MediaWize

Back in 1917, the New Jersey Legislature saw the wisdom with adopting the Home Rule Act, which allowed local governments the ability to control their own future by allowing them broad powers for enacting laws and regulations that protected and promoted local interest. The Home Rule Act still stands today as the bedrock for local autonomy in New Jersey. However, Senate Bill #S3926 and Assembly Bill # A5894 (these bills) threaten the very essence of the Home Rule and places the future of our local coastal communities into the hands of a foreign entity, namely the Danish firm called Orsted. As written, these bills take away the ability of local government to render decisions that they feel reflect the best interest of the community and replaces it with a process that favors foreign investment. It eliminates good faith negotiations as the basis for local officials to effectively negotiate with Orsted. Instead, Orsted can refuse any reasonable resolution and simply bring their case to the state Board of Public Utilities. These bills clearly position Orsted in an advantageous negotiating position at the expense of the municipalities...

Mayor Jay Gillian is urging Ocean City residents to take the time Saturday to celebrate Juneteenth, the new federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery. "Juneteenth represents a celebration of freedom, but it’s also a reminder of what Blacks throughout our nation have overcome. Despite these struggles, the Black community has always been a vital part of the Ocean City family," he said Friday in his weekly message to the public. His entire message follows.

Former NFL star and U.S. Air Force veteran Chad Hennings will speak Sunday, June 20, at the Ocean City Tabernacle’s 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services. Hennings has lived the message “Excellence isn’t a destination; it’s an identity” through a nine-year NFL career and three Super Bowl Championships with the Dallas Cowboys, 45 successful combat missions flying A­10 jets with the Air Force, and as one of the most decorated college football players in NCAA history.

Ocean City High School will be playing for its first state baseball championship in school history. The Red Raiders beat Colts Neck 4-2 on Monday in the Group III state semifinals to advance to the title game. Ocean City (19-7) will play Pascack Valley (24-5) for the championship 7 p.m. Saturday at Bob DeMeo Memorial Field in Veterans Park, Hamilton Township, Mercer County.

Cape May County will test its Code Red emergency system on June 17 between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. The program is a reverse 911 system to notify residents in the event of a major storm or another disaster. Roughly 100,000 people who have signed up for the service in Cape May County will get the message via a phone call, text or email. County officials use the Code Red system to notify residents and visitors in the event of an evacuation during a major storm or in a similarly significant event.

As part of a festive Fourth of July weekend, the Ocean City Pops will perform a free outdoor concert at 7:30 p.m. on July 3 at Carey Stadium. The legendary local orchestra will perform patriotic classics and audience favorites in honor of the nation’s birthday. The concert will complement a holiday weekend that includes a bike parade and kite-flying competition on July 4. The celebration will be capped off by a 9 p.m. fireworks display launched from a barge off the Ninth Street Beach.

The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce announced the keynote speaker for the Annual Salute to Working Women Luncheon will be Christina Renna. Renna currently serves as president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. The Salute to Working Women will be held at noon on June 17 at the Ocean City Yacht Club.

Ocean City won the South Jersey Group III baseball championship Saturday with a 6-1 win over Cape Atlantic League archrival Mainland. Though it was a great team win for Ocean City, which earned its first sectional title since 2016 and avenged a CAL loss to the Mustangs in May, there was no mistake about it: this was the Gannon Brady Show. Brady, a senior righthander, twirled a five-hitter and struck out nine. He also smacked a two-run double in the second inning, which proved to be the winning hit.

Mayor Jay Gillian reported Friday that Ocean City broke a record for preseason beach tag sales this year. The final numbers for sales through May 31 came in at $2,242,000. That’s $121,000 more than the previous record from 2019. "These fees are dedicated exclusively to the maintenance and protection of our beaches, and they help keep our local taxes low. They’re also an indicator of what could be a great summer ahead," Gillian said in his weekly message to the public. HIs entire message follows.

Philadelphia Eagles team chaplain Ted Winsley will speak Sunday, June 13, at the Ocean City Tabernacle’s 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services. Winsley has been the Eagles’ chaplain since 2001 and has played a major role in the spiritual development of key players for two decades.