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tkelly

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Foxes Make Presence Known in “Denning Season”

Toward the end of one of the busiest off-seasons in Ocean City history and just ahead of the annual arrival of seasonal visitors, the city’s fox population has been making its presence known. “Denning” season is currently in full swing, wildlife experts said – the time when the reddish bushy-tailed creatures reproduce and make temporary homes around the island – to the amusement of many human residents. “People don’t always associate Ocean City with wildlife,” said Phil Bellucci, Operations and Development Director, Animal Control Officer and Volunteer Coordinator of the Ocean City Humane Society. “Whether they realize it or not, foxes have been around here for a long time and they are an important part of our eco-system,” he added.

Scaled-Down Sports Memorabilia Show Has Memorable Moments

Peggy Ferrari explained how she got into the sports memorabilia business with her husband, Frank. “I was sneaking in shoes in a Macy’s bag. He was sneaking in this stuff,” she said, giggling. It looks like memorabilia won out over shoes. There was Peggy on Saturday at the Ocean City Music Pier hawking autographed baseballs, mini-football helmets, pictures, and many other items of interest to collectors at the Sports Memorabilia Show sponsored by the Ocean City Free Public Library and the city. Although scaled down considerably due to COVID-19 restrictions, almost everyone surveyed was happy to be out and about for the event.

O.C. Resident Pens Book About Dad, Alzheimer’s Care

Saying goodbye to a friend or loved one can be a journey. And sometimes the navigation of that journey requires a team effort to get through. That was certainly the case of the farewell to Samuel Valenti, a former South Jersey resident who passed away in 2014 at the age of 93, following a gallant eight-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Much of the journey is documented in a wise and touching memoir, “An Eight Year Goodbye,” by Sam’s daughter, Maryanne V. Scott, a part-time Ocean City resident who also has a home in Doylestown, Pa.

Towering Achievement: Church Steeple Undergoes Restoration

Something old is being restored to its former glory at the historic First Presbyterian Church, located at the corner of 7th Street and Wesley Avenue. The 106-year-old steeple, already sliced in half by a lightning bolt in 1925 and subject to the ravages of time and the winds from the Atlantic Ocean, is undergoing a significant restoration project.  The hope, First Presbyterian Church Senior Pastor John S. Sheldon says, is for it to be there for perhaps the next 106 years of service to its members, the community, summer visitors or anyone else who stops by.

Surfers Hit Ocean City Beaches

The waves weren’t huge Saturday afternoon in Ocean City, but they were there, after days and days of bad weather and/or a flat ocean. That seemed to be enough for the people we talked to, anxious to get out of the house and into the sun, sand and surf. Even if the waves weren’t world class, the saying, “when in doubt, paddle out,” seemed to be in full effect. A nearly cloudless day coincided with the first day of spring and the result was surfing heaven on Ocean City beaches.

O.C. Football Website Gains Elite Level, Like the Program Itself

The Ocean City High School football team now has a new and improved website that matches the football program's high level of play on the field. The old site had a bulky domain name nobody seemed to be able to remember or find. If they did find it, the site was difficult to navigate. Players and parents couldn’t easily find or post information and college recruiters didn’t have an easy way to find a player’s highlight reel or other info. “The goal was to bring the website up to the same prominence as the Red Raiders’ program,” said Ken Wisnefski, CEO of WebiMax, the digital company that created the team's new website. “The coaches and players worked very hard to reach this level of success. They needed a website that would dominate the internet the same way the team dominates on the field.”

Cold Can’t Stop Weekend Warriors in O.C.

It was a very cold weekend in Ocean City. But not too cold for Ocean City. That seemed to be the theme for many folks, despite temperatures hovering around and below freezing much of the time. And the gusty winds making it feel a lot colder than that on Saturday. Sunday started out colder, but temperatures hit 40 by mid-afternoon. Bright sunshine and very few clouds won out over the dreary ice and rain of earlier in the week, and people wanted to get out and take a break from cabin fever.

Spectators Heading Back to Games, With Limits

It’s been a rough time for local athletes, coaches, fans and parents who have been dealing with measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. Finally, things have taken a positive turn. On Feb. 12, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that parents and guardians of senior athletes – as well as a limited number of fans – will be permitted to attend winter and spring sports events. The governor’s statement gave hope that New Jersey schools are taking the first tentative steps away from virtual events, games and practices at near-empty venues and toward traditional competitions in stadiums and gyms.

Men and Women Agree: KC Will Take Second Straight Super Bowl

The women have spoken, and this time they agree with the men. Despite Tom Brady’s matchless resume of Super Bowl championships, despite the fact he and his coaches and teammates are sleeping in their own beds and playing in their home stadium, most of the women who responded to our call for predictions go along with Las Vegas. They’re picking Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs to defeat Tampa Bay and take their second straight Super Bowl title on Sunday.

Book Bag Giveaway Wednesday to Benefit 700 Schoolchildren

Be it virtual, hybrid or in-person, getting ready for back-to-school is not an inexpensive prospect. The Cape May County Coalition for a Safe Community plans on making the return to school a bit less financially stressful for folks in need in Ocean City and also throughout the county with a free book bag and school supplies giveaway Wednesday. Pastor Thomas Dawson, senior pastor of the SOAR Church in Woodbine, who also spearheaded free facemask giveaways in Cape May County recently, is the lead organizer of the book bag project. The event takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the cottages at Pecks Beach Village in Ocean City. The cottages are located between Fourth and Fifth streets, just west of West Avenue.