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Recently retired Ocean City Police Chief Jay Prettyman, who helped guide the department and community through public safety challenges during the pandemic and was instrumental in a strategy to contain rowdy teens, received recognition for all of his hard work. The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce honored Prettyman with the “2023 Citizen of the Year” award during a dinner at the Flanders Hotel on Wednesday. In addition to his honor, the program included the “Outstanding Business and Beautification” awards.

Coastal storms battered Ocean City's beaches, leaving mini-cliffs in some spots, shrinking beaches and chipping away at the dunes, which are there to protect the barrier island. But beginning this week, the beaches will be replenished with 257,000 cubic yards of fresh sand in a multimillion-dollar, multi-town project in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

A late Ocean City resident left a generous gift to the Ocean City Free Public Library to help the library continue to be a one-stop resource for more than 20,000 patrons each year. William Landis Haines passed away at the age of 84 on June 27, 2021. He donated money to individuals, as well as funds for a host of charities, OCFPL Board of Trustees attorney Steve Barse explained at a meeting Monday. Haines left $148,000 to the Ocean City library, Barse said.

Ocean City’s festive holiday decorations could make even the Grinch’s heart grow. From garland-wrapped lamp posts to large wreaths adorned with bright red bows that seem to float above the downtown shopping district, the spirit of the season is alive in the resort.

Members of the military were remembered, honored and recognized for their service and their sacrifices during a Veterans Day ceremony Saturday at the Ocean City Tabernacle. In addition to recognizing the veterans, there were prayers and songs during the program.

Kathy Nichols leaves her imprint in the sand with memorable sculptures at beaches in Sea Isle City, Ocean City and Somers Point. And if you’re lucky enough to see them, you will notice detail and intricacy and perhaps wonder how an artist would prefer to create sand art while knowing that her sculptures will be washed away with the next tide.

Talk about a razor thin margin in the hotly contested Ocean City Board of Education race. As of Wednesday, only four votes separated incumbent school board member Robin Shaffer and challenger Corey Niemiec. Shaffer received 1,416 votes, while Niemiec garnered 1,412 votes on election night Tuesday.

The unofficial vote totals for the Ocean City Board of Education election Tuesday are in and it appears that at least two candidates running on the platform of “Traditional Family Values, won seats on the board. The official vote totals will be in Nov. 22 after the provisional votes are counted, officials said. Michael Allegretto was the highest vote getter receiving 1,985 votes, followed by running mate Jocelyn Palaganas with 1,685 votes. Incumbent Robin Shaffer received 1,416 votes while Corey Niemiec who garnered 1,412 votes. Shaffer and his running mates Kevin Schaffer, who received 1,243 votes and Steve Flogaus, 1,172 respectively, ran on the platform of "Conservative Family Values." Longtime Board of Education member Cecilia Gallelli-Keyes, who was a board member since 2014 and ran on the platform of “Leadership, Trust, Dependability,” received 1,005 votes...

Voters will have plenty of choices to make for who their state, county and local officials will be when ballots are cast and counted on Tuesday. Ocean City residents will choose a representative to the state Senate, two representatives to the Assembly, two Cape May County commissioners, a Cape May County commissioner to complete an unexpired term, the county surrogate, the county sheriff, an Ocean City Council member to complete a six-month unexpired term, and three members of the Ocean City Board of Education.

The Ocean City School Board election is Tuesday, and it is a hotly contested race with three seats up and seven candidates running. Incumbents Cecilia Gallelli-Keyes and Robin Shaffer hope to retain their seats. The other candidates are Michael Allegretto, Steve Flogaus, Corey Niemiec, Jocelyn Palaganas and Kevin Schaffer. Longtime Board of Education member Joe Clark did not seek re-election.