OC Today WWW.OCEANCITYTODAY.COM
JUNE 2, 2023
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
COWBOYS
BUCKIN’ BULLS
Professional Bull Riding Challenge Series returns to the OC inlet starting today – Page 6
FREE
HUNTER HINE/OCEAN CITY TODAY
SDHS GRADUATION
Seniors walked and accepted their diplomas at the Stephen Decatur High School graduation ceremony in the Louis H. Taylor Stadium on Wednesday. The Class of 2023 listened to Principal Tom Sites, Superintendent Lou Taylor and keynote speaker Dr. Stephen P. Fell before turning their tassels, throwing their caps and watching fireworks.
OC to prohibit ‘weed’ bars
City Council wants legal tools in place to keep cannabis use off streets
By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (June 2, 2023) Come July 1, the recreational use of marijuana will be legal in Maryland, but Ocean City officials are taking steps now to ensure most public places remain cannabisfree zones. At a work session Tuesday, council members voted to move a ban of onpremise cannabis consumption li-
censes to a first reading. If the ordinance passes, city business owners will not be able to get a license to sell, or allow use of, any cannabis products in their establishments. “Equate it to a bar,” City Manager Terry McGean explained. “You can have a beer garden, you could smoke pot outside and you could vape it and consume edibles inside … The law allows local jurisdictions to ban that license and council wants to move forward with doing so.” The statewide legalization of recreational marijuana last legislative session through the Cannabis Reform
Bill introduced a host of new regulatory laws and code changes that Maryland municipalities are maneuvering. In Ocean City, McGean appointed Deputy City Manager JR Harmon, a retired police captain, to lead the effort. At Tuesday’s work session, Harmon presented details of the proposed city code changes. He also shared staff members’ recommendation to prohibit the operation of onsite consumption establishments and licenses, and establishment of penalties for violations. According to the See ABSOLUTE Page 3
Mailloux’s first hearing dropped as unnecessary By Hunter Hine Staff Writer (June 2, 2023) The initial court appearance for the suspect in the Gavin Knupp hit-and-run case, Tyler Mailloux, had been scheduled for this May 31, but was canceled after the court agreed the reasons for the hearing had already been addressed. Mailloux, 22, of Berlin has been charged as the driver in the hit-andrun death of the 14-year-old Knupp of See Mailloux Page 4