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Donald Wittkowski

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More Flood Protection Coming to Ocean City Neighborhood

Ocean City is moving ahead with a nearly $11 million project that will include pumping stations, road reconstruction and other measures to protect the flood-prone Merion Park neighborhood from stormwater. City Council awarded a $10.7 million construction contract Thursday to Atlantic City-based L. Feriozzi Concrete Co., the lowest bidder among four companies that sought the work. Feriozzi’s bid was well under the city’s $11.9 million pre-bid estimate for the contract.

New Type of Affordable Housing to Make Its Debut in Ocean...

The new duplex at 224 Simpson Ave. is tucked behind a towering tree that has a quaint, old-fashioned wood swing hanging from it. Trimmed in a color scheme of gray and white paint and featuring a flowing stairway up to the second floor, the duplex is an attractive addition to this Simpson Avenue neighborhood just a block from the bay. In Ocean City, this is the new style of “affordable housing.”

Former Councilman Keith Hartzell Launches Campaign for City Council

After a nearly two-year hiatus from elected politics, Keith Hartzell is looking to return to City Council by running for a seat in the Second Ward in the May 14 municipal election. An Ocean City councilman from 2006 to 2022, Hartzell stepped down from the governing body after his unsuccessful race for mayor in 2022 against Mayor Jay Gillian. He previously served as a councilman at-large, but this time he wants to represent the Second Ward. He turned in his nominating petitions to the City Clerk’s Office on Friday to make it official.

New Surveillance Cameras Installed on Five Shore Bridges

New video surveillance cameras costing about $170,000 have been installed on the five toll bridges serving the shore communities along the scenic Ocean Drive from Ocean City to Cape May. The Cape May County Bridge Commission, the agency that operates the spans, said the cameras will help to improve public safety while also boosting security on the bridges. They include the Ocean City-Longport Bridge and the Corsons Inlet Bridge connecting Ocean City and Strathmere.

Sea Isle City Man Gets Probation for Punching Fox 29’s Bob...

The prosecutor called Patrick Iannone a “bully” who felt entitled when he sucker-punched Philadelphia TV personality Bob Kelly in the face during a charity fundraiser at a Sea Isle City bar last year. But Iannone apologized for his actions and insisted that he has begun turning his life around after struggling with alcohol abuse and mental health issues. Now, Iannone has been given a second chance. Appearing in a Cape May County courtroom Monday, he was sentenced to three years of probation for assaulting Kelly at the Oar House Pub on July 30.

In a Surprise, City Council Doesn’t Fill Vacancy

City Council named a new vice president Thursday night, but surprisingly chose not to appoint a new member to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former Councilwoman Karen Bergman. Bergman, an at-large Council member, had served as the governing body’s vice president before stepping down in January to accept a new job as supervisor of Ocean City’s Howard S. Stainton Senior Center.

Sea Isle City Restaurant Urges Jason Kelce, “Don’t Retire”

Although Sea Isle residents claim Jason Kelce as one of their own, they don’t necessarily want to see the future Hall of Famer leave Philadelphia altogether. They are hoping that he plays for the Eagles at least one more season. One local business, Mike’s Seafood & Dock Restaurant, has expressed Sea Isle’s admiration for Kelce by placing a sign in the front window that bluntly says, “Don’t Retire.”

New Home Construction Falls in Ocean City in 2023

Ocean City’s housing market slipped in 2023 for the construction of new homes, but appears to be off to a strong start for the new year.

Councilman Crowley Becomes First Candidate to File for Election

First Ward Councilman Terry Crowley Jr. became the first candidate Monday to formally file nominating petitions in what is expected to be an intriguing Ocean City municipal election in May. Other potential candidates have taken out paperwork, but have not yet submitted their petitions.

Ocean City Councilman Wants Makeover for 34th Street Gateway

By Councilman Dave Winslow’s count, there are 30 different signs lining the busy 34th Street corridor in Ocean City. “Many of them are faded. Many are a hodgepodge. There’s no ‘Welcome to Ocean City’ sign,” Winslow said. But Winslow is hopeful that the roadway can be transformed into more of what he called an “Oh, wow” gateway into town following City Council’s vote Thursday night to eliminate some outdated design standards that had been in place for the 34th Street corridor for the last 14 years.