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mvitale

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Hundreds Clean Ocean City Beaches in Fall Event

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...

Raiders Top Oakcrest; Set Stage for Mainland Showdown

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...

Day to Remember Courtesy Ocean City Art Center

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...

Bay Avenue Project Update: Oct. 25

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...

Walk For Wounded Raises $60,000

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...

Chamber’s “Welcome Night” Highlights Businesses, Civic Groups

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.

Drill Hones Firefighters’ Skills in O.C.

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.

HERO Campaign Fights Drunken Driving

Patty and John Ade, of Galloway Township, know what it is like to lose a loved one to a drunken driver. Their nephew, Kevin Ade, was just 19 when he was killed by one. Although it was years ago, April 28, 2007, the feeling of loss and sadness still lingers for the couple. “It is sad, but we all stick together,” Patty Ade said Sunday morning as she joined hundreds of other marchers during the HERO Campaign Run/Walk on the Ocean City Boardwalk. The ninth annual John R. Elliott HERO Campaign Walk and Run kicked off at Sixth Street at the Sports and Civic Center. The goal was to raise more than $50,000 and continue to spread the word that designated drivers are key to safer roadways.

Stellar Shoulder Season in Ocean City

When it comes to Ocean City, there is no real off season – even the off season is jumping. Such is the case of this year’s shoulder season, and the many that preceded it. But for this not-so-sleepy resort town, a combination of near-perfect shore weather, a filled calendar of family-friendly attractions and popular eateries are keeping the tourists coming. And with the city's hiring of a company that used raptors to scare away seagulls, more visitors were able to enjoy their crab fries, ice-cream and pizza without swarms of gulls harassing them through Columbus Day weekend. Officials say the Oct. 12 Fall Block Party was the best they could recall ever...

County Sheriff Sues State AG Over Immigration Dispute

Cape May County Sheriff Robert Nolan and the County of Cape May government has filed a lawsuit in United States District Court against the Attorney General of New Jersey over the 287 (g) agreement being terminated. Attorney General Gurbir Grewal issued Directive 2018-6, known as the Immigration Trust Directive, which prohibits local law enforcement agencies from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as voluntarily participating in the 287 (g) program. The 287 (g) Program allows ICE to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies to permit designated officers to perform limited immigration law functions...