By Greg Bassett

Wednesday, Dec. 16, 1987 --

• Proponents of a plan to convert the Wicomico County Council’s five seats from be elected at-large to selected by districts are angry with the council’s suggestion that voters rule on the change in a referendum. Black community leader Billy Gene Jackson and Willards Town Councilman Don Lewis said they would prefer the council make the change – and do so immediately.
• Decorated for the holiday season with 3,200 lights, the Maryland Lady is hosting jam-packed cruises on the Wicomico River, night after night this month. The ship’s owners, Dick and Dot Smith, said their business has been such a success that they’re on track to accommodate more than 16,000 passengers for the year. The 83-foot-long Maryland Lady, a side-wheel river boat, began offering cruises on the river last March. 
• Charlie Wilkins was honored by the Salisbury Gun Club as its Most Valuable Member of the Year. Wilkins was heralded as being the member who contributed the most toward making the club enjoyable for its 245 members. Also honored was Steve Robinson of Salisbury, who was named Sportsman of the Year.
• For the first time since 1979, Salisbury State College held a fall commencement. The college has only offered spring graduation ceremonies in recent years, but this year seniors petitioned for adding back the fall event. The commencement speaker of U.S. Sen. Paul Sarbanes, who addressed 206 students receiving undergraduate degrees and 31 students receiving master’s degrees.
• United Way of the Lower Shore has hit its fund-arising goal for the year – $600,000. It was the first time in four years the local group has met its stated goal. Campaign Chairman William G. Carey of Salisbury said contributions were up by 7 percent this year.
• Movies playing in Salisbury this week include “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” and “Flowers In The Attic” at the Mall Cinemas; “Three Men and A Baby,” “Throw Momma From The Train” and Fatal Attraction” at the Movies 6; and “Eddie Murphy’s Raw” at the World Twin Cinema.
• Salisbury’s City Council has approved creating a Commercial Management Authority to coordinate Downtown revitalization efforts. Licensing fees from businesses will be used to fund CDMA’s activities promoting the Downtown business district. Supporters have said a mandatory licensing fee is needed to assure that every business contributes its fair share to revitalization efforts.
• Salisbury State College Center Director David B. Ganoe said the new student building is on course for opening this spring. The 80,000-square-foot structure on the southern portion of SSC’s campus will house a cafeteria, radio station, meeting rooms, banquet rooms, a post office and the college bookstore. J. Roland Dashiell & Sons Inc. of Salisbury is the contractor for the project.