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tkelly

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Local Historian Ready to Resume Telling O.C.’s Story

It’s been a long three months for John Loeper. Like most of Ocean City, Loeper, is more than ready for the town to reopen and make the most of the 2020 summer tourism season. Unlike most, Loeper is uniquely invested. Loeper is chairman of the board of the Ocean City Historical Museum as well as the U.S. Life Saving Station 30, both major cultural attractions in town, and both closed to the public since the COVID-19 crisis began. Despite week after week of forced non-activity, Loeper has had no trouble keeping himself productive and amused. He’s been busy overseeing major renovations at the Historical Museum, and adding artifacts and planning events for the Life Saving Station. When the lockdown ends and patrons are again welcome to the Museum, they will see a radically different space.

OCPD Honors Marathoner for Running Town’s Perimeter

Like thousands of other top marathon runners, Britt Miller was disappointed when the 124th running of the Boston Marathon was postponed recently and ultimately canceled on Thursday. Miller, 34, a part-time resident of Ocean City, had trained and qualified for the historic race, which would have been her 35th time competing over 26.2 miles. But her planned trip to Beantown, like so many other plans and events, was wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, Britt took matters into her own hands by creating her own marathon – a run around the perimeter of Ocean City, which she completed last Sunday.

OCHS Seniors Have Their Red Carpet Moment

It wasn’t quite the Prom. But all agreed it was still pretty cool. Ocean City High School’s seniors took some serious hits this year when schools were ordered to shut down statewide in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. There were no spring sports, there was no Prom, After-Prom or Senior Week. But there was an historic “first” – a “Red Carpet” event on Wednesday to give Ocean City’s seniors their moment in the sun, as well as the opportunity to be recognized for making it through an extraordinary school year.

“Plunge” Founder Stages Symbolic Opening of Summer Season

Under normal circumstances, Friday would have seen the 17th annual staging of the “Business Person’s Plunge” and “unlocking” of the ocean to commemorate the start of the Ocean City summer tourism season. Quite obviously, these are not normal circumstances. With the coronavirus pandemic still raging worldwide and the town’s reopening happening in stages, the plunge was among the many Ocean City events canceled or postponed. That didn’t stop John Walton. He held the plunge anyway, in an abbreviated form.

“Mom’s Prom” at Home Saves the Day

It was the lost Prom. Or was it? Last Friday, on the afternoon of what would have been Ocean City High School’s Prom night at the Flanders Hotel, Katie Bowman arrived home from her run in a “bummed out” mood, according to her mom, Jennifer Bowman. So what was a mom to do? In the case of Jennifer Bowman, it was simple: get back to basics in the parent-offspring dynamic. “I went into ‘Mom mode,’” she related. She created a "Mom's Prom" for Katie and her cousin Brynn Bowman at home.

Friends and Associates Mourn Sports Journalist Chuck Betson

Tributes and expressions of sadness and poured in Saturday as news spread of the passing of Ocean City resident and local sports icon, Chuck Betson. Betson, 68, was a former newspaper TV and radio commentator, radio play-by-play man and marketing executive for two local pro sports franchises and a former Ocean City lifeguard and member of its Hall of Fame. He died on Friday, one of his sons, Scott, confirmed in a published report. Former colleagues and friends spoke of Betson’s devotion to the craft of reporting and commenting on sports. A common thread among the comments was Betson’s professionalism and passion for whatever job he was working on at the time.

Social Distancing Firefighters on Scene to Snuff Out Fire at Tabernacle

Social distancing played a role in the fast response and prevention of a potentially serious fire at the Ocean City Tabernacle early Thursday morning. In the pre-dawn hours, the ballast of a fluorescent lamp apparently overheated and ignited a small fire, according to Tabernacle Pastor Jay Reimer. The incident occurred in a storage area near the gymnasium at approximately 4:40 a.m., Ocean City Fire Department Chief Jim Smith said. The fire was extinguished by three firefighters who were staying overnight at the Tabernacle as part of the OCFD's social distancing guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic.

OCHS Student Needs Your Vote in Performance to Aid COVID-19 Victims

An Ocean City High School student’s love of music and the performing arts could pay off for OCNJ CARE, the non-profit organization helping victims of the COVID-19 pandemic. That is, with your help. Erik Wagner, 17, a senior-to-be at OCHS, is a contestant in Broadwayworld.com’s “Next on Stage” online competition for high school students. The main prize for the winner is $1,000 in cash to be donated to the charity of his or her choice.

Beach Patrols Ready for Season, Whenever it Happens

Looking for a little certainty in uncertain times? Look no further than the Ocean City and Sea Isle Beach Patrols. The first line of defense in beach safety and symbol of all things summer, the lifeguards in both resort towns are proceeding according to the “old normal” from before the COVID-19 pandemic. That mean both patrols will be primed and ready for action if beaches open for Memorial Day. “It makes a lot more sense to have all the normal preparations done,” said longtime Sea Isle Beach Patrol Chief Renny Steele. “We can always adjust to postponed or canceled openings and events. It’s a lot harder to try to catch up.” Both Steele and OCBP Chief Mark Jamieson said their guard rosters will be in place, and all systems are go as of now. This includes the annual tryouts for the 2020 class of first-time members, or “rookies.” “We’re preparing to open on schedule, and this includes the annual rookie tryouts set for June 13-14,” said Jamieson. “If it is deemed unsafe by the Department of Health or if other restrictions are in place, we’ll adjust our schedule accordingly.” Sea Isle’s rookie tryouts will also take place on June 13-14, Steele said...

‘Mr. Mature’ Dodges Storms, Completes Airlift of Supplies

Neither rain, nor lightning, nor 35 mph winds could keep Mr. Mature America from his appointed rounds. Jack Merritt, a management consultant from West Grove, Pa., and Ocean City’s reigning Mr. Mature America, touched his 1967 vintage Mooney single-engine plane down on the runway of Ocean City Municipal Airport on Friday afternoon. The aircraft carried a 400-pound load of needed supplies for local residents severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and for first responders.