MediaWize

The AC Blackjacks scored big in their home opener Saturday at Boardwalk Hall. They grabbed a thrilling 42-35 win over the Columbus Destroyers and were also a big hit with their fans. The Arena Football League game provided high-quality action on the field and family-friendly entertainment for the spectators.

The National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flood Advisory in effect for Ocean City from 7 p.m. Sunday through 1 a.m. Monday. Steady north winds will push water and rough surf toward the coastline during a higher-than-normal new moon tide. Forecasters also predict rain.

Letter carriers across the country, in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service, will be collecting food for families in need on Saturday, May 11. In Ocean City, carriers ask that residents collect and bag non-perishable food items, then place them by their mailboxes for pickup. All food will be donated to the Ocean City Ecumenical Council Community Food Cupboard. Please do not include items that have expired or are in glass containers.

Due to the rainy weather forecast, the Chica de Maya skateboard event at the Ocean City Skate Park has been postponed. The event had been scheduled for Sunday, May 5 and now will be held 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 11. Chica de Maya encourages all girls of all ages and abilities to learn to skate, show off their talents, and participate in a bowl jam, mini jam, giveaways, crafts and more. Zoe Herishen, a 12-year-old skating star, is the founder of the event and will be participating.

The Ocean City High School girls’ lacrosse team ended the week 3-0 in conference play, defeating Absegami 16-2 on Friday. The win for the Red Raiders upped their record to 13-2, while Absegami dropped to 5-8. As in previous games, Ocean City used balanced scoring to dominate the game, playing the majority of the contest on the offensive end of the field. Seven different Red Raiders contributed to the scoreboard.

The conference room of the newly renovated third floor of the Cape May County Courthouse was officially dedicated to former Surrogate Robert Hentges, who served as county surrogate for 42 years. Hentges was the longest-serving surrogate in New Jersey. During his tenure, he worked at the state and local levels to make changes to better serve New Jersey residents, a county press release said. County Freeholder Director Gerald M. Thornton surprised Hentges when he announced the conference room was being dedicated in his honor during a ceremony Friday.

Winners of the ninth annual Esther Weil Student Music Competition were announced Friday. Thirty students from 10 Atlantic and Cape May County high schools performed this year. A list of the winners follows.

The pumping stations for the north end neighborhood drainage project are now fully operational and will provide flooding relief for residents in the area between Second Street and Eighth Street to the bay side of West Avenue, Mayor Jay Gillian announced Friday. The mayor also gave a rundown of other projects around town as Ocean City makes a final push to get ready for the summer season.

Ocean City has activated the parking meters, a sure sign that the summer season is just around the corner. Fees range from 25 cents per hour in the area of downtown Asbury Avenue to $1.50 per hour (25 cents for 10 minutes) in the beach and Boardwalk zone, according to the city website. Time limits range from one to eight hours.

A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly renovated third floor of the Cape May County Courthouse is scheduled for Friday, May 3 at noon. There will be a tour of the third floor after the ribbon-cutting. The public is invited to attend the event at the courthouse at 9 N. Main Street in the town of Cape May Court House. The event coincides with National Law Day and marks positive changes for judiciary services in the county, according to a county press release Tuesday.