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Promotions, new hires, retirements of two K-9s and the additions of two others were all part of a swearing-in ceremony at the Cape May County Criminal Court House on Friday afternoon. Earning a promotion, a sergeant became the first female lieutenant in the Law Enforcement Division of the Sheriff’s Office. In addition, a 58-year-old former officer with the Wildwood Police Department was sworn in as an investigator after going through the police academy a second time in his life, making this ceremony anything but typical. Not to mention retiring K-9 Hank, a bloodhound, serenading the crowd in the courtroom gallery with his howls at the sound of applause.

Ocean City resident Steven Betchner retired from Wawa in 2015 after a successful career in management. Instead of basking in retirement with his wife, Kathleen, of 25 years, to enjoy grandparenthood, the two of them decided they wanted to do something really rewarding, something worthwhile. That was when Kathleen brought up the idea of becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate For Children of Atlantic and Cape May Counties.

Caitlin Quirk is a social media maven. At just 28, she has a successful business, Bowfish Kids, located on Asbury Avenue in Ocean City, and markets herself and her store through social media platforms. Quirk, of Ocean City will host a free #GirlsGetReal Rally on Saturday, Feb. 2, at 2 p.m. in the Ocean City Free Public Library. The event is designed to help girls ages 10 and up make the best use of social media.

John Laughlin, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam in 1968, explained the significance of sending care packages to soldiers overseas. “If we had a program like this, it certainly would have helped morale,” Laughlin reflected recently. What began as a group of Ocean City American Legion Morvay-Miley Post 524 veterans making up four or five boxes of personal care items and snacks to ship to members of the military has grown to 15 packages a month. “The Coffee Express Program,” as it is called, is in its ninth year of operation.

A deep, resounding voice came from the back of the room at the Bill and Nancy Hughes Performing Arts Center at Ocean City High School, where crowds came to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy. Then, keynote speaker, Rev. Gregory Johnson, of Shiloh Baptist Church, made his way to the stage. He captured the attention of the hundreds of people who were all there to listen to the message of Dr. King during Ocean City’s 28th annual celebration. King's words resonated with those who spoke on his day, including Rev. Johnson, who recited the late civil rights leader's epic "I Have a Dream" speech from 1963.

Emma Sardy, 16, an Ocean City High School junior, and her brother, Nicholas, 12, who goes to the Intermediate School, are showing their community their proven track record of success with recycling plastics. The Sardys became involved with collecting plastics partly because of the “Trex Challenge,” a recycling program by a deck company. The company gives out benches, bird feeders and other items to the top schools.

Ocean City resident and business owner Sally Onesty, who lost her son to drugs, said she was overjoyed about being selected for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award for her support of individuals and families battling the effects of addiction. The celebration will be held at noon Monday at the Bill and Nancy Hughes Performing Arts Center of Ocean City High School. Onesty, 48, who works with several area groups to help families of those battling addiction and the victims themselves, said she was surprised by the nomination and selection.

The Ocean City Tourism Development Commission will roll out a marketing campaign that shines a spotlight on all that makes the resort a vacation destination not only for families, but also millennials. The commission focuses on the Philadelphia market to attract tourists. Philadelphia is the fourth largest market in the country with about 4 million people, behind New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The campaign will start at the beginning of February and extend through June with the focus on both traditional and digital forms of advertising, including cable, online, television, billboards and print.

Grace Petrinec had no problem Tuesday naming her favorite part of "Raider Ready," a new program at the Ocean City Primary School designed to prepare children for kindergarten. “I like the Legos the best,” the 4-year-old Ocean City girl said. When it came to starting kindergarten, Grace said she was most excited about riding the bus. “Raider Ready” is geared toward alleviating fears of the unknown, give parents and guardians some guidance and helps both children and parents acclimate to the new phase of their lives, school officials explained.

An Ocean City realtor and a Bucks County, Pa., couple put Ocean City in the national spotlight for its family-friendly attractions, clean beaches and Boardwalk filled with eateries and amusements. Ellen McGonigle, a realtor with Long and Foster on Ninth Street, and the couple, Ashlee and Brooks Hall, made their television debuts while shopping for an affordable vacation retreat in “America’s Greatest Family Resort.” The trio appeared on HGTV’s Beachfront Bargain Hunt, filmed in June and aired Sunday night.