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Thursday, March 10, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Registration For Pageant Has Been Extended
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Rigell Announces Constituent Office Hours for Northampton County, Chincoteague
Rigell will also have constituent office hours in Chincoteague on the second Wednesday each month at Town Office 9:30 am to noon.
Congressman Rigell urges the constituents to take advantage of these office ours to come in for assistance or just to express opinions or concerns.
www.shoredailynews.com
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Friday Is Final Day To Register As A Candidate
Anyone wishing to run for mayor must be 25 years old, a resident of Pocomoke City for at least one year prior to the election and be a registered voter.
Those running for City Council have to be 21 years old and live in the district up for election. The election is scheduled for April 5.
For more information on how to nominate a candidate, visit city hall or call 410-957-1333.
Pocomoke City Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner
POCOMOKE CITY -- The Pocomoke City Chamber of Commerce, at its annual awards dinner, honored Jason Blair, of Floors Decor and More, with the "Businessperson of the Year" award.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Pocomoke Councilman Has Filed To Run For Mayor
POCOMOKE CITY -- After serving two three-year terms as councilman of Pocomoke's third district, Bruce Morrison has filed to run for mayor. A lifelong resident of Pocomoke City, Morrison is the second longest-serving council member.
As Morrison took the oath of office in April 2005, along with outgoing Mayor Mike McDermott, a top concern was reducing crime and tackling the drug issue that seemed prevalent. The overall crime rate has dropped by 18 percent in the last year, according to Morrison. This focus on crime has been aided by community outreach and a number of concerned citizens getting involved. A Neighborhood Crime Watch has been established that meets in area churches to target problematic issues. Six cameras have been installed in hot spots around town, aiding in many drug crimes being solved and two additional cameras are scheduled to be added complete this year, Morrison said.
In early 2011, Pocomoke City will be completing a $6 million upgrade to its sewage treatment plant, making it one of the few compliant plants in the state. This effort was largely funded through federal sources.
Pocomoke's downtown makes up a large part of the third district that Morrison has served. Upon taking office six years ago, Morrison expressed his concern for the downtown area, hoping to make its revitalization a priority. Many area attractions have come to fruition, he said, including the new addition to the Sturgis One-Room School Museum, which has brought the black history of the area to life, adding to Pocomoke's other history museum, The Costen House.
The opening of the Mar-Va Theater now brings first-run movies to Pocomoke City on the first and third weekends of each month along with outstanding musical and theatrical performances.
The Delmarva Discovery Center is open and loaded with much of Delmarva's history, highlighting many outstanding exhibits depicting life in yesteryear -- a look into the past and a step into the future.
The Bay Queen calls the docks of the Pocomoke River home and offers cruises almost daily and by reservation three seasons a year.
Even though much has been accomplished in the downtown area, Morrison said he thinks much is left to be done. It is his hope Pocomoke City is charting a course toward reinvention as a tourist destination area, he said.
Morrison has served on the Maryland Critical Areas Commission, serving under governors Robert Ehrlich and Martin O'Malley.
Locally, he is an active member of Salem United Methodist Church, having served as chairman of the trustees for two years. He is a member of Pocomoke Elks Lodge 12624, where he is a past exalted ruler. In the Pocomoke Volunteer Fire Company he has served as a line officer and past president. He is also serving on the Board of Directors of the Lower Shore YMCA. Morrison is employed at Hardwire LLC and is married to Laura Gladding Morrison; they have two children.
Pocomoke's elections are held on the first Tuesday in April. Registered voters who wish to run for office must file nominating petitions 60 days before the elections are held.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Structure Fire In Pocomoke
The fire originated near a portable kerosene heater. During the course of the investigation, it was determined the kerosene heater was filled with gasoline, not kerosene. The fire is listed as accidental.
Friday, January 14, 2011
AARP Offers Free Tax Preparation For Residents of Worcester
Residents do not have to be an AARP member for this service. However, they must take complete records and their 2009 return with them.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Northampton County Circuit Court
Scott Joseph Abraham: 35 counts of forgery and uttering and 3 counts of petty larcency
T'Andre S. Brickhouse: possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute its - 2nd offense
Lenord Tromwell Brooks: possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute it ... possession with the intent to distrbute more than 1/4 oz. but less than 5 pounds of marijuana ... possession with the intent to distrbute a controlled substance on school property ... driving on a suspended license ... tresspass.
Eban T. Hodge: also known as Jihad Terron Colvin and Jihad Terron Anderson ... Forging a Public Document
Estelle Quinntai Love: Grand Larcency
Terry M. Parker: possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
William Jerome Reid Jr.: possession with the intent to distribute - 2nd or subsequent offense ... possession of marijuana 2nd or subsequent offense
Antionio Lee Robinson: Breaking and Entering ... Attempted Rape
Trawn Lavon Stratton: Murder ... displaying a firearm in a threating manner while committing murder ... entering a dwelling house while armed with a firearm.
Amy Gladden Sturgis: 12 counts of passing bad checks
Arron McNeil Taylor: Possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute
Christopher Lee Tazewell: Third offense of assult and battery on a family member.
www.shoredailynews.com
Returning To Parksley Fire Department
This is the start of the 2011 Poker Championship Series, which will be held in December for eligible players. The prize will be a winner take all $1,000 Visa gift card.
Call 757-665-6977 or 757-710-2875 for more information.
All Proceeds to benefit the fire company.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Todd E. Godwin Announces Candidacy For Sheriff
Godwin, a 20 year member of the Accomack County Sheriff's Office, announced on Monday he will run as an independent for the post, which has been held by Sheriff Larry Giddens since 2008 until the end of this year when he will retire.
Godwin's other experience includes being a member of the Parksley Police Department as well as the Virginia State Police. He has been in law enforcement for 25 years and is currently a Major, the second in command in the Accomack County Sheriff's Department.
No one else has publicly announced they will run for the Sheriff's seat in November.
www.shoredailynews.com
Monday, January 10, 2011
Mayor McDermott To Oversee His Last Council Meeting
Scheduled for the meeting is routine business, including the review of minutes, a second reading of legislation and the city manager presenting project bids.
Also on the agenda is discussion of the 2011 Cypress Festival. Denise Wagner, executive director of the Pocomoke City Chamber of Commerce and event organizer, said the Chamber had previously spoken with the council and is expected to return with more information.
"It's more preliminary than anything," Wagner said. "(The council) asked for some additional information. ... We didn't have the sketches with us before."
The Cypress Festival is scheduled to enter its 37th year this summer, expanding once again, according to Wagner. She hopes to include life-saving demonstrations from the U.S. Coast Guard, expanded food and craft booths as well as a fishing tournament in Cypress Park.
"We haven't had our first Cypress meeting yet," Wagner said. "But we would like some additional space and to rearrange some things."
The council is also scheduled to discuss incentives for new homebuilders who install sprinkler systems in single family homes.
McDermott is specifically scheduled to present a deed for industrial property at the corner of Broad and Eighth streets to Dan Boyle of Beretta and Benelli Corp. The property was originally sold to Beretta on a lease-purchase contract in 1990.
After McDermott resigns, Robert Hawkins will fill in as mayor until city elections are held in April.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
SUNDAY BRUNCH at The Bay Queen Restaurant and Bakery
The BAY QUEEN RESTAURANT AND BAKERY is now open!
Stop by today for SUNDAY BRUNCH
"Home cooked comfort food" Daily special for $5.95.
Restaurant Hours:
MONDAY THRU SATURDAY 6:00 AM until 9:00 PM
SUNDAY 6:00 AM until 7:00 PM
While you're there check out the bakery.
Located on Rt. 13 North at the Days Inn just before the Ford dealer.
Suspicious Package Found In Pocomoke
The incident was reported at 1:30PM in the 600 Block of Linden Avenue in Pocomoke City, Maryland.
An arriving Officer found the device and requested assistance from the Fire Marshal's Office.
The Ocean City Bomb Squad was requested and with the use of a robot, the device was examined and found to be a discarded electrical component left behind by a contractor.
Anyone with questions may contact the Fire Marshal's Office at the number listed above or email jmcmahon@wcfmo.org.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Beau Oglesby Takes Office As State's Attorney for Worcester County
Oglesby went on to thank everyone that supported him, especially his family, who joined him during the swearing in.
“God bless you and God bless Worcester County,” he said.
Car Theft Lands Teen One Year In Jail
Dennis John Cross Jr. of Greenbackville was sentenced to four years in jail with all but three suspended. He also will be on three years of supervised probation. He agreed to plead guilty to unauthorized removal of property -- that is, someone else's car -- in exchange for prosecutors dropping other charges of theft and burglary.
He also will have to pay restitution to his theft victims, a figure which has yet to be determined, prosecutors said. Pending drug charges of marijuana possession and possession with intent to distribute were dropped in the plea agreement in Worcester County Circuit Court on Thursday.
Cross and two other teen boys stood accused of motor vehicle theft and burglary in a case police said involved several missing vehicles and an attempted escape to Atlanta. Police said the three stole cars in May and June in and around Whiton and Public Landing, rural areas in central Worcester County.
One man, Jacob Tyler Derr, 19, of Snow Hill entered into a plea agreement in October on burglary charges in which additional charges of burglary and theft were dropped. He also was sentenced to three years in the Worcester County Jail with all but one suspended.
A third accomplice was a juvenile at the time, and police have not released his name or his disposition, though detectives with the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation traveled to Atlanta to detain him. Police said they found the juvenile in possession of the stolen cars.
Authorities searched for Cross for a month last summer after he evaded police when found in a stolen car in Georgia during a traffic stop. In late July, he was arrested as he allegedly tried to escape another traffic stop in Berlin; police had stopped the SUV he was in for a broken headlight.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Accomack County Board of Supervisors Meeting
Supervisor Donald Hart has been elected as the new Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. Out-going Chair, Laura Belle Gordy, was elected to serve as Vice-Chair. The new Chairman presented Supervisor Gordy with a plaque of appreciation, calling her a lady of class and thanking her for her service.
The Board voted unanimously to keep regular meetings for the upcoming the year the same, which is the third Wednesday of each month beginning at 5:00 p.m. Work sessions will be held quarterly or when called.
Ethan Brenner of Painter, and a member of the FIRST Robotics Team, was allowed to address the board and invited them to an upcoming Season Kickoff. That event will be held locally for the first time and will be Saturday, January 8th at 9:00 a.m. at the NASA Wallops Visitor Center. The board congratulated Brenner on the Teams Efforts.
Wednesday nights meeting was Supervisor Steve Malletes last. Mallette resigned from the board of supervisors in November. The board discussed how to fill the position and voted unanimously for the following process: The position is now open to interested parties from district 6. Anyone who would like to be considered must submit a letter and or resume to the County Administrator by 5:00 p.m. on January 10th. There will be a Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday, January 12th at 5:00 p.m. so the board can meet and talk with each interested individual. These people are allowed to bring supporters who wish to speak on their behalf. Chairman Hart emphasized that he wants a positive meeting and that negative remarks about those seeking the position will not be tolerated. Should the board decide to appoint a Supervisor, that person will be sworn in on January 13th, and will have the necessary materials to prepare him or her for the regular January 19th meeting. The newly appointed supervisor will fulfill Mallettes term and the seat will be up for reelection in January 2012.
Hart also reminded the board that he would like them to make a decision with the publics input to avoid a judge from Virginia Beach having to appoint one, due to the fact that the eastern shore has no resident judge at this time.
Several citizens attended this meeting concerning the fate of the Mary N Smith Middle School building. A presentation was made by Mr. David Koogler of Mark-Dana Corporation and numerous residents of what is known as the Mary N. Smith Community as well as other shore citizens made their opinions known. www.shoredaylynews.com
Berlin Has New Year's Eve Celebration
A crowd of approximately 1,000 people watched as a large disco ball descended from above Town Center Antiques in Berlin late last Friday. As the glittery silver ball reached its destination near a clock on North Main Street, the giant crowd roared, welcoming the New Year with palpable excitement.
“It was incredible,” said Barb Stack, a Berlin business owner who instituted the town’s inaugural New Year’s Eve celebration. “It was much better than we ever anticipated. Everybody just had a ton of fun. We were just overwhelmed by the response.”
Organized by the town and the Berlin Chamber of Commerce, the Dec. 31 party was expected to draw a small crowd — only about 100 or 200, according to Michael Day, the town’s director of Community and Economic Development. Undoubtedly, organizers were surprised when hundreds of revelers gathered along Main Street and its side streets, sidewalks and on the porch and front yard of the Atlantic Hotel.
“It was unpredictable as to how many people would show up,” Day said. “There were some things we didn’t think about.”
For instance, Day said, the town should have arranged for portable toilets and for street vendors to sell food and coffee. He added that perhaps the deejay should have been asked to remind people to use the trashcans, or perhaps those trashcans should have been placed in the streets instead of up against buildings.
Day and others had also not anticipated that people would take confetti to the event. Two members of the Public Works Department cleaned it up hours later, but soon after the crowd headed home it was Day, Town Administrator Tony Carson and Stack, owner of Design Resources, assisted by several town residents who picked up the larger trash items such as beverage cups and cans on the street.
Carriage rides were scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m., but approximately 30 people were in line 30 minutes earlier, so they began at 8 p.m.
The giant crowd was a pleasant surprise for Berlin businesses open that evening.
The Atlantic Hotel had its own New Year’s Eve event in its ballroom, but people attending the outside ball-drop could buy a drink at a bar set up on the porch. The hotel also had free hot chocolate and cider for the revelers.Every room at the hotel was booked, either as part of the special two-night package to go with the New Year’s Eve soiree or otherwise booked in advance.
“It was the best weekend the hotel has had since Mr. Fager took over,” said hotel employee Jude Robinson.
The Globe was so packed with people that owner Jen David instituted a “one in and one out” policy for the night. As one person left, another could enter. She did it, she said, “to make sure everybody was comfortable and that we could serve everybody.”
David was not only pleased with the business at The Globe, but the response to the town’s new event.
“For us, it was wonderful. And we were really, really happy to see locals as guests and attending the event,” she said.
Prior to the New Year’s Eve event, Tim Lawrence, director of the town’s Electric Utility, and lineman Fred Litchfield practiced a trial run for the ball drop on Thursday. Other advance preparations included building a device to swing the ball away from the building’s exterior, clearing snow from the streets and setting up the outdoor stage in front of Rayne’s Reef Luncheonette.
A meeting of town department heads will be held this week to discuss what would be needed to make next year’s event even better.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
18-Month Sentence For Ocean City Man
John Edward Cropper, 46, was first given a harsher, 10-year sentence by Worcester County Circuit Court Judge Thomas C. Groton III. The judge suspended all but 18 months of the sentence, telling Cropper if he slipped up again, he'd face the remaining years behind bars.
Additional charges of malicious destruction of property and trespassing merged with the arson charge. Cropper's sentence also includes five years of supervised probation and $1,170 in fines and court fees. The judge authorized the 18 months to be served on work release.
Assistant Worcester County State's Attorney Diane Cuilhe sought a harsher sentence -- second-degree arson carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail and a $30,000 fine -- based on Cropper being charged with a string of arsons in 1987.
According to Joel Todd, who was a deputy state's attorney at the time, Cropper became the main suspect in a series of Ocean City arsons in the 1980s. Officials eventually found probable cause to charge him, but in court he was found not criminally responsible.
Cuilhe said prosecutors believe Cropper poses a risk as a repeat offender based on comments he made to authorities at the time of the 1987 incidents: "I light 'em and I fight 'em."
In court, Cropper apologized for the fires set this spring, saying he's raising a 13-year-old son who "would greatly resent it" if his father were jailed. He also said he works full-time as an engineer on a clamming boat and can't miss work.
The judge noted Cropper's record of minor offenses, which include arrests for theft, burglary and drug possession.
Ocean City Police said on the evening of March 28, an officer on patrol stopped Cropper as he was walking near the Cropper Concrete plant. Though they share a name, the plant's owners and the defendant are unconnected.
Cropper, who rents a home on nearby St. Louis Avenue, claimed he was looking for his dog. The officer testified to noticing a strong smell of lighter fluid or gasoline on him. The officer let Cropper go and, with another officer, did a property check of the plant.
Inside a maintenance building, the officers smelled smoke and eventually found two small fires burning. The officers put out the fires and quickly brought Cropper back for questioning.
Cropper at first denied that he had been on the concrete plant grounds. But police found dirt on his boots that matched that of the property, and found his hands reeking of a flammable liquid, as well as black marks on his hands.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Victim Of Baseball Bat Beating Still Hospitalized
Kenneth Lee Wharton III, 18, of Snow Hill has been charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, armed robbery and theft after he allegedly beat 21-year-old Kendrick Lee Hall with a baseball bat.
According to court documents, both men met at Snow Hill Middle School on Friday before driving, in separate cars, to the end of Brick Kiln Road.
In charging documents, police allege Wharton demanded money and Hall's Droid X smart phone before beginning to beat him with a baseball bat.
Wharton told police that after driving to the location around 2 a.m., Hall "grabbed him and attempted to kiss him." Wharton admitted to hitting Hall "six or seven times," but maintained he never took the smart phone or stole $10, according to police. The men are considered to be acquaintances, police say.
On Monday, Hall was in fair condition at Peninsula Regional Medical Center after suffering a parietal bone fracture, a minimally depressed skull, hematoma, brain contusion, nasal bone fractures, an orbital wall fracture and numerous bruises on his back, according to court documents filed in District Court to support the charges against Wharton.
Dr. David Kerrigan, a trauma surgeon at PRMC, said patients who experience bleeding in or around the brain are given at least one year to recover and can experience an array of short- and long-term symptoms.
"If a patient gets good care, even in optimum circumstances they can have bad results," said Kerrigan. "On the flip side, you can have great results with very little invasive treatment."
Kerrigan, who was not speaking directly about Hall's condition, said side effects of similar brain and head injuries can range from headaches and migraines to bouts of depression and difficulty with everyday tasks.
Wharton has been released on bond, pending a preliminary hearing scheduled on Jan. 28.