Home Authors Posts by mvitale

mvitale

1772 POSTS 0 COMMENTS

Luxury and Comfort Offered in Ocean City Home

With all types of homes to choose from, there is one home in particular just on the market that seems to stand out because of its beauty, amenities and custom qualities that make it superior to many others. That home is at 15 W. Edinburgh Road in the Gardens section of Ocean City. The single-family home boasts many must-haves for the high-end buyer, including a pool, cathedral ceilings, three gas fireplaces and a large kitchen with all updated appliances. It is also within walking distance to the beach. The three-story home boasts 4,400 square feet of living space with five bedrooms, and six baths. And it is already equipped for an elevator. It is listed for sale at $3.5 million.

Community Fights For Frankie With Childhood Cancer Fundraiser

Ocean City Intermediate School math teacher Frank LaSasso is also an assistant coach for Ocean City High School’s varsity baseball and football teams. He is used to guiding students and athletes through adversity, teaching them skills to deal with challenges in the classroom and on the athletic field. In his personal life, LaSasso, 35, of Hammonton, is using those very skills he imparts on others to battle something much scarier than anything he and his wife, Tiffany, have had to deal with in their family. On Dec. 7, 2020, their son, Frankie, 7, was diagnosed with cancer. The official name for what Frankie has is T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He receives weekly chemotherapy treatments and has done so since his diagnosis.

School Board Approves Budget With No Tax Increase

The Ocean City Board of Education adopted a 2021-22 school budget Wednesday night that provides all of the services, programs and materials students, families and faculty are accustomed to in the district with no increase in taxes, officials said. The total budget for the 2021-22 school year is $42.5 million, up from $41.6 million for the 2020-21 school year. Funding for the spending plan will primarily come from $23.6 million in local tax revenue. An owner of a home assessed at $500,000 will pay $1,075 in local school taxes for the year, the same as last year.

School District Responds to Petition Alleging Abuse and Other Misconduct

Brianna Thomas created a petition on Change.org to give former and current students of the Ocean City school district a forum to air their grievances, concerns and allegations. She did so, she said, to give them an avenue to tell of alleged incidents at the hands of school faculty or fellow students. Thomas, who dropped out of Ocean City High School during the 2011-12 school year, said in an interview with OCNJDaily.com she was “outed” for being a lesbian, which led to bullying during her time in the district. “I like to tell people what I have been through and my experiences, because it may help someone else,” said Thomas, 24, formerly of Ocean City who now lives in Ventnor. Her petition, posted on April 22 on social media, contained a flurry of posts alleging sexual assault, inappropriate student-teacher relationships, bullying, harassment, acts that led to suicide, discrimination and unfair treatment by faculty.

Peaceful Protesters Air Concerns Over Wind Farms

Jeff Reichle and his son, Wayne, didn’t hold up signs expressing their opposition to a proposed offshore wind farm during a peaceful protest Tuesday outside of the Cape May County Administration Building in Cape May Court House. But the two men, from Lund Fisheries Inc. in Cape May, along with several of their fellow fishermen and women, are concerned. They are concerned about their livelihood and what the gigantic wind turbines built in the ocean could mean to marine life and how they could safely navigate the structures and what the project would do to commercial and recreational fishing. “Our issue is they haven’t reached out to the fishing industry,” said Jeff Reichle, chairman of Lund. “People think you can go fish somewhere else. But that is not the way it is. This is our business. We just don’t know how this will affect us. There are too many unanswered questions.”

OCHS to Host Prom

The prom is a milestone in the lives of high school students, where memories are made and friendships forged that can last a lifetime. But last year, there was no Ocean City High School prom. It was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year is different. With people getting vaccinated and safety measures in place to host a celebration outdoors, on May 22, starting at 6 p.m., seniors will walk the red carpet for the prom. All health and safety protocols must be strictly adhered to, including wearing masks.

Storms, Sharks Don’t Deter O.C. Surfers

Ocean City sisters Mia and Brynn Gallagher had a memorable time with the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) at the East Coast Championships in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., earlier this month. The sisters took home trophies and also some experiences they will never forget, they said in an interview on Sunday. New Smyrna is known among surfers for its consistent waves. But it is also known as "the shark bite capital of the world." The April 8-11 surfing competition was extended a day due to some shark encounters as well as some intense weather, according to a NSSA news release.

Ocean City Adds Stop Signs, Reduces Speed Limit in Alleys

Ocean City officials are gearing up for the throngs of visitors traveling to the island for a vacation this summer. As part of the preparations, at the urging of Police Chief Jay Prettyman, there will be more stop signs and four-way stops. And drivers planning to zip up an alleyway to avoid a clogged main roadway better do so at 15 mph or will risk getting a summons.

School Officials Call on Governor to Modify Prom and Graduation Limitations

Ocean City Schools Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Taylor and Board of Education President Joseph Clark, released a letter earlier this week to Governor Phil Murphy requesting school proms and graduations be added to the list of gatherings that are freed from the current 200-person limit for outdoor events. In the letter, the school officials explain the lack of added risk due to students already interacting daily during school hours and the sacrifice that students have already made due to COVID limitations during the 2020-2021 school year. Click link to view letter...

Successful First Full Week of In-Person School

Ocean City schools celebrated their first full week of offering all in-person instruction for those who wanted it, while continuing to offer all virtual learning for those who are not quite ready to attend full time amid a pandemic. “Myself, the Board (of Education), the administration and the students are thrilled to be back and looking forward to finishing out the year together," Schools Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Taylor said in a statement Monday.