Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2001 --

• The self-appointed citizens committee determined to examine the efficiency of Wicomico County governmental spending held its first brain-storming session last week. Voters Opposing Increased County Expenditures -- the anti-tax group that successfully petitioned the transfer tax repeal and revenue cap -- held a “think tank” meeting designed to find ways for the county to cut spending. In response to questions raised by VOICE, the County Council recently appointed a 12-member audit committee to review county and school board spending for waste.

• State Sen. Rich Colburn is calling on state Natural Resources officials to increase the bag limit number on Canada geese. The Republican lawmaker said an overpopulation of geese is damaging local marshes and causing widespread destruction of crops and farmland. A bill along similar lines introduced last year by Colburn failed. State DNR officials said Colburn isn’t differentiating between migratory geese and resident geese.

• Tony Palm, Director of Public Relations for the Salvation Army in Salisbury, said the Army will surpass its Red Kettles revenue goals for the just-completed holiday season. Commanding Officer Maj. Ron Smith set a $110,000 goal, or a 10 percent increase over 1999’s receipts. The Kettles finance about 10 percent of all of the Army’s local operations.

• At the American Legion in Delmar, 45 turkeys and 45 hams were consumed at the 19th annual Ford Brewington Christmas Dinner. Hundreds of people attended the event, which also saw a consumption of mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes and desserts. The only thing the event was lacking was its founder, Ford Brewington, who died in June.

• Now that the Christmas season is over, Montgomery Ward has announced it will file for bankruptcy and close all of its 250 stores -- including its store in the Centre at Salisbury mall. Wards first opened in Downtown Salisbury in the 1930s. It moved to South Salisbury Boulevard in the 1950s and then to the north mall in 1990.

• Leisl J.F. Ashby of Salisbury has passed the architectural registration examination and received a state of Maryland architect’s license. Ashby works as a Project Engineer for Becker Morgan Moore Olds & Richter Inc. in Salisbury. Ashby is a graduate of Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Va.

• Wicomico County Councilman Richard Adkins, 62, died Thursday at University of Maryland Hospital after a six-month battle with cancer. Known as government watchdog and a critic of county spending decisions, the Republican has represented the county’s District 5 since 1998, when he won the seat previously held by Ken Matthews.

• In a surprise move, Doug Devenyns was named Warden of the Wicomico County Detention Center. Previously the Detention Center’s Deputy Director, Devenyns had announced he was stepping down from the position. But, county officials decided to accelerate Warden John Welsh’s retirement plans and keep Devenyns in the county’s hierarchy.