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Cape May County Freeholders E. Marie Hayes and Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton are running for re-election. In interviews with OCNJDaily.com, they gave their stances on the issues in Cape May County and the needs of its residents. They discussed beaches, boardwalks, tourism, veterans affairs, transportation and the condition of the county bridges, along with other issues on the minds of taxpayers. And in Ocean City, they specifically discussed how they would continue to work with local and state officials to help them maintain its beaches, Boardwalk and even look for ways to improve transportation for people wanting to visit the popular family-friendly resort...

It is expected to stretch two blocks long, will look like a huge sock and will be filled with sand. What is it? Ocean City plans to bury another giant geotube in the dunes to protect the shoreline. Geotubes previously worked well in protecting other vulnerable spots in Ocean City’s beaches, including Waverly Beach along East Atlantic Boulevard. Now, the city wants to put a geotube in another area suffering from erosion – between Fourth and Fifth streets.

There were the pleasantries, some jokes and even agreement between Cape May County Republican Freeholder incumbents Gerald Thornton and E. Marie Hayes and their Democratic challengers Joyce Gould and Elizabeth Casey during a debate Tuesday night. But there were also a few jabs. With less than a week away from the election, the candidates answered a lot of questions, giving their positions on homelessness, the opioid crisis, veterans issues, the condition of the county’s bridges, taxes, school issues, immigration policy, nepotism and open space...

Shane Price, a junior at Audubon High School, said the idea of trash on the beach bothered him. He spoke to one of his teachers, Cheryl Fisher, a science teacher and the advisor to the Roots and Shoots club at the school. He said she sent him a link to the beach cleanup and helped him organize his classmates for a trip to Ocean City for the fall beach cleanup, held Saturday morning, Oct. 26. “They drove over an hour to be here,” Fisher said of the students, mostly juniors, who hit the beach before 9 a.m. “The students wanted to do this. I’m elated to help out.” The day remained overcast and a little chilly, but there was no rain to soak the volunteers...

Let the hype begin. Now that the Ocean City High School football team has defeated Oakcrest, 34-7, in a West Jersey Football League Independence Division game at Falcon Stadium, the Red Raiders can focus on next Friday night’s showdown at Mainland. The win put OC (6-1 overall, 4-0 in the Independence) atop the division while Mainland is a perfect 7-0 overall and 3-0 in the league going into the so-called “War at the Shore.” The arch-rivalry game, important to both schools regardless of records, takes on heightened importance this year as the winner will take control of the division, enhance its playoff seedings and most importantly enjoy bragging rights for the next year. But none of that would’ve mattered if the Raiders hadn’t taken care of business at Oakcrest, a place the Raiders have traditionally had a hard time...

Ocean City is located within driving distance of major East Coast cities, including Washington, D.C. and New York City (NYC).However, for many, including myself, the mere thought of driving into those cities is pretty scary and between gas, tolls, tunnel fees and parking, is highly expensive. But, thanks to the Ocean City Arts Center (OCAC), someone else can do the driving. And it is far more cost effective. On Oct. 24, the OCAC, located on the second floor of 1735 Simpson Avenue, solved the problem of driving into NYC with one of its most popular events – the bus trip. The trip to Hudson Yards, included visiting NYC’s newest attraction called the “Vessel.” The Vessel is one of the best interactive works of public art, comprised of 154 intricately interconnecting flights of stairs—almost 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings -- which offers remarkable views of the city, the river and the New Jersey skyline...

The Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority (CMCMUA) is replacing/rehabilitating the force mains that carry wastewater to the treatment plant on the bay at 45th Street. The work will be on 31st Street from Haven Avenue to Bay Avenue; and Bay Avenue from 31st Street to Eighth Street. Work for the week of Oct. 28 to Nov. 1: As of Oct. 25, 2019, the Contractor will have installed pipe installed pipe, backfilled the trench, and temporary paved up to the intersection of 29th and Bay Ave...

At the 2019 Walk for the Wounded on Sept. 28, Lieutenant Colonel Shoshannah B. Lane described the support that Operation First Response offered to her brother, who suffered from a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder after serving. Lieutenant Colonel Lane, who has received the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, the Combat Action Badge, Senior Aviator Badge, Parachutist Badge, and Air Assault Badge, credits Operation First Response with helping her brother make the difficult transition back to civilian life...

For anyone who wondered what businesses and organizations make up Ocean City, all they had to do was attend the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce “Welcome Night” Wednesday to get a very good idea about all that the city has to offer. Representatives from retail, financial, civic and social organizations displayed tables filled with literature and gift bags. In addition to chatting with the businesspeople, there was a host of activities, door prizes, pizza and sweets. Every year the Chamber hosts the event to introduce new and current residents to the business community. And each year, the venue at the Ocean City Sports & Civic Center fills up quickly with residents and visitors, city officials and others to enjoy the night.

Ocean City Firefighter Ryan Clark scaled a 110-foot-high ride called Double Shot at Playland’s Castaway Cove. Clark secured the victim with riggings and carefully lowered him to the safety of firefighters below Monday morning. The “victim” was Ocean City Fire Capt. Brent Meisenhelter and, luckily, it was just a drill, but one that firefighters say helps prepare them for highly technical rescues should something like that really happen. About 20 firefighters from Ocean City, Cape May City and Wildwood joined at Playland’s Castaway Cove on the Ocean City Boardwalk for training Monday as part of the county Regional Urban Search Team’s efforts to provide technical rope rescue training to firefighters in the region.