October 18, 2013 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch Page 43 The Dispatch Forever In Memory Of Our Founder, Dick Lohmeyer (May 25, 1927-May 5, 2005) The Dispatch, Serving Greater Ocean City Since 1984, Is Published By Maryland Coast Dispatch Inc. Weekly On Friday Mornings MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 467 Berlin, Md. 21811 PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 10012 Old Ocean City Blvd. Berlin, Md. 21811 PHONE: 410-641-4561 FAX: 410-641-0966 WEBSITES: www.mdcoastdispatch.com www.facebook.com/thedispatchoc J. STEVEN GREEN Publisher/Editor editor@mdcoastdispatch.com HOW WE SEE IT Between The Lines By Publisher/Editor Steve Green It’s been a while since the Ramadans have been in the news, but this week some new major news broke. Basel and Samir Ramadan, along with a dozen or so cohorts, were arrested earlier this year for their leading roles in a vast cigarette smuggling operation involving millions of dollars of untaxed smokes. While that operation was significant, what was most compelling was the New York authorities’ belief that they were involved in terrorist funding activities. It has been known for some time that these sorts of cigarette smuggling operations funnel proceeds to terrorist groups abroad. However, proving the Ramadans were working with and for terrorists would be difficult. The feeling here all along was if authorities could not link the Ramadans and their team of criminals to terrorist activity both could be out of jail within a few years on the cigarette smuggling charges. For Basel Ramadan, that all changed yesterday with an indictment for allegedly conspiring from behind bars to kill witnesses he believed were cooperating with authorities on the case against him. Another suspect, Yousseff Odeh, has also been charged with the same crime. “These defendants sought to kill individuals they believed to be witnesses to their crimes. This behavior is intolerable, and we are going to prosecute them to the full extent of the law,” New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said. “These two individuals cheated New York taxpayers out of millions of dollars in tax revenue and then tried to cover up their dangerous and lucrative smuggling operations, which hurt New York businesses, by committing the ultimate crime.” Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said, "This indictment shows the scope of intent of these two individuals was not limited to generating profits through illegal cigarettes; it now includes a murder plot.” On these new charges alone, Ramadan is now facing up to 25 years. Many in the local tourism industry have worried for years about the lack of a long-term, organized direction the town’s tourism industry seems to have. That’s why it’s significant that the town’s Tourism Commission is asking the city to put out a Request For Proposals for outside strategic planning companies to study local tourism. Maryland Tourism Development Board Chair Greg Shockley opined this week what many have been thinking. The resort is simply living year to year and relying on annual marketing campaigns to attract tourists. “Personally, I have been railing this for years. We are basically crisis managing every year without our own map to go forward, and putting it off another year puts us into another year of crisis management, so I believe time is of the essence,” he said. What’s best about this strategic planning effort will be for once a general sense of Ocean City tourism will be obtained. This will be a trying process for the work group that will be involved in this process, but it should be worthwhile. Ocean City is home to a diverse group of ideologies and most of the time business owners, elected officials and appointed tourism executives do not appear to be on the same page. For instance, while Mayor Rick Meehan may be boasting about the OC Air Show on television and the crowds it brings to Ocean City, there are business owners in the resort who simultaneously despise the day-tripper event because of all the handouts it requires as well as the lack of heads it puts in beds. Additionally, as was mentioned this week, June is a month that divides the town. For some businesses, June is a huge month for sales, while for others it’s a let down from the better month of May. Also mentioned this week was the fact that some think Ocean City’s tourism is based solely on special events and that spending marketing dollars outside the area is extremely ineffective and a waste of resources, particularly if it’s going to involve a fake lifeguard spreading a silly message. Although tourism people in Ocean City will never agree on everything, this is a good step to build some sort of general consensus and to create a document that will serve as a future roadmap and guiding principle. Pickup Truck Law Just Common Sense Ocean City is looking into creating a new ordinance prohibiting passengers from riding in the back of pickup trucks. What’s most compelling about this is the fact it’s not already against the law because it was assumed by most that it’s prohibited currently. The fact is it’s not in Maryland with the exception of one county. What’s unclear is whether this law will be for all of Ocean City or just the city-owned streets. If it can’t be for the entire town, as was the case with certain scooter regulations, it will not be worthwhile because that leaves Coastal Highway off limits because it’s a state-owned road. We give the city enough credit at this point that the topic would not have even been broached if it was not for all roads in Ocean City. It looks as if Ocean City is simply going to mirror its law to the one on the books in Anne Arundel County. In that county’s code under Passengers In Unenclosed Areas of Motor Vehicles, it states, “It shall be unlawful for a person to ride in or allow another person to ride in an unenclosed area of a motor vehicle except in a seat with a seat belt in use. The penalty upon violation is punishable by a fine of $50.” It’s certainly sounds simple enough and makes perfect sense because the sight of people piled into the back of a pickup truck bed is unsettling, especially in Ocean City when hundreds of rear-end accidents take place each year during congested times. It’s incredibly dangerous and sends a contradictory message when compared to recent motor vehicle laws passed. Effective Oct. 1, all vehicle passengers must wear seat belts. Previously, it was the law that only the front-seat passengers had to be restrained. Therein lies the contradiction. It’s illegal to ride in the back seat of a pickup truck’s cab without seat belts but there are no restraints necessary to ride in the bed of a pickup truck. It sends conflicting messages and is a loophole that needs to be closed. Officials explained this week it’s not prohibited currently in all jurisdictions because of the farming factor, as farmers and their workers often sit in the back of pickup trucks while conducting their chores along rural roads. That’s a lame reason not to make this a statewide law. It’s an easy fix to simply exclude those working in a certain trade, such as agriculture and road construction. Some things are obvious in life and do not merit tremendous consideration. We hope Ocean City does not overthink this change and moves forward with it. With proper enforcement, it will prevent what will inevitably be a tragic situation at some point in time. NEWS DEPARTMENT SHAWN J. SOPER News Editor Sports Editor ssoper@mdcoastdispatch.com JOANNE SHRINER Staff Writer joanne@mdcoastdispatch.com TRAVIS BROWN Staff Writer travis@mdcoastdispatch.com SALES DEPARTMENT TERRI FRENCH Account Executive Entertainment Editor terri@mdcoastdispatch.com JEANETTE DESKIEWICZ Account Executive jeanette@mdcoastdispatch.com MANETTE CRAMER Account Executive manette@mdcoastdispatch.com ART DEPARTMENT CINDY WARD Art Director art@mdcoastdispatch.com JENNIFER T. O’BRIEN Graphic Artist COLE GIBSON Graphic Artist Webmaster LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Ocean City Ticket Aggravates Local Editor: Last Thursday, I decided to stop by a store on the Boardwalk. Even though it was raining and the winds were about 20 mph I just wanted to run into a store (Edwards) for a few minutes. I got out of the car at 11:04 a.m. I remember because I listened to the news. I had quarters and went to the machine and read, "Memorial Day through Labor Day … seven days a week; All other times ... Friday through Sunday." Yeah. I even said to another patron there, "Looks like I don't have to pay; it's Thursday." I went to the Boardwalk. Thank you to Jill Ferrante of Park Place Jewelers for the paper towels to dry my face and wipe off my glasses. When I got back to my car, I found a ticket. It was written at 11:06 a.m. I took a picture of the writing on the machine and went to 65th Street. I reread the sign on the machine and realized that it must be car Cruisin. I sure didn't see any Cruisers in that nasty weather. When I got to the police station, I asked the policeman at the desk, "When does Cruisin start?" He answered, "When it stops raining," Exactly. So why do I have a ticket? I then went to the desk to pay the ticket. One person was talking to me and another female walked up and slammed a piece of paper on the counter. It was similar to what was written on the machine but not the same but still no dates on when SEE PAGE 44 BUSINESS OFFICE PAMELA GREEN Bookkeeper Classifieds Manager classifieds@mdcoastdispatch.com The Maryland Coast Dispatch (USPS #015125) is an official and legal newspaper for Worcester County. Periodical postage paid at Berlin, Maryland, and additional mailing offices.. The Maryland Coast Dispatch, 10012 Old Ocean City Blvd., Berlin, Md. 21811, is published weekly on Friday mornings, 52 weeks a year. Subscription rates are $75 per year, $55 for six months. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Maryland Coast Dispatch, P.O. Box 467, Berlin, Maryland 21811. Maryland Coast Dispatch offices are located at Route 346 and Graham Avenue, Berlin, Maryland.