August 2018 ‘GOOD NEWS’ Newsletter

Hello again, good people!

I am happy to bring you the August edition of the Greater Crisfield Action Coalition Newsletter, letting you know the ‘Good News’ going on in Crisfield. There is still much happening behind the scenes, but right now here’s what can be published, and it’s a lot!

MARION PHARMACY GIFT SHOP A HIT:

• Marion Pharmacy in Crisfield at 26427 Burton Avenue has gotten a name for something other than pharmaceuticals: gift items and home décor including beautiful wreaths, scented candles, and high-quality flags at a good price. They also have excellent greeting cards, which are always half price! Local resident Jean Pittman-Gray told me she gets all her wreaths there, plus decorative lights and flags. Not only do locals shop there, but they have customers who come from Fairmount, Salisbury, Pocomoke, and Virginia for items they can’t find elsewhere. For those who don’t know about them, Marion Pharmacy offers another place in Crisfield where you can find quality items without having to go out of town.

THE CRAB CAVE inside CRAB PLACE IS OPEN:

• Crisfield’s newest restaurant, The Crab Cave, opened on July 18th at 504 Maryland Avenue inside the Crab Place. The restaurant has gotten off to a great start, and customers are enjoying the variety of seafood dishes from Ms. Dolly’s Crabcake Sandwich to Crab Dip served with pretzels. Besides the seafood, patrons have especially enjoyed the unique sidewinder French fry offering as well as the Chicken Wings. On Saturday, the sports bar featured a local band called Plum Loco featuring Tim Clayton for live entertainment. You can’t go wrong by going to The Crab Cave for a meal, a cold beverage, and to hang out with friends.  Happy Hour is Wednesday through Friday 4-7 pm with beer buckets, specially priced drinks, and steamed shrimp specials.  Hours are Sunday and Wednesday through Friday opening at 4 pm; Saturday opening is 6:30 pm after the Crab & Cruise ends.  The website is www.thecrabcave.com.

NEW OWNERSHIP AT CAFÉ’S CARRY OUT:

• Well, guess what? Café’s Carry Out at 98 North Fourth Street reopened with new ownership by Becky and King Whittington on Friday, July 27th. This is the first time owning their own business, and both owners work there fulltime. Becky said she has worked in the food industry since she was 16 years old and has thirty years’ experience. Her husband is a “jack of all trades” and handles a multitude of jobs there. Business has picked up more and more each day, with pizza, fried chicken, subs, and quesadillas being their top sellers. You can eat in or carry out, and they also deliver from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. I especially like the rustic décor. This café is a real plus for Crisfield.

SUDS AND DUDS SNACK SHOP:

• A second business, formerly Java Jay’s, has reopened as Suds and Duds Snack Shop. This operation is being run by the Somerset County Developmental Center and offers snacks, cold beverages, and lunches like pizza, hot dogs, burgers, and chicken salad. I got a large slice of pepperoni pizza for $2, and it was delicious. And the two ladies running the shop that day could not have been nicer. Check them out for a quick and easy meal, with pleasant people and exceptional ambiance.

FEATURED ARTIST AT BAY GIFT VAULT:

• On August 10th, from 5:00-8:00 pm, Myrna C. McGrath will be the featured artist at the Bay Gift Vault.  Myrna has been painting since the age of 12 and opened The Gallery in Salisbury in the early 1970s.  In 1978 she printed the first of the Chesapeake Bay Maps, and since then, there are eight more editions, two being lighthouses of the Bay. Come and meet Myrna from 5:00-6:30 pm and sip adult beverages and enjoy light snacks.

McDONALD’S HAS A NEW LOOK: 

• The Crisfield McDonald’s is looking great with the exterior brick painted gray with white trim and new landscaping done in July. It really gives the business a clean fresh look. In talking to one of the store managers, I learned that their business continues to grow. Local residents support the business year-round, she said, and they also see many tourists in the summer. Their two biggest sellers are the McChicken Sandwich and Chicken Nuggets. Right now they also have two new selections: the Cold Brew Frappe and a Bacon Smoke House Sandwich served with chicken or a burger. I remember when it was thought that Crisfield would never have a McDonald’s because they wouldn’t get enough business to support it. I’m glad the owners didn’t listen to the forecasts. They are reaping the rewards of taking a leap of faith in Crisfield.

CRUISE-IN VIDEO:

• This past weekend Crisfield was bustling with a variety of events. There was Wheels on the Waterfront, 4th Saturday Bay Strolls, a Mud Bog, a Crab & Cruise, and a detail car wash competition. Bernie Johnson captured the downtown activity on video using his drone, and provided all of us with a birds eye view of the fun. In talking with him, I learned that he loves anything that has to do with remote controls and has taken up drones as a hobby. If you haven’t seen it, here’s the link to his video of the Wheels on the Waterfront Cruise-In: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYNYIPFx4j4 If this isn’t a promo for coming and investing in Crisfield, I don’t know what is! He also sent me still shots from the video and said, “Thank you for letting me be a part of such a great thing for our beautiful little town.” Thank YOU, Bernie, for sharing your hobby and love for Crisfield with all of us. 

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LINTON’S SEAFOOD STILL GROWING AFTER 51 YEARS:

• Harvey Linton, owner of Linton’s Seafood, told me they are seeing more and more tourists. In fact, he said, “We see new people all the time. Greg’s [Crab & Cruise] helps out big time. These people spread out. The park is the big one. We get a lot from the park. Any time you bring people to town, they are gonna spend money. We need more things to attract more tourists,” he said. Harvey knows his business. He’s been at it 51 years. If he has time, get him to tell you how he started by selling crabs out of the back of his truck alongside the road in Baltimore. It’s a great story, which has led to even greater success.

REAL ESTATE PRICES GOING UP:

• According to Cindy Stevens of Wilson Realty, “Real estate prices are coming up!” That’s good news for sellers in Crisfield, and it gives potential buyers an incentive to avoid delay. Cindy said there’s not a lot of inexpensive houses for sale anymore, and what is now available is attracting a different type of buyer. Realtor.com also shows the trend is up and a median asking price of $139,000 and a median closing price of $162,000 with 118 homes for sale. This is ‘Good News’ for Crisfield as property values rise. Hopefully, buyers will come here to live, and not just get a bargain to fix up for an investment or retirement later on. We still have the best *value* around for a waterfront town!

BROADBAND EXTENDED:

• According to City Manager Rick Pollitt, the State of Maryland has extended broadband cable to Somers Cove Marina, by-passing the water tower and the original plan to install it there.  The project is designed to provide Wi-Fi to the Marina only, and the service was activated in time for the July 18th Clam Bake. Mr. Pollitt has met with an engineer from the Governor’s Office of Rural Broadband and discussed ways to splice into the cable, leading to the necessary equipment being placed on the tower to open Wi-Fi throughout the community.  They discussed working together to make that happen with funding support from the state. Mr. Pollitt said this is a priority and that with the establishment of the A&E District, the justification for Wi-Fi as an economic development tool has never been stronger here.
• Crisfield is fortunate to currently have high speed Internet through Spectrum with speeds as high as 100 mbps. Many small towns such as Onancock, St. Michaels and Berlin do not have the speeds that we have available in Crisfield. Having broadband throughout the community will enhance Crisfield’s chances of attracting more new businesses, especially those that rely on superfast connections. According to Governor Hogan, “Access to affordable Internet service is a proven economic driver that positively impacts property values, enables telework opportunities, and supports online education.” With today’s technological demands, broadband can be a huge asset that contributes to Crisfield’s future growth.

GCAC SEEKS NEW FUNDING:

• The Greater Crisfield Action Coalition (GCAC) has recently completed three applications for financial assistance through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.  All three grants would be used to further the activities described in the GCAC 5 Year Action Plan.  The first application is for the Community Tax Credit program that is open only to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, such as GCAC.  If received, corporate or individual donors to the organization, who meet certain criteria, would receive a 50% MD tax credit for financial or real property donations in addition to any state and federal tax deductions that they might normally receive.  GCAC has operated for three years, solely on the basis of donations, but without any tax credit incentives.
• The second application is for the Non-Profit Assistance program that is open only to non-profit organizations.  If funds are received under this program, they would be used to complete market research, develop business & marketing plans, and identify & apply for funding (either public or private) to implement a Crisfield Community Food Cooperative, Community Kitchen, and Hospitality Workforce Training Center as a social enterprise.
• The third application is for the Technical Assistance Program that is open to non-profit organizations and community development corporations (GCAC qualifies as both) as well as local governments and agencies.  If received, funds would be used to develop detailed project plans for five to ten of the 191 action steps of the GCAC 5 Year Action Plan using local college interns and thesis candidates majoring in related topical areas.  This approach is an interim step to advancing the Action Plan goals for the community without benefit of fulltime paid staff.
• For two of these grant programs, several GCAC Board members who operate professional consulting businesses have committed to provide oversite and mentoring services on a pro-bono basis and other Board members have agreed to provide office space to participants at no charge.  If GCAC is successful in obtaining any or all of these grants, it will have a significant impact on moving the Action Plan forward on behalf of the residents and businesses of the Greater Crisfield Area.

FANTASTIC SUNSETS:

• Did I mention that Crisfield has fantastic sunsets? They are among our greatest assets, and they’re FREE. Jim Adkins captured some beauties last weekend. Thanks, Jim, for posting these on Facebook for everyone to enjoy. And better yet, come down to the City Dock any day of the week and see them for yourself. They are God’s masterpieces, and there’s a different one every day! 

GCAC GALA:

• If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, please go to CelebrateGreaterCrisfield.com for tickets to the GCAC Gala, “Dining Under the Stars” at Kingsbay Mansion in Marion on September 15th. Tickets are $100 per person and include a delicious dinner, live music, tours of the mansion and grounds, and a live auction and silent auction as well as an online auction. It’s GCAC’s first major fundraiser, and it looks to be a sellout, with over half the tickets already sold. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and I hope to see you there!

Well, good people, as we commence to make the most of the rest of Summer 2018, let us appreciate how far Crisfield has come, how tourism is growing, and how blessed we are to have the assets we have. Sometimes people say, “God’s not done with me yet.” Well, God’s not done with Crisfield yet either! I know we will continue to have more ‘good news’ and ‘great news’ as the year progresses. Meanwhile have your summer fun and stay safe.

Best,

Charlotte Scott, President
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See the link below for the Crisfield Heritage Foundation Newsletter: https://conta.cc/2uMOWwu