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The Ocean City school district is considering something that may be of interest to incoming freshmen for the 2021-22 school year. Students may have the option of attending school for three years in an accelerated track, not the traditional four years. And if approved by school officials, it could be offered as early as the new school year.

Piano teacher Shawn Quigley and a dozen of his students will entertain shoppers in downtown Ocean City on Sunday. But the music won’t be reminiscent of the nostalgic holiday tunes performed over Christmas at the corner of Eighth Street and Asbury Avenue by the young talents trained by the Seaville resident. In fact, music chosen for the free 3 p.m. piano concert will be more contemporary -- a lot more. For those who have heard of the alternative rock band Coldplay, get ready to hear some of their top ballads.

The Ocean City Board of Education on Wednesday night introduced a proposed 2021-22 school budget that will not increase the tax rate. The total budget for the 2021-22 school year is $42.5 million, up from $41.6 million for the 2020-21 school year. The bulk of the funding for the spending plan would come from $23.6 million in local tax revenue. Although the total budget is up from last year, there will not be a school tax increase, explained School Business Administrator Tim Kelley

Ocean City High School seniors got a nice surprise at the end of the school day Tuesday. Rows of Senior Celebration bags lined tables and each senior got to take one home. And Wednesday will be a repeat of gift-giving by volunteers in the community for the other half of the senior class. Each baggie contained “Raider Nation March Madness” goodies donated or created by local, dedicated volunteers and businesses.

What would the Boardwalk be without amusements, beach views, and, of course, pizza? And there was one very strong indicator that pizza is a favorite when strolling by Gillian’s 6th Street Pizza & Grill, located on the Ocean City Boardwalk. Customers lined up on a recent weekday for a slice of the thin, but not too thin crust pizza, with a mild sauce topped with lots of tasty cheese. “Boardwalk slices are just a part of the Ocean City experience,” explained Melissa Brown, manager at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, as she spoke with customers and staff at the eatery.

From scavenger hunts on the beach, to hitting the Boardwalk for a walk or bike ride, to waiting for a slice of pizza, there were many different ways to savor the spring-like weather Saturday. There was a common theme that dominated: People wanted to enjoy the day in Ocean City.

The Ocean City Theatre Company has struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic with shows canceled and shrinking funds. But with a program that has helped shape and hone so many local talents and delighted audiences at venues throughout the city, the City Council came together to show its support. In a 7-0 vote, Council gave preliminary approval to a five-year extension of the Ocean City Theatre Company's lease during a meeting Thursday night.

With the summer of 2020 now in the rearview mirror, projects delayed in Ocean City to beautify, upgrade and overall improve city amenities for tourists and residents alike are finally moving along. Pandemic-related delays in renovating the city's outdated Sports & Civic Center at Sixth Street and the Boardwalk slowed the project down. But on Wednesday afternoon, a new exterior was beginning to take shape showcasing an updated look to the building that resembles the architectural renderings depicting the project over the last couple of years.

The Cape May County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution at its Zoom meeting Tuesday seeking safety improvements at Exit 25 of the Garden State Parkway and Roosevelt Boulevard. “There have been numerous traffic accidents at the intersections of Roosevelt Boulevard and GSP Interchange 25, where vehicles have left the roadway, damaged private property, and place a strain on the already overburdened congestion of the roadway,” the resolution states. The Commissioners want the Parkway's operating agency to conduct a safety study and fix the "hazardous conditions" at Exit 25 and Roosevelt Boulevard.

Ocean City officials aren’t the only ones taking issue with a proposed offshore wind energy farm. In Ocean City, members of the community and elected officials are raising objections to Danish energy company Orsted's plans for a wind farm 15 miles off the South Jersey coast from Atlantic City to Cape May. Also, elected officials and representatives of the fishing industry in Long Beach Island are voicing similar concerns over another wind farm proposed by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind about 10 miles off Barnegat Light. Ocean City and Long Beach Island, in Ocean County, share in their concerns over what the wind farms could do. Both Orsted and Atlantic Shores have hosted town hall meetings in-person and virtually amid the pandemic, but questions continue to swirl from the public about the “what ifs.”