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mvitale

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Taxes Stable in O.C. School Budget

The Ocean City Board of Education introduced its budget for the 2024-25 school year with no surprises and no increase in the tax rate. The bulk of the funding for the spending plan would come from $25.3 million in tax revenue, up from $24.9 million in local tax revenue the year before, explained School Business Administrator Tim Kelley in a presentation March 14.

Parking to Become Easier in Ocean City

What’s the usual way motorists find parking during the busy summer tourism season in Ocean City? They drive around town searching for spots, sometimes in vain. But this summer, Ocean City is taking a major step to end the hassles of finding spots with a new app designed to make it easier to find parking.

Ocean City Opposes New Rule on Endangered Species

Ocean City does everything it can to protect endangered species, such as nesting shore birds along the coastline, city officials emphasized. But when the state Department of Environmental Protection notified shore towns of a proposed rule that could be in place as early as 2025, giving the agency more oversight over the management of beaches when endangered species are present, the governing body acted with a resolution against the rule. City Council members voted unanimously Thursday night against the proposed DEP rule, specifically because it duplicates much of what the city already does, officials said.

Bald Eagle Rescued in Ocean City

There is no ordinary day in the life of staffers at the Humane Society of Ocean City. On Tuesday, the HSOC worked with New Jersey wildlife officials to rescue a bald eagle that was stranded outside an Ocean City home.

Ocean City Celebrates DriftSpaces Alternative Workspace

The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday to officially welcome DriftSpaces, a co-working and customizable event space, to 956 Asbury Ave. DriftSpaces is owned by married couple Caitlin Quirk and Drew Lewis. Quirk also owns Bowfish Kids children’s boutique in the downstairs of the building.

Mother of Missing Ocean City Man Wants Answers

Jen Powell does not believe that her son, John Weisbecker, who disappeared from their Ocean City home in 2009, is alive. But she holds onto hope that one day, someone will come forward and finally tell authorities what happened to him. Monday marked the 15th anniversary of Weisbecker’s disappearance and still the case goes unsolved.

DriftSpaces Offers Alternative Workspace in Ocean City

Working remotely from home for months can be lonely and claustrophobic. Coffee shops may be great for sipping espresso, but don't make for good, makeshift workspaces. The alternative is somewhere in between. The newest example is DriftSpaces, located in the heart of Ocean City's downtown at 956 Asbury Ave. It offers a boutique-like office setting with a combination of “big city co-working spaces and the small-town lifestyle that Ocean City, New Jersey, is famous for.”

Shoppers Crazy for “Market Madness” in Ocean City

Shoppers certainly were pleased on Saturday during a mega shopping event – Ocean City’s annual “Market Madness.” The event featured 30 shops from the Boardwalk and downtown in one venue at the Ocean City Music Pier. Judging by the bustling atmosphere at the start of the event, Wes Kazmarck, president of the Boardwalk Merchants Association, said it looked as if it would be their strongest shopping event out of four. “This is the best we’ve had so far. It’s been great and it’s a two-day event. The turnout is good,” Kazmarck said in between helping customers at his clothing display...

Greg Mason Wins Mr. OCHS

After a year on hiatus, the Mr. OCHS pageant was back on Wednesday night in all its silliness and splendor with seven Ocean City High School seniors vying for the crown. They danced. They sang. They even did standup comedy. But in the end, there could be only one crown head and the honor went to Greg Mason.

Historic Ocean City Home Razed, Mixed-Use Project Proposed

Ashley and Wes Juelg loved their historic home at 633 Asbury Avenue in Ocean City. But the couple grew their family in the seven years that they lived in the single-family residence, and it was time to move. With four children ages 12, 9, 4 and 3, they made a tough decision to put their much-loved gem built in 1902 on the market. A development company bought the old house, demolished it and is now planning to build a mixed-use project in its place.