employees hired after July 1 of this year.

The new hires could choose between the present PPO or HMO choices until Jan. 1, when they can opt into the third choice and the town begins funding the savings accounts.

Funds put into the accounts by the town would belong to the employee, and could be used on medical care upon retirement, when the employee could continue to receive the high-deductible benefits.

The funds could also be used to pay for medical expenses during employment, until the employee meets his or her annual deductible.

However, if those funds are used, the account would be depleted upon retirement, leaving them with high deductibles and less income. The town would stop funding the account when the employment was over.

Employees who chose one of the other two choices could do so with the knowledge those benefits would cease upon retirement. They could switch then to the high-deductible insurance, but wouldn't have the benefit of a stocked savings account.

President James Hall pointed out that employees who have higher-deductible insurance may be more prone to monitoring their health and keeping their bodies in shape.

"(A high deductible) might make me want to take better care of my health for the next 20 or 25 years," Hall said.

Kay Moran of Bolton Brothers has been advising the council on its options, and acknowledged that people tend to be more selective about emergency room trips and other nonessential medical issues when they're paying more money out of their own pocket for treatment.

Cymek, Martin and Mary Knight voted against the new option. Cymek said he wasn't happy with the level of benefits that would be offered to retirees.

"I've been in small business for 30-some years," he said. "I treasure my employees and their assets, and anyone who puts that amount of time in should be rewarded."

Cymek also felt the council didn't have all the information it needed to make a decision on benefits for new hires, and he wanted decisions to be made more comprehensively, a sentiment Meehan mirrored.

Meehan was worried about seeing the benefit discussions "piecemealed" between new hires and existing employees, he said, but spoke positively about the discussions.

"We're looking at all the available options, and I think that's important," he said.

smuska@dmg.gannett.com
410-213-9442, ext. 14

 

Mortgage fraud case comes to end

Pocomoke mayoral candidate barred from mortgaging activities for 7 years

POCOMOKE CITY -- Frank J. Ward III, a Pocomoke City mayoral candidate and owner of two companies, reached an agreement Tuesday in a mortgage fraud case that will bar him from participating in lending and other mortgaging activity in Maryland for at least seven years.

His company, The Money Centre Ltd., and employee Annette Coston, are included in the cease and desist order.

As part of the agreement, Ward has to work with borrowers to modify close to 50 mortgages in the next 30-60 days, according to Jed Bellman of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, who handled the case for the Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation.

Bellman said Ward, Coston and his company had to admit to engaging in unlicensed mortgaging activity per the agreement.

Ward must also pay $75,000 to the state for civil penalties and investigation cost, and will have to refund to borrowers any interest or other costs that were collected in violation of Maryland laws.
The agreement was achieved at an Administrative Law hearing presided over by Judge Laurie Bennett at District Court in Salisbury.

The agreement was the best way to reflect that Ward did nothing fraudulent and that his violations were more technical, according to his attorney, Melvin J. Caldwell.

If Ward's construction company -- Ward Construction, Inc., in Pocomoke City -- had been the mortgagee instead of Ward personally taking possession of them, there wouldn't have been any violations, Caldwell said.

Ward was not at the hearing and didn't return calls seeking comment on the agreement or his involvement in the violations.

Ward is one of three candidates running for Pocomoke City mayor in an April 5 election. He is also vice chairman of the board of directors of Maryland Capital Enterprises, a nonprofit group that provides business advice, training and microloans to small businesses, according to the MCE website.

Jermaine and Tylisha Jones were among the 15 or so people who showed up to view the proceedings. The Joneses borrowed from Ward, who eventually foreclosed on their house. They said they were happy with the agreement, as long as Ward follows through with his part of it.

"If not, I guess we'll just be right back here again," Tylisha Jones said at the courtroom after the hearing.

Both said they didn't think a minimum of seven years' barring was enough.

"I don't think he needs to do it again at all," Jermaine Jones said.

smuska@dmg.gannett.com
410-213-9442, Ext. 14

 

OC wants to cap street performers

OCEAN CITY -- Street performers may have to win a lottery this year if they want to legally employ their talents on the Boardwalk.

City Council voted 5-1 to change regulations concerning performer permits and behavior, including one that will drastically limit the number of buskers present on the boardwalk each day. An ordinance enacting the new rules is likely to be debated at upcoming council meetings.

The town will designate 20 areas from the inlet to 10th Street as the only areas performers can operate. Permit holders will have to come to City Hall in the early afternoon each day to put their name in for one of the spaces.

If they're picked, they can perform that day. If they don't draw the right number, they should go home and try again the next day.

Usually, there's many more than 20 street performers working at one time. Last season, the resort issued 555 street performer permits.

Entertainers will now only be able to perform from the end of the lottery until midnight. They are also forbidden from playing music unless it's from an instrument as part of their act, and they are not permitted to use any of their own lighting.

The price for a permit will rise from $7.50 to $10, to cover the administrative fees associated with providing them and the time spent on performer issues during the summer, according to a letter to the council from City Clerk Kathleen Mathias that outlined the recommendation for changes.

Mathias worked with police and other city officials to come up with solutions to some problems and concerns surrounding Boardwalk performances from the 2010 season, the letter said.

Among those concerns were congestion that at times inhibited pedestrians walking on the Boardwalk; complaints from store owners who said performers were blocking their entrances; and reports from emergency services staff who had problems getting performers to move in a hurry.

Police have had escalating issues with performers, according to Chief of Police Bernadette DiPino, who told the council they've gone from six incidents of contact with performers in 2006 to 53 in 2010.
Council member Joseph Hall cast the dissenting vote after telling council he "supported the intent," but had worries that the changes may raise questions about performers' free speech rights.

"I already thought the previous ordinance was pushing the envelope on (performers') personal rights," he said.

City Solicitor Guy Ayres told council he thought the ordinance would be defensible in court.
Mathias believes the changes will also make it easier for the performers to entertain Boardwalk patrons, she said.

"I think this will manage things better, not only by making it easier for police but also for performers who were challenged by competing with each other," she said.

Former performer DJ Walker said the new rules would "definitely" discourage him from taking to the Boardwalk in the future.

Walker, 23, played in a bagpipe and drum duet for a couple years. He said one reason he and his partner enjoyed performing was the ease and ability to make a spur-of-the-moment decision to play on any given night.

"We wouldn't go out every day, just when we felt like making a little extra money," he said. "If we had to go through all the bureaucracy of doing a lottery and planning that much, we just probably wouldn't have bothered."

Jay Knerr, owner of Kite Loft on the Boardwalk at fifth street, agrees with the policy change, and says it should be good for visitors and merchants alike.

Knerr enjoys the street performers, and said they're a necessary element on the Boardwalk, but crowding had been a concern.

"In the past, entertainers or performers were on top of one another," he said. "If this is done where there's a fair playing field for everybody, I'm in support of that."

410-213-9442, ext. 14

 

Two stopped in car won't give names, police say

BISHOPVILLE -- Two men are being held pending possible deportation hearings with federal immigration authorities after police were unable to discern their identities following a traffic stop.

The men -- who Maryland State Police described as Hispanic -- were stopped by troopers at 1:18 a.m. Saturday morning for allegedly driving 80 mph in a posted 55 mph zone. The men were traveling northbound on Route 113 near Shingle Landing Road, police said. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency has since identified the passenger as Juan Manuel Diaz Robiero, a 19-year-old who admitted he is in the U.S. illegally from Mexico.

The driver of the car gave troopers a fake name and had no legal driver's license, police said. He also failed to provide registration or proof of insurance for the car, police said.

Because officers could smell alcohol, the driver was field-tested for sobriety and arrested for DUI, police said.

The man would not or could not give police his name or age, and did not reveal where he lived or worked when questioned by language interpreters, police said.

Police have yet to identify the driver, who has yet to be charged criminally and is being held only on DUI charges.

Robiero, police said, threw open cans of beer out the window of the vehicle as troopers approached. He provided police with a fake name, then tried to run across the highway but was stopped after a foot chase.

Upon arrest, police found a fake identification from North Carolina on his person, and upon further questioning Robiero provided another false name

Robiero is being held on $3,000 bond and an Immigration and Naturalization Service detainer for investigations related to deportation, police said Tuesday.

A spokesman for the Maryland branch of the ICE said he had not gathered enough information on Saturday's event to comment on it specifically.

In general, there are many investigative techniques ICE uses to identify individuals who may have come into the country illegally, spokesman Ross Feinstein said.

The agency prioritizes illegal immigrants who have committed crimes, and a DUI could fall into that category, he said, adding that an immigrant could ultimately end up facing removal proceedings.

410-213-9442, ext. 14

Homeowner shoots self during break-in

Berlin woman hurt while struggling for her gun in attempted burglary

BERLIN -- A woman was shot in the leg with a bullet from her own gun during an altercation during a reported burglary attempt.

Debra Ruth Kuhn, 38, told police she was awaken by noises in her home Saturday at about 4:30 a.m. and took a loaded handgun with her from her bedroom to investigate.

Kuhn told police that when she entered the living room area of her home, she observed a suspect exiting from the upper-level floors. She told the suspect she had a gun and not to move.

But she was then accosted from behind by a second suspect, police said, and a struggle ensued during which Kuhn's gun discharged. A bullet struck her in the upper thigh.

Maryland State Police and a member of the Worcester County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the residence in the 11400 block of Maid At Arms Lane at about 4:45 a.m.

Kuhn was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center with injuries that were not life threatening. On Monday afternoon, she was still at the hospital but listed in good condition, said PRMC spokesman Roger Follebout.

Nothing was taken from her home, according to Cpl. Jon Johnson of the Worcester County Bureau of
Investigation. Whether the suspects were men or women remains unknown, Johnson said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Bureau of Investigation at 410-352-3476 or MSP's Berlin Barrack at 410-641-4408.

 

OC Council to vote on smoking ban

People found in violation of the ordinance could face a maximum fine of $500

OCEAN CITY -- The Ocean City Town Council will vote tonight on a bill that would prohibit smoking at several town parks and playgrounds.

If it passes, people found smoking at the listed locations could face a maximum fine of $500 and ejection from the park, according to the ordinance.

"It is the intent of the mayor and the City Council of Ocean City to protect the public and its employees from involuntary exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in certain areas open to the public," states the ordinance.

The new rule would be the first town-mandated restriction on outdoor smoking in the resort.

If passed, smoking would be prohibited at Ocean Bowl Skate Park and Ocean City Tennis Center, as well as playgrounds at Bayside, Robin, Little Salisbury, Northside, Gorman and North Surf parks.

During the meeting, the council will also engage in a follow-up discussion with Kay Moran of Bolton Partners on establishing a new post-employment health care option for new hires -- a high-deductible insurance plan with health savings accounts.

If approved as an ordinance, the change would give new employees the option to spend money stashed in a health savings account on medical care upon retirement instead of having continued health benefits. The funds in the account would grow yearly from the town's contributions during the employee's working years.

New hires would have the option of choosing the resort's pre-existing insurance plan, but they would lose those benefits when they retire.

If approved, savings from the change would not be realized until after an employee retires, when contributions to the savings account cease, according to Moran.

 

After dog's roadside death, victim seeks a new furry companion

POCOMOKE CITY -- A man whose dog was killed in an alleged hit and run accident is looking into finding a new four-legged companion, and he may receive financial help from an anonymous donor.

Paul Franklin Hudson Sr., a 71-year-old Pocomoke City resident, said he was on his way to get ice cream at the McDonald's on Route 113 on March 5 when a black SUV careened off the road onto the shoulder -- where he was traveling by motorized wheelchair with his small dog, Foxy, in his lap. The vehicle struck him, he told police, which ejected him and the dog from his wheelchair, killing Foxy in the process.

As of Thursday, Maryland State Police had not released any information saying they'd identified the vehicle or driver.

Since Foxy's death, Hudson has been perusing local humane societies and animal shelters in an effort to find another dog similar to Foxy, who was a Chihuahua and poodle mix often referred to as a chickapoo.

He hasn't found one yet, but was very appreciative when he found out a community member was willing to help him in the pet adoption process.

"God bless him," Hudson said. "I'm going to keep looking, because I sure miss my baby."
The anonymous donor said he'd be very happy to help Hudson, a Vietnam War veteran.
Anyone with information about the accident is urged to call Maryland State Police at 410-641-3101.

410-213-9442, ext. 14

 

Decatur's ROTC supporters rally

Navy holds to its plan to shut down program at school

BERLIN -- The Navy is steadfast in its resolve to shut down the Stephen Decatur High School Navy ROTC program, not swayed by an outpouring of community support pleading for reconsideration.

Community members, government officials, parents and students have bombarded the Navy with their pleas in a myriad of ways, despite the Navy's unwavering stance that 19 units nationwide will be shut down June 30, on the grounds they've consistently failed to meet enrollment requirements.

Letters have been written; e-mails have been sent. Some Stephen Decatur Navy ROTC alumni have made a website that showcases growing support the cause has garnered, and the front page of the school district's website is dominated by ROTC information.

Maryland Sens. Benjamin Cardin and Barbara Mikulski have joined Rep. Andy Harris, R-1st-Md, to work toward saving the program. They co-signed a letter to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus that outlined the unit's importance to its cadets and the Worcester County community. The letter encourages Mabus to extend the program's probationary period, since initial registration for the
2011-12 school year shows enrollment of approximately 120 students.

The Navy requires 100 students participate in ROTC at schools with an enrollment of more than 1,000. Decatur's unit has 94 members this school year.

"We're going to work as hard as we can and do everything we can because this program is very important," Cardin said Thursday. "There is a growing number of cadets, and it shouldn't be terminated because of a technical reason, like a number, when the interest is clearly there."

Many ROTC backers have taken their concerns to Facebook, where Mabus' own virtual wall has been inundated with messages extolling the importance of maintaining the ROTC programs.

Bryan Hamilton, a Decatur ROTC alumnus, is among them. He wrote to Mabus and urged him to visit the alumni site -- which launched Wednesday -- where Mabus could see the articles and letters of support that have piled up since the shutdown decision was announced in late February.

"We have never seen our community rally as much as they have for this program in the past two weeks," Hamilton wrote.

Mabus responded to the many postings but offered no encouragement that the Navy might be mulling its options.

He thanked the posters who are concerned about their local ROTC programs, and acknowledged that the units are of great value to the Navy, cadets, their parents, school districts and local communities before writing: "Decisions to disestablish (Navy JROTC) units are not taken lightly and are the result of tight budgets."

Navy JROTC alumna Elizabeth Timmons said the support that's been drummed up is overwhelming, and she hopes it has an effect on the outcome.

"If it was up to the county or the senators or the state of Maryland, we would have it reversed already, but it's the Navy, and I know how the Navy is," Timmons said.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Naval Service Training Command, which oversees the nation's Navy ROTC units, had not changed its stance that the decision on the disestablishments was "pretty much set in stone," according to spokesperson Lt. Charity Hardison.

Visit the alumni site at sites.google.com/site/savenjrotc/ or the school district's site at www.worcesterk12.com.

410-213-9442, ext. 14

Cost may trump OC water tower upgrades

OC Public Works recommends removal of old water container

The Ocean City Public Works Department will recommend the Town Council approve a plan that would end with the 42-year-old tower's removal this winter.

The 400,000-gallon capacity tower is no longer necessary to maintain the town's water supply, and it hasn't been since a 1 million gallon tower was built 10 years ago at 64th street, according to Public Works Director Hal Adkins.

The decision was made to continue operation of the 66th Street tower after the 64th Street tower's construction as an added safety margin for the water infrastructure in the midtown area of the resort, according to a written report from Jim Parsons, deputy director of Public Works.

The Public Works Department was asked to further monitor the situation and to revisit the issue in the future.

Eighteen months from now, the 66th Street tower will be due for renovation at an estimated cost of about $450,000, according to the report. Tower removal would save the town a great deal of money, Adkins said.

"We've looked at it from every single angle possible, and there is really no need to keep this tank," Adkins said. "If you've got a tank you don't need, do you really want to spend all that money to paint it and maintain it?"

When Public Works was looking into its removal in 2001, the cost would have been roughly $50,000, Adkins said. The estimate may be different now, a decade later, he said.

All entities with a connection to the tower and resort's water supply -- including the Ocean City Fire Department -- have been consulted about the potential removal, and nobody is concerned, Adkins said.
Included in the report is a letter from Whitman, Requardt and Associates LLP, an engineering firm that evaluated the tower's necessity. The firm concluded the tank may be removed without adverse affects to the town's water-distribution system.

A number of cellular providers have antenna apparatus on top of the 66th Street tower, and if the council votes to remove it, the town will have to move them to the 64th Street tower this winter.
The providers have been aware of the tower's potential removal for some time, and knew they'd probably have to move their apparatus at some point, Adkins said.

"It was really just a matter of timing," he said.

Taxi surcharge to cover pump prices is possible

OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City leaders are mulling a potential taxi fare increase that could go into effect before the end of the month.

Many resort cab drivers and medallion holders attended a Police Commission meeting, asking for the fare hike to help offset increasing gas costs. Drivers were divided, however, on which would be better: a flat per-trip surcharge or an increase in the per-mile fare.

Some drivers supported the surcharge, which would be publicized by way of a sticker attached to cab windows and would probably be $1 per ride. The surcharge amount would go directly to the drivers, who typically pay for gas out of their own pockets. Also, a sticker would allow them to avoid having to pay for their fare meters to be adjusted. Drivers looking to provide a discounted fare could also opt not to invoke the surcharge.

A meter charge increase would most likely be of three cents per one-tenth of a mile, leading to an increase from $2.20 per mile to $2.50. It would allow drivers to make much more than $1 extra on rides longer than a few miles.

Commission members deliberated behind closed doors for about 15 minutes, but didn't come to a decision on the matter, Mayor Rick Meehan said. They would talk to the other members of the commission and then make a recommendation to the city council, he said.

"It is clear to us that there does need to be some change, and it needs to be done in a timely manner," Meehan said.

Drivers asked for a decision to be made as soon as possible, so they could take measures if necessary to change their meters before cab inspections begin March 21.

Larry Bode, owner of Casino Express Taxi, told the commission he favors a meter change because the increase in gas prices coupled with other expenses -- including the $500 annual medallion renewal fee -- could not be sustained on a 22 cent per one-tenth of a mile fare.

"Some of us are having a problem making ends meet," he said.

Carl Kufchak, who owns Ocean City Taxi, opposed any fare increase on the basis that it wouldn't be good for the town or the taxi industry.

"I don't want to see us outprice ourselves and be without customers," he said.

If there is going to be an increase, Kufchak said he would beg the commission to go with the surcharge so there would be no "tampering" with the meters.

"It has worked in the past, and it will work again," Kufchak said. In July 2008, when gas prices eclipsed $4 per gallon, the city initiated a $1 per ride surcharge.

Bode questioned Kufchak's motive for opposing a fare increase. "If the owner-operators cannot make a living, they're going to fold," he said. "And who's gonna be there to pick up the medallions? The bigger fleets."

Kufchak later said he is not looking to purchase any more medallions than the 32 he currently has.
Ruth Carpenter of AbouTown taxi opposed a meter increase as well.

"If you raise the rates, it makes a difference in these people's pocketbooks," she said, and added that it could become a safety issue. "People might see the raise and think, 'well, I can't afford this,' and end up driving drunk."

Ocean City Chief of Police Bernadette DiPino's final recommendation was for the surcharge, and Captain Victor Bunting followed suit.

"It seems to me that the biggest issue is with gas prices, and I think (a surcharge) will help alleviate that problem," DiPino said.

410-213-9442, ext. 14

OC Beach Patrol begins preparations

Lifeguards evaluate last year's performance, devise plans for 2011

OCEAN CITY -- When Brent Weingard spent his first summer as an Ocean City Beach Patrol employee in 1989, he had just completed his freshman year as an environmental science major at Salisbury University.

He enjoyed the job so much, he decided to change his major to education at the beginning of the next school year so he could become a teacher and have summers free to join the patrol.

Ten years later, he was still at it when he met his wife, Anna, a fellow patrol employee. The couple now has two daughters, ages 7 and 5, and a 2-year-old son.

"This job can be something that will change your life," Weingard said.

Weingard and his family still travel to town every summer from their home in Frederick County, where they live during the school year. Weingard is a physical education teacher at a public school in Montgomery County.

This summer will be Weingard's 22nd season with the patrol, and he now serves as co-supervisor of the area along the Boardwalk from the Inlet to 17th Street.

The patrol kicked off its preparations for the coming season March 5-6 with its annual strategic planning weekend. Weingard was present, along with the rest of the patrol's 24 officers and supervisory staff.

The group spent the first day evaluating last year's performance and the second day laying out plans for the coming season that typically lasts from mid-May to Columbus Day.

Many of the officers came to the meeting from out of town, and about 80 percent of the patrol's 200 employees relocate to the area for the season, according to Capt. Butch Arbin.

Of those 200, about one-third of them have more than five years of experience with the patrol.

The patrol depends heavily on teachers and college professors, since they're two professions that include freed up summer months, Arbin said. It also depends on people who have a passion for the job and will come back year after year.

"This is a job of significance in that you really help people and can actually save lives," Arbin said.

"Once people get a taste of that, they're drawn back to it, and it's not something you can really understand unless you experience it."

Mark Muller, a professor of engineering at Salisbury University, will enter his 13th year with the patrol in May. He works as a crew chief in charge of seven other lifeguards in the area between 73rd and 83rd streets.

He calls it the "ultimate job" and says he'll probably keep going until his body can no longer handle the duties.

"You get to hang out on the beach, save some lives and talk to a lot of people," he said. "Really, it's just a great job."

Weingard echoed Arbin and Muller's sentiments. There's nothing better than rescuing someone, he said.

His paramount motivation for returning to the patrol annually, though, is the relationships he's been able to establish through the job.

"I've made so many friends both on and off the beaches of Ocean City," he said. "I met my wife, too, and that's obviously very important. I feel very blessed that I met her and that I have this job."

Beach Patrol employees are a valuable part of the "Ocean City team," which includes many seasonal hires for the peak summer months, said communications manager Donna Abbott.

The beach patrol requires people who have good physical skills as well as the mental acuity to deal with stressful situations that arise, Abbott said.

"It does take a special person to do that specific job," she said.

One emphasis during the planning meeting was that the patrol find ways to maintain its high level of training and monitoring of its younger lifeguards, according to Arbin.

When the guards arrive, they do a test that lasts all day, followed by an eight-day training academy that is rounded out by three weeks of supervised probation. Then there are six written evaluations by supervisors throughout the summer.

"We demand a lot from our guards, and they tend to live up to those demands," Arbin said. "We want to be a service to keep everyone who comes to Ocean City safe, and we want them to come back again."

Gas prices worry cabbies

Taxi drivers remain divided on whether fare hike or surcharge should be used to help offset prices

 

OCEAN CITY -- Town leaders are mulling a potential taxi fare increase that could go into effect before the end of the month.

Many resort cab drivers and medallion holders attended a Police Commission meeting, asking for the fare hike to help offset increasing gas costs. Drivers were divided, however, on which would be better: A flat per-trip surcharge or an increase in the per-mile fare.

Some drivers supported the surcharge, which would be publicized by way of a sticker attached to cab windows and would probably be $1 per ride. The surcharge amount would go directly to the drivers, who typically pay for gas out of their own pockets. Also, a sticker would allow them to avoid having to pay for their fare meters to be adjusted. Drivers looking to provide a discounted fare could also opt not to invoke the surcharge.

A meter charge increase would most likely be 3 cents per one-tenth of a mile, leading to an increase from $2.20 per mile to $2.50. It would allow drivers to make much more than $1 extra on rides longer than a few miles.

Police Commission members deliberated behind closed doors for about 15 minutes but didn't come to a decision on the matter, Mayor Rick Meehan said. They would talk to the other commission members and then make a recommendation to the council, he said.

"It is clear to us that there does need to be some change, and it needs to be done in a timely manner," Meehan said.

Drivers asked for a decision to be made as soon as possible, so they could take measures if necessary to change their meters before cab inspections begin March 21.

Larry Bode, owner of Casino Express Taxi, told the commission he favors a meter change because gas price increases, coupled with other expenses -- including the $500 annual medallion renewal fee -- could not be sustained on a fare of 22 cents per one-tenth of a mile.

"Some of us are having a problem making ends meet," he said.

Carl Kufchak, who owns Ocean City Taxi, opposed any fare increase on the basis that it wouldn't be good for the town or the taxi industry.

"I don't want to see us outprice ourselves and be without customers," he said.

If there is going to be an increase, Kufchak said he would beg the commission to go with the surcharge so there would be no "tampering" with the meters.

"It has worked in the past, and it will work again," Kufchak said. In July 2008, when gas prices eclipsed $4 per gallon, the city initiated a $1-per-ride surcharge.

Bode questioned Kufchak's motive for opposing a fare increase. "If the owner-operators cannot make a living, they're going to fold," he said. "And who's gonna be there to pick up the medallions? The bigger fleets."

Kufchak later said he is not looking to purchase any more medallions than the 32 he currently has.
Ruth Carpenter of AbouTown taxi opposed a meter increase as well.

"If you raise the rates, it makes a difference in these people's pocketbooks," she said, adding it could become a safety issue. "People might see the raise and think, 'Well, I can't afford this,' and end up driving drunk."

Ocean City Chief of Police Bernadette DiPino's final recommendation was for the surcharge, and Capt. Victor Bunting followed suit.

"It seems to me that the biggest issue is with gas prices, and I think (a surcharge) will help alleviate that problem," DiPino said.

At Ocean City fair, 12,000 jobs for the taking

Job-seekers make their way through the crowd during the Greater Ocean City Job Fair. This year's event will be held Saturday. / Laura Emmons file photo

 

OCEAN CITY -- The Ocean City Job Fair is a perennial resource for area businesses seeking to fill many of the 12,000 or so seasonal jobs available on the resort.
This year, it will also feature a number of employers with openings for full-time, year-round positions, according to Lisa Dennis, event planner for the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce.

Dennis and others at the Chamber have spent months preparing for Saturday's job fair, which has more than 70 employers confirmed to attend. Dennis said she expects a few more to trickle in at the last minute.

People of any age and qualification looking for work are encouraged to stop by the convention center and peruse the employer booths.

Many businesses -- including restaurants, hotels, amusement parks and Boardwalk shops -- will be in attendance for seasonal hiring. The Ocean City Beach Patrol is also looking to fill lifeguard positions.
Bank of America, PNC Bank and Walmart are among the companies searching for year-round employment.

"It's a really diverse group of employers, and a lot of them put a huge dent in their hiring numbers because of the fair," Dennis said, adding that a lot of times people go into a job expecting only a summer's worth of work but eventually it turns into a long-term calling.

Capt. Butch Arbin said it's not uncommon for the Ocean City Beach Patrol to ask its lifeguards to come back next summer if they measure up to the requirements and demands during their first summer in town.

"We always ask ourselves if we want someone to come back the next summer, and if we'd trust them to lifeguard our own children," Arbin said. "We find people with the right attitude, and that's how we maintain our high standards."

Job-seekers can go to the employment section of the Chamber's website at www.ocean city.org/employment and print a generic employment application that many of the fair's employers will accept, Dennis said.

Laser Tone will be on hand to provide free copies of resumes, applications and other materials, and Quality Staffing Services will provide a number of workshops. They'll work with job-seekers on interviewing skills and resume writing.

"If you come prepared, and you're dressed nicely and you put your best foot forward, there are definitely a lot of opportunities that will be available," Dennis said.
 

Employers can still register by calling Dennis at 410-213-0552 or visiting www.ocean city.org. Chamber members can acquire booth space for a $150 fee, and nonmembers for $250.

ROTC program on chopping block

 

Students listen as Commander Chris Deming teaches a JROTC Naval Science class at Stephen Decatur High School on Tuesday. / Laura Emmons photo

 

BERLIN -- Stephen Decatur High School is engaged in a battle to preserve its Navy ROTC program. The opponent? The Navy itself.

School officials were told two weeks ago the program would be eliminated on June 30 after a 16-year run because of a consistent failure to meet a 100-student enrollment requirement for schools with more than 1,000 students.

Since then, the administration has been working to reverse the Navy's decision, and at an evening meeting at the school, they enlisted help from parents of students involved with the program.

With parents gathered in the school library, Principal Louis Taylor encouraged them to be vocal about the issue and to write to local and state government officials. "If the right people get involved, things can happen," he said.

But Navy officials are adamant they intend to carry out the cuts. The decision is "pretty much set in stone," according to Lt. Charity Hardison, public affairs officer for Naval Service Training Command, which oversees the nation's Navy ROTC units.

"At this time, there is no action that Stephen Decatur would be able to take to warrant another decision or review," Hardison said in an interview.

Stephen Decatur's program is one of 19 across the nation slated to be shut down. It is critical for the Navy to hold accountable the ROTC units that are not in compliance with program directives, according to Rear Adm. David Steindl, commander of the NSTC. They cannot maintain units that consistently fail to meet minimum enrollment standards, he said.

This year, the ROTC fell just six students short of the required quota with an enrollment of 94 -- its highest in recent years -- and Taylor assured the group of about 40 people at the meeting preliminary scheduling from incoming students indicated enrollment "well over" 100 next year. The spike in enrollment is due largely to the student members spending time at the middle school recruiting eighth-graders.

"There's no doubt we'll make our numbers next year," Cmdr. Christopher Deming, one of the program's two instructors, said. "We're being optimistic, and we really hope we can turn this decision around."

Rep. Andy Harris, R-1st.-Md., is working with Sens. Benjamin Cardin and Barbara Mikulski to propose a one-year extension on the disestablishment as a temporary solution while they look into what can be done in the long term to keep the program active.
They plan to get in touch with the Congressional liaison from the Navy and dig a little deeper into why the criteria to stop funding a unit is an "arbitary number like 100," Harris said in an interview.

"As a former naval officer, I understand the importance of this program as far as keeping our forces staffed in the future with the best possible candidates," Harris said.

Freshman Nicholas Bertino is one of the 94 student cadets. He and senior member Shannon McGarry have circulated a petition around the school supporting the program and contacted military figures in the area who may be willing to help their cause. The ROTC members are not just a unit, but a family, Bertino said.

"We're all friends, and we're always there for each other," McGarry said.

ROTC involvement teaches students valuable traits like leadership, responsibility and the importance of community involvement, Deming said, all of which may benefit the members after their high school years. Bertino's older brother, Matthew, received an ROTC scholarship to attend the University of Maryland.

Bertino's mother, Susan, is part of a military family, and said she appreciates the ROTC because it has given both her sons the opportunity to be a part of the military at a young age. "It's a wonderful program, and it's great for giving them community awareness," Susan Bertino said. "These kids are very involved."

NJROTC alumna Elizabeth Timmons says ROTC changes the lives of participants whether they pursue a military career or not. Timmons, a member of Stephen Decatur's program from 1996-2000, attended Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pa., where she majored in photography, a field she now works in.

ROTC gave her the self-confidence to do what she needed to on a daily basis, and promoted self-appreciation and respect for others, she said. "I don't think a lot of other school-related activities give you that," Timmons said.

Snow Hill and Pocomoke High Schools both have Marine Corps ROTC programs that easily exceed the enrollment requirement, according to district spokeswoman Barb Witherow. Since both schools have less than 1,000 students enrolled, they have to meet a requirement of 10 percent student enrollment in their programs. Pocomoke currently has 74 members, and Snow Hill has 67.

Snow Hill is currently a Naval Honor School, a classification given out annually for schools in the top 10 percent of ROTC programs nationwide.

410-213-9442, ext. 14

JROTC will shut down in June

Stephen Decatur only six students short of Navy program enrollment requirement

Commander Chris Deming teaches a JROTC Naval Science class at Stephen Decatur High School on Tuesday. / Laura Emmons photo

 

BERLIN -- If six more students at Stephen Decatur High School were part of its Navy JROTC program, the Navy wouldn't be planning to shut the program down.

School officials, knowing the NJROTC chapter will be eliminated June 30 because of failure to meet a 100-student enrollment requirement, are trying to reverse the Navy's decision. But Navy officials are adamant.

The Army JROTC -- Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps -- at Wicomico High School serves all high schools in Wicomico County and currently has 97 students enrolled, though they started the year well over the 100-student enrollment minimum with 121 cadets participating at the start of the year.
In Somerset County, Student Information Specialist Allison Romano said the Air Force JROTC at Washington High had 70 students enrolled this year and the Army JROTC at Crisfield Academy had 40 students enrolled at one point this school year. She said it appeared those programs calculated their enrollment requirements relative to student population.

"The Army uses data from the Opening Enrollment Report, which is submitted on Oct. 15 of each school year to determine if a program stays or goes and what the funding will be for each program," Wicomico County schools spokeswoman Tracy Sahler said.

For Stephen Decatur, the decision is "pretty much set in stone," said Lt. Charity Hardison, spokeswoman for the Naval Service Training Command, which oversees the nation's Navy ROTC units.

"At this time, there is no action that Stephen Decatur would be able to take to warrant another decision or review," Hardison said in an interview.

Stephen Decatur's program is one of 19 across the nation slated to be shut down. It is critical for the Navy to hold accountable the ROTC units that are not in compliance with program directives, according to Rear Adm. David Steindl, commander of the NSTC. They cannot maintain units that consistently fail to meet minimum enrollment standards, he said.

This year, the ROTC fell six students short of the quota with an enrollment of 94, its highest in recent years. Preliminary scheduling from incoming students indicated enrollment "well over" 100 next year, school officials said.

"There's no doubt we'll make our numbers next year," said Cmdr. Christopher Deming, one of the program's two instructors. "We're being optimistic, and we really hope we can turn this decision around."

Rep. Andy Harris, R-1st.-Md., is working with Sens. Benjamin Cardin and Barbara Mikulski to propose a one-year extension on the disestablishment as a temporary solution while they look into what can be done in the long term to keep the program active.

They plan to get in touch with the congressional liaison from the Navy and dig a little deeper into why the criteria to stop funding a unit is an "arbitrary number like 100," Harris said.

Freshman Nicholas Bertino is one of the 94 student cadets. He and senior member Shannon McGarry have circulated a petition throughout the school supporting the program and contacted military figures in the area who may be willing to help their cause.

Snow Hill and Pocomoke high schools have Marine Corps ROTC programs that easily exceed the enrollment requirement, according to district spokeswoman Barb Witherow. Since both schools have less than 1,000 students enrolled, they have to meet a requirement of 10 percent student enrollment in their programs. Pocomoke has 74 members, and Snow Hill has 67.

Hit-and-run kills disabled man's dog in Pocomoke

Paul Hudson of Pocomoke City rests the collar of his dog, Foxy, on her tombstone outside his home after it was killed. Maryland State Police are investigating an alleged hit-and-run that killed the dog and left Hudson with minor injuries. / Amanda Rippen White photo

POCOMOKE CITY -- Maryland State Police are investigating an alleged hit-and-run that killed a wheelchair-using man's dog and left him with minor injuries.

Paul Franklin Hudson Sr., a 71-year-old Pocomoke City resident, said he was struck by a black SUV just before 3 p.m. Saturday while traveling southbound by motorized wheelchair in the grass on Route 113's shoulder. In an interview, he said he was on his way to McDonald's to get ice cream and had his small dog, a 3-year-old named Foxy, in his lap.

The car came from the fast lane to the slow lane and over the shoulder's rumble strip before reaching Hudson, he said, adding it seemed like the driver of the vehicle was "trying to kill" him.
The impact forced Hudson, a disabled Vietnam War veteran, from his motorized wheelchair and killed Foxy, he told police. The car allegedly fled the scene.

Hudson said he was "hurting all over" Monday, but he was a Marine and could handle it. He was more upset about his dog's death than any physical injuries he suffered and said he cried all night Saturday after the accident.

"She was like a part of my family," Hudson said, and described the dog as a Chihuahua and poodle mix. "She slept with me. She ate with me. We did everything together."

Police were still working Monday afternoon to confirm Hudson's account of the accident, according to State Police Sgt. Christopher Davala.

"We're still trying to ascertain if (Hudson) indeed had been struck, or if there was some kind of other incident that occurred," Davala said Monday.

Hudson said he was knocked unconscious briefly after the collision, and when he came to, he saw four or five cars whose drivers had stopped to help him.

The strangers helped him back into his wheelchair and placed Foxy back on his lap, he said. Then one of them followed him to his residence in the 2200 block of Groton Road -- nearly a mile from Smitty's -- where his fiancee called an ambulance and police, Hudson said.

He was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center, where he was treated and released.
No one has come forward with any information on who was driving the vehicle or who the Good Samaritans who stopped to help may have been, Davala said.

Route 113 is not a very pedestrian-friendly highway, and it has small shoulders in some areas, according to Bob Hulburd, chairman of CRASH, a group of county residents who advocate for safer roadways.

"It's an unfortunate situation, and I feel for (Hudson) and his dog," Hulburd said. "If you're on a highway with those kinds of speeds, you have to be very cautious."

Anyone with information about the accident is urged to call state police at 410-641-3101.