During the recent book ban discussions at the Worcester County Board of Education meeting as well as across the state and country, it seemed inevitable there may be some legislation introduced on...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2024/02/01/between-the-lines-43/
It’s clear to all it’s an election year on the national front with a disturbing Biden-Trump rematch inevitable on the presidential level, but there will also be much decided on the local fron...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2024/01/25/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-january-26-2024/
It was a pleasant surprise to see the Worcester County Commissioners vote 5-2 to explore implementing a public comment period at its meetings. Making the motion was Commissioner Joe Mitrecic and ...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2024/01/18/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-january-19-2024/
In 2024, it appears there will be two Jeep events in Ocean City – Jeep Fest and Jeep Week. More specific plans for Ocean City Jeep Week, tentatively scheduled for May 9-12, and the associated J...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2024/01/11/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-january-12-2024/
In this first issue of 2024, I offer some predictions for what will make news in the weeks and months ahead. The Appellate Court of Maryland will uphold the lower court’s decision to dismiss ch...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2024/01/04/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-january-5-2024/
It’s time to look back on how my predictions for the year turned out.On The Money After being canceled in 2022 due to Mother Nature, the massive Oceans Calling Festival took place in late Septe...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/12/28/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-december-29-2023/
The optimist in me sees some hope the state may pivot a bit on providing funding for a new Buckingham Elementary School. However, the realist was taken aback a bit by the comments from the IAC le...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/12/21/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-december-22-2023/
It was great to see all the tributes to Greg Bassett this week.When I first heard of Greg Bassett’s passing Sunday, I immediately thought of Shawn Soper, who was a reporter and editor for this ...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/12/14/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-december-15-2023/
It was a no brainer for the Worcester County Commissioners to strike a $37 million central office building for the Board of Education from the county’s capital improvement plan submitted to the...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/12/07/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-december-8-2023/
At last week’s Worcester County Board of Education meeting, Board member Dr. Jon Andes, the former 16-year superintendent of schools, suggested a potential compromise measure after hearing from...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/11/30/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-december-1-2023/
Revising the county’s five-year school capital improvement plan to include Buckingham Elementary was a procedural step needed before officially asking the state to reconsider denial of funding ...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/11/23/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-november-24-2023/
Parking is big bucks in Ocean City, as an average of $6 million in revenue is generated annually from paid parking each year at municipal lots and streets in the downtown area. It seems Ocean Cit...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/11/16/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-november-17-2023/
The comments this week at City Hall about the Trump flags placed on the beach in Ocean City remind me of a similar, albeit more high-profile situation during the summer of 2020.In August of 2020,...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/11/09/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-november-10-2023/
While US Wind seems to be moving ahead through the regulatory process to build wind turbines off Ocean City, there appears to be some uncertainty surrounding the other identified developer, Ørst...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/11/02/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-november-3-2023/
Hundreds of individuals crammed into the cafeteria at Ocean City Elementary School this week to participate in the first of two in-person public meetings as part of the process to create a final ...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/10/26/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-october-27-2023/
Are Worcester County public schools unsafe? No. I’m a parent of a middle school student and I am not worried about his daily safety. I have spoken to many high school parents in recent weeks. W...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/10/19/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-october-20-2023/
Though all hope is not lost on a possible reconsideration, the state’s rejection of a funding contribution for a new Buckingham Elementary School is a major blow to any type of future project. ...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/10/12/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-october-13-2023/
A random collection of thoughts from my weekend attending the first Oceans Calling Festival in downtown Ocean City. It’s tough ahead of time to imagine 50,000 people gathered on the beach and B...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/10/05/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-october-6-2023/
Every meeting between Worcester County and the Maryland Department of Transportation is like watching a television re-run. The state outlines current initiatives and one or more county officials ...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/09/28/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-september-29-2023/
For as many people who converge on the Ocean City area for bike week, it’s amazing there are not more incidents. There are significant accidents typically and a few assaults, but for the most p...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/09/21/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-september-22-2023/
The Worcester County Board of Education’s full response to the Worcester County Commissioners’ letters last week seeking more details on budget practices and specifics was received yesterday....
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/09/14/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-september-15-2023/
The Worcester County Commissioners sent a letter to the Worcester County Board of Education this week that most likely went over like a lead balloon in Newark.In a letter to Worcester County Boar...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/09/07/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-september-8-2023/
(Editor’s Note: In full disclosure, I am a member of the Berlin Mayor and Council. Since being elected last October, I have not expressed any opinions on Berlin matters in this space. A decisio...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/08/31/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-september-1-2023/
Though no official word has come from the Town of Ocean City, indications are next year’s OC Air Show could be bumped to late August. There are at least two aviation industry websites listing n...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/08/24/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-august-25-2023/
With the return to school nearing, negotiations continue between the county school system and teachers on a new contract. The original agreement included a step increase and a 4% cost of living a...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/08/10/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-august-11-2023/
As more details become known, it’s clear an apt word to describe this fall’s Oceans Calling Festival would be unprecedented.It’s been interesting to observe the early planning that is curre...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/07/27/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-july-28-2023/
There should be some news on the proposed Margaritaville project in Ocean City soon. Slated to be built on property formerly home to the Phillips Beach Plaza between 13th and 14th streets, Margar...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/07/20/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-july-21-2023/
Does the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office need a $321,000 armored rescue vehicle? Maybe, maybe not. An argument could be made for and against, but there’s no disputing the timing of last wee...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/07/13/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-july-14-2023/
Over the last few weeks, the Ocean City Police Department has carried out a commendable education campaign as a result of the Cannabis Reform Act taking effect July 1. Topics covered during the s...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/07/06/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-july-7-2023/
It has been a strange summer season so far. June has been weird on most fronts, but especially on the weather and its impact on reduced crowds on the weekends.There also appear to be some trends ...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/06/29/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-june-30-2023/
Blunt talk is not commonplace in government, but there was a heaping dose of it on display at this week’s Worcester County Board of Education meeting. Following an emotional prepared statement ...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/06/22/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-june-23-2023/
A major blame game is being played, and this is usually a contest with no winners. At this point in the discourse between the Worcester County Commissioners and the Worcester County Board of Educ...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/06/15/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-june-16-2023/
Throughout this spring’s budget process involving the Worcester County Commissioners and the Worcester County Board of Education, a takeaway for me has been how openly outspoken many educators ...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/06/08/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-june-9-2023/
The Worcester County Commissioners’ decision to not give away the synthetic ice rink – purchased for about $70,000 in 2019 – turned out to be the right call. Once it was clear the majority ...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/06/01/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-june-2-2023/
Of the two Cruisin events – one in the spring and the other in October – the May edition typically brings larger crowds than its fall counterpart. In years past, the spring Cruisin has also b...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/05/25/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-may-26-2023/
As happens every year, the Worcester County Commissioners turned a deficit into a surplus. This year it was an approximately $11 million deficit that became a $400,000 surplus through a series of...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/05/18/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-may-19-2023/
It’s been interesting during the public school budget process to monitor the level of engagement online among teachers. When the story about this week’s decision by the County Commissioners t...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/05/11/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-may-12-2023/
It’s clear not everyone is going to get what they want with the Worcester County budget process. It’s also evident the county school’s system budget request of $106 million from the count...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/05/04/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-may-5-2023/
In recent years, the annual public hearing on Worcester County’s proposed budget has not been as spirited as it traditionally has been. In light of recent comments between the County Commission...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/04/27/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-april-28-2023/
The Worcester County Commissioners voted 4-3 this week to try and sell the synthetic ice rink – purchased in 2019 for $70,000 – on govdeals.com. The county had been in recent months hedging o...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/04/20/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-april-21-2023/
Republicans in the Maryland General Assembly have always faced a tough road, but the predicament in Annapolis has reached new heights without Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. There are currently 52 R...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/04/13/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-april-14-2023/
Communication is critical when public school safety incidents arise. By and large, it seems Tuesday’s situation at Stephen Decatur High School was handled much better than other incidents in pr...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/04/06/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-april-7-2023/
During an Ocean 98 radio interview this week, Tiffany Knupp, mother of Gavin Knupp who was killed in a hit-and-run collision walking across a road last July, reiterated her trust and faith in jus...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/03/30/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-march-31-2023/
Last year seemed quieter than usual on the crime front in Ocean City, and the annual police report confirmed as much this week. Nearly every indicator – such as calls for service, assaults and ...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/03/23/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-march-24-2023/
Last weekend’s whispers of wet, windy weather forecasted for Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Parade and Festival became roars as the week progressed. For a few days, this week’s scenario mirrore...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/03/09/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-march-10-2023/
What’s the takeaway from the latest step in the analysis of Route 90’s future – the completion of the state’s planning and environmental linkages study report? There are 142 pages to the ...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/03/02/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-march-3-2023/
There was an interesting discussion on pending health curriculum legislation in Newark this week at the Worcester County Board of Education meeting with comments made from parents, school adminis...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/02/23/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-february-24-2023/
Who will be playing at this fall’s Oceans Calling Festival in Ocean City? It’s on the minds of many.It was interesting to see the lineup released this week for a similar music festival in New...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/02/09/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-february-10-2023/
Before this week, there’s a good chance many were unfamiliar with ransomware attacks. Knowledge is quickly available through simple internet searches to learn these sorts of attacks carried out...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/02/02/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-february-3-2023/
Over the coming months, many steps will be taken to provide the mechanism for a room tax rate increase for Worcester County. The first step is for Worcester, Kent, Caroline and Queen Anne’s cou...
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2023/01/26/thoughts-from-the-publishers-desk-january-27-2023/