MediaWize

Mayor Jay Gillian announced Friday that the Ocean City Ecumenical Council's annual Thanksgiving Service has been canceled this year in response to the rising number of COVID-19 cases. "It’s always great to see neighbors come together for this event, so we’ll now look forward to a safe and healthy service in 2021," he said in his weekly message to the public. His entire message follows.

The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association announced it is pushing back start dates for winter high school sports more than a month due to the surge in COVID cases and will incorporate new safety guidelines. Teams are looking at major changes in protocols, practice dates, as well as no competition until after the new year. Details follow.

The Ocean City High School field hockey team defeated the visiting Mainland Mustangs 3-0 in the semifinal round of the Southeast A playoff. Scoring for the Red Raiders were junior Racheli Levy-Smith with two goals and senior Tara McNally adding one. The Red Raiders will face Egg Harbor Township on Saturday on their home field at Carey Stadium in the championship game.

Ocean City’s “Earlier than the Bird” event is your holiday wake-up call inviting one and all to come out and shop downtown for pre-holiday savings at all of your favorite shops. On Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, shoppers can find great deals at stores on Asbury Avenue from Sixth to 11th streets, according to a press release. Shoppers are encouraged to wear their pajamas, and free turkeys will be awarded for the best dressed.

Ocean City's originally scheduled Championship Game set for Friday night at Carey Field against Camden High School has been cancelled. Instead, Ocean City is now set to play perennial North Jersey powerhouse DePaul Catholic, from Wayne, N.J., this Friday night at 6 p.m. at Carey Field. “Plain and simple – they (Camden) chose not to play. They were not willing to meet us at least part of the way and so we had to move on,” said Ocean City Head Coach Kevin Smith.

The Ocean City High School girls soccer team continued its winning ways on Wednesday afternoon with a dominating 11-0 playoff performance over visiting Vineland. Senior Faith Slimmer led the scoring for the Red Raiders with five goals and one assist. 

Mayor Jay Gillian announced that the Acme supermarket at 800 West Avenue is tentatively scheduled to reopen at 7 a.m. Thursday after a fire damaged the store’s parking garage last weekend. Temporary repairs have been completed and inspected by the city. Acme has submitted a structural engineering inspection report indicating the building is safe to reoccupy, Gillian said.

The Ocean City High School boys soccer team saw their 2020 season come to an end Tuesday with a 3-0 playoff loss against visiting Northern Burlington. The Red Raiders finish with a 9-2-1 record.

The Ocean City High School field hockey team rolled to a 9-0 victory over visiting Lower Cape May Eagles on a blustery Tuesday afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the Southeast A group. Junior Racheli Levy-Smith led the scoring for the Raiders with four goals. Senior Tara McNally added three goals and an assist.

The Cape May County Office of Emergency Management has declared a “Code Blue” severe weather advisory for all municipalities for Tuesday, Wednesday and early Thursday. Code Blue will be in effect from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday and from 6 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday. A Code Blue advisory is issued when frigid weather poses a danger to the homeless population.