Author: delmarvatimes.com
The Somerset County Board of Education (SCBOE) has issued a forceful response to the Maryland Office of the Inspector General for Education (OIGE), disputing the agency’s findings regarding the Board’s procurement of legal services from Schifanelli Law, LLP. The OIGE’s investigative report, released November 13, alleged that Somerset County Public Schools violated state procurement guidelines and local policy when selecting its current legal counsel. In a detailed memorandum to Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) President Dr. Joshua Michael, the Board’s attorneys argued that the OIGE’s legal conclusions were “erroneous,” “misleading,” and based on misinterpretations of state law. Board Says…
PRESS RELEASE: Somerset County Public Schools November 3, 2025 (Westover, MD) – The Somerset County Board of Education voted today to approve the employment contract for Mr. David Bromwell, appointing him as Interim Superintendent of Somerset County Public Schools (SCPS), effective November 3, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The Board has emphasized its commitment to ensuring academic growth, improved student behavior, and safe, respectful learning environments for all students. Mr. Bromwell brings extensive leadership experience and a proven record of service in public education, making him the most experienced public-school superintendent currently serving on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The Board remains…
On October 24, 2025, Mykel Elliott, 18 years of age, of Salisbury, Maryland was convicted by a Wicomico County jury of First Degree Murder, Attempted First Degree Murder, two counts of Conspiracy- First Degree Murder, Gang Participation and related offenses. The verdict followed a five-day jury trial presided over by the Honorable Judge K. Beckstead, Chief Judge of the Circuit Court for Wicomico County. Elliott will remain in custody pending sentencing. During the late evening hours of April 15, 2023, Mykel Elliott and others sought out the location of the victims near downtown Salisbury, bent on revenge for a video…
Delegate Charles James Otto, 61, of the Mt. Vernon area of Princess Anne, passed away at his home on Friday, October 17, 2025. Born in Salisbury, MD on February 15, 1964, Charles was the beloved son of the late William Otto and Natalie Grace Wagner Otto. Raised in Mt. Vernon, he was a graduate of Washington High School’s class of 1982, attended the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and went on to earn his B.S. in Animal Science from Virginia Tech in 1986. Charles dedicated his life to farming and public service. He worked as a farmer, certified crop specialist…
Maryland State Police arrest man on suspicion of sexually soliciting a minor. Distribution of child pornography in Worcester CountyOctober 17, 2025 (Berlin, MD) – Maryland State Police arrested a man Wednesday in Worcester County on charges of soliciting sexual acts from a minor via a smartphone app. Alexander Crum, 29, of Berlin, Maryland, is charged with sexual solicitation of a minor, solicitation of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, knowingly permitting sexual solicitation of a minor, and aggravating the condition of a child. He was transported to the Worcester County Detention Center and is being held without…
Maryland’s House of Delegates District 38A representative Charles Otto has passed. Otto represented Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties and served as Deputy Minority Whip since 2013. According to Otto’s official biography, he was born in Salisbury in 1964. He attended Washington High School in Princess Anne before attending the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Otto was first elected to the House of Delegates in January of 2011.
On Friday, the Trump administration initiated layoffs affecting thousands of federal employees, fulfilling its commitment to reduce the size of the federal government. In a legal document filed late on Friday, attorneys from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) revealed that around 4,200 employees from at least seven different agencies received notices about the reduction in force (RIF) starting on October 10. OMB Director Russ Vought confirmed this development via social media, stating, “The RIFs have begun,” on X. The most significant job losses will occur in the Departments of Treasury (1,446 employees), Health and Human Services (1,100–1,200 employees),…
