Bulkhead

The Annapolis city council passed Monday a $95.6 million operating budget and $10 million capital budget for next year, with a slight increase in the property tax rate and funding for projects that include a bulkhead replacement at City Dock. Mayor Josh Cohen, a Democrat, said the budget will improve government services while limiting the impact on taxpayers. "I think it's a good budget. I think it's a responsible budget," he said. Alderman Fred Paone, a Republican who voted against the measure, criticized the budget as unfixable.

The Annapolis city council passed Monday a $95.6 million operating budget and $10 million capital budget for next year, with a slight increase in the property tax rate and funding for projects that include a bulkhead replacement at City Dock. Mayor Josh Cohen, a Democrat, said the budget will improve government services while limiting the impact on taxpayers. "I think it's a good budget. I think it's a responsible budget," he said. Alderman Fred Paone, a Republican who voted against the measure, criticized the budget as unfixable.

A $1.5 million federal grant will help pay for rebuilding the downtown Annapolis City Dock, including upgrades to stormwater management controls to reduce frequent flooding. "City Dock is arguably the city's most important asset, and first and foremost, we need to be responsible stewards of the assets we have," said Annapolis Mayor Josh Cohen. An overall $12.5 million rehabilitation project for the dock involves stabilizing and rebuilding 700 linear feet of City Dock's bulkhead, as well as the stormwater measures and upgrading slips used by transient boaters who visit Annapolis.

A $1.5 million federal grant will help pay for rebuilding the downtown Annapolis City Dock, including upgrades to stormwater management controls to reduce frequent flooding. "City Dock is arguably the city's most important asset, and first and foremost, we need to be responsible stewards of the assets we have," said Annapolis Mayor Josh Cohen. An overall $12.5 million rehabilitation project for the dock involves stabilizing and rebuilding 700 linear feet of City Dock's bulkhead, as well as the stormwater measures and upgrading slips used by transient boaters who visit Annapolis.

The city has determined that it will cost about $20 million to repair and replace bulkheading in southern Baltimore that a Florida real estate developer says is necessary to proceed with work on a planned Ritz-Carlton Hotel.City officials are considering spending the money required to shore up the former Bethlehem Steel Corp. shipyard, but have asked developer Neil Fisher to make a commitment that he will construct a "five-star" luxury hotel on land adjacent to the Rusty Scupper restaurant.

Marina gets OK to build Parrish Creek bulkheadA Shady Side marina has received permission from the Army Corps of Engineers, which regulates martitime construction, to build a replacement bulkhead along the banks of Parrish Creek.The corps issued permit #91-64109-1 to the Leatherbury Point Marina on May 25 after evaluating potential environmental impacts.Man robbed outside pharmacy in DealeA 22-year-old man was robbed as he sat in his car outside the Deale Pharmacy early yesterday, county police reported.

Operating budget: $68.6 million Spending increase: 10 percent Proposed tax rate: 56 cents per $100 of assessed value (no change) Employee raises: 3 percent New spending: Five additional police officers; bulkhead repairs at City Dock; water and sewer improvements[Source: Office of the Mayor]

The Harford County YMCA Penguins Swim Team, which spent the past 10 years competing in all its meets on the road, finally got the chance to swim at home, with a little help from four University of Delaware students.As a senior project, four mechanical engineering students designed and built a removable bulkhead and charged only the cost of materials. The bulkhead, delivered near the beginning of the summer, reduced the Penguins' pool in Aberdeen from Olympic-size to the league-required length of 25 yards and gave the 65-member team the chance to hold a home meet for the first time two weeks ago."

Wine Festival Sip wine, buy wine, attend wine seminars and cooking demonstrations, visit craft stands, listen to a variety of musical acts and enjoy food this Saturday and Sunday at the 25th annual Virginia Wine Festival. More than 300 wines will be available for sampling and purchase from nearly 60 Virginia wineries. Activities for children include face painting, rides, magic shows, a moonbounce and sing-alongs. The festival takes place Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Great Meadow Field Events Center, The Plains, Va. Tickets are $13-$16 in advance; $16-$20 at the gate; $5 under 21; free 2 and under.

Riviera Beach to spend $87,000 for shoreline bulkhead workThe Riviera Beach Erosion Control District is to spend $87,000 shoring up bulkheads along Echo Drive, and Arundel and Carroll roads during the fiscal year that begins July 1.Plans call for Norris Marine Contractors to repair tongue and groove sheets, construct five small jetties and lay large stone, known as rip-rap, along nearly 900 feet of bulkhead at those three roads.Gene Hatfield, president of the Riviera Community Improvement Association, set the 40-year-old district's budget after touring the community shoreline with a marine contractor.

The angle is particularly unsettling. Pinned by underwater pilings, the breached houseboat lunges out of the water like a mutant marlin. A rusty propane tank on the fly bridge hangs on for dear life. Torn cabin curtains blow in the wind. There is no pleasure left in this boat. Any respectable capsized boat would be at the bottom of Patapsco's Northwest Harbor here in Fells Point. But not this 30-foot houseboat, with its name unknown and owner gone. This boat sticks out like a sore shipwreck.

Operating budget: $68.6 million Spending increase: 10 percent Proposed tax rate: 56 cents per $100 of assessed value (no change) Employee raises: 3 percent New spending: Five additional police officers; bulkhead repairs at City Dock; water and sewer improvements[Source: Office of the Mayor]

Annapolis' aging City Dock will get its first major face-lift in 30 years starting in the fall with help from a $500,000 state grant. As part of the $1.5 million project - a federal grant and city money will account for the rest - the city will replace the dock's failing bulkheads and deteriorating boardwalk. The city also plans to add utility lines to serve visiting boats and to fortify the foundation of the dock's park area, built on fill composed largely of oyster shells. The utility lines would be hidden from view to comply with city code.

Annapolis' aging City Dock will get its first major face-lift in 30 years, starting in the fall, with help from a $500,000 state grant. As part of the $1.5 million project - a federal grant and city money will account for the rest - the city will replace the dock's failing bulkheads and deteriorating boardwalk. The city also plans to add utility lines to serve visiting boats and to fortify the foundation of the dock's park area, built on fill composed largely of oyster shells. The utility lines would be hidden from view.

MINNOWS SWIRL and crickets chirp amid the fecund dishabille of bayberry and hibiscus, cattails and spartina grasses, all gone to seed and collapsing back into the mud of the creek shore as autumn advances. It's the merest patch of freshwater marsh, about 85 feet long by 30 feet wide, infinitesimal amid the Chesapeake Bay's thousands of miles of tidal shoreline. Still, its creation made lots of people nervous in 1998, when St. John's College dismantled a bit of its tidy, walled, or bulkheaded, shoreline along College Creek in Annapolis, and let natural vegetation flourish for the first time in half a century.

Wine Festival Sip wine, buy wine, attend wine seminars and cooking demonstrations, visit craft stands, listen to a variety of musical acts and enjoy food this Saturday and Sunday at the 25th annual Virginia Wine Festival. More than 300 wines will be available for sampling and purchase from nearly 60 Virginia wineries. Activities for children include face painting, rides, magic shows, a moonbounce and sing-alongs. The festival takes place Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Great Meadow Field Events Center, The Plains, Va. Tickets are $13-$16 in advance; $16-$20 at the gate; $5 under 21; free 2 and under.

Recreational fishing is a sport that has no age, social or racial barriers. Wading through a stream with a fly rod, boarding a small boatat a launch ramp, or just walking to the river's edge is something most anglers take for granted.However, when you have physical disabilities, such impediments as curbs and guard rails -- found in some public fishing areas -- often make reaching the water an impossible task.Although state and federal law now mandates handicap access at all new public facilities, access for the physically impaired and elderly sometimes is overlooked in the design of recreational areas.

It's that time of year when the locals head out to their favorite flounder hole and give it one last try. The flounder are making their move as they sense the coming of fall and the call of the Continental Shelf.There was a flounder lull for a couple of weeks, and many `D anglers gave up the search for the elusive fish. Now the flounder are back, and anglers are fishing for them once again.Since the flounder are heading out, it makes sense that the inlet area has been a hot spot for fluke.

Baltimore officials said yesterday that the construction of tens of millions of dollars' worth of steel and concrete bulkheads around the Inner Harbor's piers has strengthened them to the point that they could not collapse like Philadelphia's Pier 34. Parts of the Philadelphia pier were believed to be 100 years old, and a partial collapse six years ago reportedly forced a restaurant on top of it to close. "Anyone who is walking around the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, around the National Aquarium or the Power Plant, they have absolutely nothing to worry about," said Kurt Kocher, spokesman for the city's Department of Public Works.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Skipper Ken Read and his Stars and Stripes team have won a 48-hour reprieve from America's Cup preliminary racing in New Zealand while they try to repair their disabled boat.Stars and Stripes was crippled Saturday when the aft deck peeled away from the hull.The team was to race today against Young America, the New York Yacht Club representing Newport, R.I.The race committee's decision means that the race with Young America will be postponed, as will tomorrow's scheduled race against France's Le Defi BTT.The Louis Vuitton committee expects Stars and Stripes to be ready to race tomorrow.