The Pocomoke Public Eye: 9/14/25

Saturday, September 20, 2025

A page from 1916's Maryland's Colonial Eastern Shore-

(Continues with another page next Saturday here at The Pocomoke Public Eye.)

Fairgrounds horse barn-

Pocomoke City

Mayor: Condition of horse barn akin to ‘haunted hayride’

(continues upper right)

Thursday, September 18, 2025

A Chincoteague photo exhibit with a mission-

(WHRO Public Media)

(View news story:)

‘Things are changing’: New photo exhibit on Chincoteague aims to document — and save — island treasures

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Tangier documentary coming to the Marva-

(WMDT)

POCOMOKE CITY, Md. – A critically acclaimed documentary about life on Tangier Island will be screened at the Mar-Va Theatre in a special two-night event.

(View news story:)

Tangier Island Documentary Coming to Pocomoke - 47abc

DELMARVA — Soybean farmers on Delmarva say tariffs between the United States and China are squeezing an already fragile industry, raising fears that one of the region’s key crops could face steep losses if trade tensions continue.

(View news story:)

Delmarva soybean farmers sound the alarm on tariffs | Latest News | wboc.com

(Update) Gas leak-

An evacuation was conducted in the area of Market Street and Seventh Street in Pocomoke City on Wednesday. Pocomoke City police advised later that the area was deemed safe.

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

New Hall of Famers-

Retirees William Thomas “Tom” Dorman, Willie C. Jackson, Gwendolyn F. Lehman, and Francis A. Ruffo, Sr. are the latest inductees into the Worcester County Public Schools Hall of Fame.

(View Board of Ed. announcement:)

Four Former Educators Inducted into WCPS Hall of Fame Class of 2025 | WORCESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

If anyone deserves to receive this honor, it is Tom Dorman. Back in the day, before classes started, several students, including myself, would join Tom for a quick smoke at the side door of Pocomoke High. Can't do that anymore!

Your friend,
Slim

We asked... (saltwater encroachment)

How does saltwater encroach on Delmarva inland farmland?

Saltwater encroaches on Delmarva inland farmland

through both surface-level flooding and underground groundwater contamination, a process accelerated by climate change and the region's low elevation. The salt leaves land less fertile and can create visible "salt patches" where crops can no longer grow.

Surface-level intrusion

Storm surges and higher tides: As sea levels rise, hurricanes and even regular high tides now push salty water farther inland than in the past. This creates temporary flooding that saturates the soil with salt.
Drainage ditches: The extensive system of drainage ditches designed to carry water away from fields is now acting in reverse. Saltwater from tidal creeks and bays can travel far inland through these ditches, pushing salt onto farmland during high-tide events.
Land subsidence: The Delmarva Peninsula is slowly sinking, a natural geological process dating back to the end of the last Ice Age. This makes the land more vulnerable to flooding from higher sea levels.
Underground intrusion
Groundwater contamination: The saltwater and freshwater in the region's aquifers have a natural boundary. Sea-level rise and saltwater flooding push this boundary inland. Farmers who rely on wells for irrigation or drinking water can draw contaminated groundwater, which then deposits salt onto their fields.
Over-pumping of groundwater: Excessively pumping freshwater from underground aquifers can decrease groundwater pressure, allowing the heavier saltwater to move inland to take its place.
Resulting damage to farmland
Inhibited plant growth: Salt in the soil draws freshwater out of a plant's roots through osmosis. This "chemical drought" prevents crops like corn and soybeans from absorbing enough water to survive, stunting their growth or killing them outright.
Degraded soil quality: High salt levels reduce the soil's fertility by dispersing clay particles, which plugs up soil pores and affects water interactions. This can also release nutrients that cause harmful algal blooms if they enter waterways.
Marsh migration: Where fields have become too salty for crops to survive, they are often colonized by salt-tolerant marsh grasses and other wetland species. This permanently converts productive farmland into marshland, a process that is accelerating across the peninsula.
Are there ways to stop or reverse saltwater intrusion on Delmarva farmland?
Reversing saltwater intrusion on Delmarva farmland is extremely challenging and often impossible, as it is driven by unstoppable climate change factors like sea-level rise
. However, farmers and conservationists are pursuing both short-term adaptation measures and longer-term strategies to mitigate the damage.
Short-term farm management techniques
Use of amendments: Applying soil amendments like gypsum (calcium sulfate) can help. Gypsum displaces sodium from the soil, enabling rain and irrigation water to flush the salt deeper into the soil profile, away from the crop's roots.
Leaching: Using irrigation to apply fresh water can help flush salts from the soil, a process called leaching. This is only a viable option where freshwater is available and fields have good drainage.
Switching crops: Farmers can transition from salt-intolerant crops like corn and soybeans to more tolerant varieties. Options include:
Salt-tolerant grains such as sorghum or barley.
Specialty crops like asparagus.
Alternative crops such as switchgrass, which is being researched for its viability as a biofuel feedstock.
Improving drainage: Installing or clearing ditches and drainage tiles can help flush excess water and salt from fields. This is often a temporary solution, as sea-level rise and subsidence increasingly overwhelm drainage systems.
Restoring ditches: In some cases, restoring drainage ditches can allow water to run off the land, but this can fail when tidewater comes in, trapping saltwater in the fields.
Structural and protective measures
Installing tide gates and berms: Installing physical barriers like tide gates and berms can help block saltwater from entering farmland through drainage ditches during high tides and storm surges. These structures require maintenance and can fail during extreme weather events or break down over time.
Soft shoreline stabilization: Techniques like creating living shorelines using marsh grasses can help absorb wave energy and act as a natural buffer against saltwater flooding.
Long-term land-use changes
Marsh migration: For land that is no longer viable for farming, a long-term strategy is to allow or facilitate its conversion into tidal wetlands. Programs offered by state and federal agencies, like the USDA, provide financial incentives for farmers to enter into conservation easements. The benefits of marsh restoration include:
Providing a natural barrier to protect upland farms from future flooding and saltwater intrusion.
Sequestering carbon.
Creating habitat for wildlife.
Restoration with salt-tolerant plants: Beyond just marsh grasses, other salt-tolerant native trees and vegetation can be used to re-establish coastal woodlands on salt-impacted lands.
Institutional support
Several organizations are actively researching solutions and assisting Delmarva farmers:
University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES): Studying salt-tolerant alternative crops and other solutions.
University of Delaware: Investigating soil remediation techniques.
Maryland Department of Planning (MDP): Created a plan to adapt to saltwater intrusion and is required to update it regularly.
Maryland and Delaware conservation organizations: Provide resources and financial support to help farmers adapt to saltwater intrusion.

This article proves, beyond a doubt, that AI is untrustworthy. Over 90% of the statements are provably incorrect or misleading.
Your friend,
Slim
TK for PPE says:
Like the smart phone taking the place of landline telephones, it appears Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. Its ability to tap into numerous sources of information almost instantly is a reality. This month The National Science Foundation announced a formidable project involving AI enhancement.
https://www.nsf.gov/news/nsf-announces-funding-establish-national-ai-research#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20National%20Science%20Foundation,in%20the%20nation%27s%20scientific%20enterprise.

Nov 13, 2023 — New research has found that rising seas have created approximately 2,200 acres of salt patches on the Delmarva Peninsula's farmland, replacing crops with bare, ...
Bay Journal
Saltwater Intrusion | College of Agriculture & Natural ...
* Poor soil quality and reduced crop productivity are just some of the many impacts of saltwater intrusion on Maryland's Eastern Shore. To maintain the profitab...
University of Maryland
Study Finds Sea-level Rise Is Swallowing Farms in…
Aug 2, 2023 — “From the datasets we developed, what we're noticing is quite alarming because we see that the salt patches are accruing quite fast,” said Pinki Mondal, lead au...
Maryland Today
Show all

Sunday, September 14, 2025

Jury Duty scams-

·The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office wants to make the community aware of common jury duty scams that are circulating.

Scammers may:

🔹 Claim you missed jury duty and now owe a fine.

🔹 Pretend to be a deputy or court official—some recent scams have even referenced “Lt. Jason Allen” to sound convincing.

🔹 Demand payment through gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, or websites like “ejuryportal[dot]org.”

🔹 Use threats of arrest or legal action to create fear and pressure you into paying.

👉 Remember: The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office will never call you to request payment or sensitive personal details for missed jury duty. Official jury duty communication only comes through mailed notices or legitimate court channels.

📢 If you receive a suspicious call:

✅ Remain calm and do not engage with the caller’s demands.

✅ Do not give out personal, banking, or identification information.

✅ Hang up immediately—even if the caller seems convincing or uses official-sounding titles.

✅ Take a moment to verify information through trusted, official sources before taking any action.

Staying informed and alert is the best defense against these scams. Share this message to help keep our community safe.