Ocean City

Ocean City is sending Pepsi packing. Come spring, Coca-Cola will be the official soft drink of the Maryland resort town. Officials entered into a five-year exclusive agreement with the beverage company, guaranteeing that only Coke products will be served at town-owned properties and town-operated events. Obviously, you can still purchase Pepsi in Ocean City, but you won't be able to get it at some of the city's signature events, like SunFest.  As part of the contract, which takes effect April 2, Ocean City receives a $65,000 cash payment, commission on product sales, advertising and marketing support and, of course, free soft drinks. The contract also designates Coca-Cola as the "official soft drink of Ocean City.

While the concept of a large scale wind farm off the coast of Ocean City is an ambitious and inviting project, our state representatives and citizens need to seriously consider any unintended negative effects before committing to such an endeavor. First of all it is important to address any concerns about the safety of our migratory birds in the flyway off our coast. Wind turbines have been responsible for bird strikes, and we must be sure we continue to ensure their safety. Having attended the Wind Vision Conference on December 4th, I was very encouraged when guest speaker Robert Mitchell, the CEO of Trans Atlantic Development Company, stated that in order to protect all migratory birds and other marine life, the wind farm has to be at least 15 miles offshore.

A Howard County man died Wednesday after an afternoon fall at a Ocean City hotel, according to police. Police found Eric Austin Allen, 26, of Dayton, unresponsive at the Holiday Inn Hotel in the 1700 block of Atlantic Avenue at about 4 p.m., after receiving reports a man had fallen onto the hotel's pool deck, police said. Allen appeared to have fallen from a hotel balcony, police said. Allen was taken to Atlantic General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

The Dew Tour is ready to let it rip again this summer in Ocean City. The mayor and town council voted Tuesday night to approve the request for the action sports tour to return to the resort city Aug. 16-19. Alli Sports, organizers of the tour, plan a four-day event with competition in BMX, skateboarding and surfing, as well as a festival village and concert performance. Organizers say the event will be broadcast live on NBC and NBC Sports Network.  Last summer's event, the first time the Dew Tour was held in Ocean City, took place in July.

Ocean City, can you handle all of this love? Today, citing the relatively low cost of living on the shore, Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate named Ocean City  "America's Most Affordable Fun City. " "There are two or three ultra-cool cities that everyone wants to live in,” says Sherry Chris, chief executive of BHG Real Estate. “The problem is it's very expensive to live in those cities, so that eliminates them as a possibility for many people.” The median price of a home in Ocean City is $243,600, just a tad above the median for the state.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued Ocean City's mayor and city council, accusing them of age discrimination, the federal agency announced Wednesday. The lawsuit alleges the resort town failed to hire Anthony Indge as full-time airport associate in 2008 because he was 62. Indge had been employed as a temporary line technician and filled in as an airport associate in 2007 and 2008. During Indge's interview for the full-time associate position, the airport manager made several "ageist comments" to Indge, according to the EEOC.

If you're hearing Ocean City's siren song that may be because this weekend has lots of music on tap for beachgoers, starting with country and pop singer LeAnn Rimes. The Grammy-winning Rimes is set for a Saturday night concert at Freeman Stage , featuring an acoustic set with the powerful singer. Tickets range from $40 to $75 for the outdoor event and some are still available. Also this weekend is the launch of the Radio Disney summer concert series on the beach at North Division Street.

Ocean City wants boardwalk businesses to take it down a notch. The music, that is. The Town Council holds a final vote tonight on a proposal that would restrict noises and sounds from eminating more than 30 feet from the source. This includes playing music, instruments, sounds systems, karaoke - whatever your noise of choice.  Officials say the proposal actually comes at the behest of some boardwalk businesses that have complained they are being disturbed by noise from their neighbors.

While performance artists at the Inner Harbor do highlight the First Amendment right to freedom of expression, the recent arrest of a spray painter there is a bad example ("Policing performance art," Sept. 20). I live in Ocean City , and my wife has a business near where Mark Chase, the man recently arrested for trespassing at the Inner Harbor, "performs" while spray painting signs for money. He is a public health hazard. He creates a paint-fume cloud that extends in a 30-foot perimeter around his work area.

The fourth season of 'The Jersey Shore' - in Italy - premieres tonight and producers say it's the craziest shows yet. Somehow, that's not hard to believe. The cast is back on U.S. soil, though, and already filming the next season from Seaside Heights, N.J. But Vinny Guadagnino is taking some time out of the house to visit Ocean City next week - maybe that explains those rumors that Vinny has left the cast . On Aug. 10, Guadagnino will get the party started around 9 p.m. at H20 nightclub - an under 21 dance club - just off the boardwalk on Worcester Street, before moving on to The Party Block , for the adults, at around 11 p.m. The clubs are hosting MTV celebrities every Wednesday night throughout summer.