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Just days following Mayor Jay Gillian’s call for its help, the volunteer, non-profit organization OCNJ CARE is up and running, ready to serve local residents in need who’ve been affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The group’s mission, Chairman Drew Fasy said, is to assist all those in the community affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as related business closings, quarantines and restrictions. The group’s charge, to provide food, transportation and other assistance to those in need, obviously costs money. Fasy appealed to those folks able and willing to donate money to the cause to do so.

Tough times can bring a community closer together for the greater good. That is certainly the case with the extended family at Marsini’s Kitchen in Somers Point. The authentic Italian restaurant, located at 12 E. Maryland Avenue in Somers Point, is preparing and delivering delicious hot meals for free to those in need as a result of restrictions brought about by the coronavirus outbreak. “We’re all about giving back to our wonderful community, and this is something that we could do,” owner Carlo Marsini said.

Beautiful weather and the healthful reputation of the Jersey Shore brought an influx of visitors and seasonal residents on Sunday as the region and nation coped with the worldwide coronavirus crisis. Supermarkets were crowded, although some essential products were in scarce supply or totally unavailable, and in some cases people had higher-than-normal levels of anxiety as they dealt with their individual circumstances. Large crowds flocked to the beach and Boardwalks and downtown shopping areas. “It wasn’t the Fourth of July,” one observer noted, “but it was definitely a bigger turnout than normal for this time of year.” While some opted for sun and sand, others flocked to area stores to stock up on needed items in case a quarantine happened.

You saw them all over town last weekend, at least 2,000 strong. They were athletes – young ones, and their friends and families, wearing the colors of dozens of teams representing all of New Jersey and four other states, creating a kind of kids’ “Olympic Village” atmosphere around town. It’s the “Last Call” Junior Wrestling Tournament, which next year will be in its 12th annual staging at Ocean City High School. The tournament brings more than 400 junior wrestlers and their supporters to town. It’s become an event with an impact that goes well beyond the confines of the OCHS gyms.

Ocean City’s incumbent First Ward Councilman Mike DeVlieger, seeking his third term on the governing body, filed his nominating petition on Monday, the deadline day for filing. No other candidates turned in paperwork in the First Ward race, meaning the veteran councilman, will be unchallenged on the ballot in the May municipal election. “I’m very excited to run for my third term,” DeVlieger said. “I will continue to advocate for fiscal responsibility, holding the line on taxes, while maintaining our infrastructure.” “I am passionate about our city and investing in roads, beaches, bay dredging, flood control and the boardwalk,” he added...

Working at a Boardwalk toy store paid off for Ocean City High School senior J.J. Warrington. Warrington combined his skills with a yo-yo and hip-hop dancing to wow the panel of judges to win the title of Mr. OCHS 2020 Friday night at the Bill and Nancy Hughes Performing Arts Center. “I entered the contest just for fun, never expecting to win,” Warrington said. “It feels kind of surreal right now.” Performing in front of a packed auditorium, he bested the field of 12 candidates in the zany and raucous parody of a traditional beauty pageant.

Talk about heavy metal! The Ocean City High School football team celebrated the end of its winter weight training on Tuesday night with another raucous Weight Test fundraiser to benefit the program. More than 50 parents and friends of the program jammed the weight room, and approximately 40 players took part. Those who are involved in winter sports do not participate, but a good number were still in attendance to cheer on their teammates. “I’m excited to see so many parents here,” Head Coach Kevin Smith said. “(Their sons) have been working hard all winter and it’s great for them to see how much progress they’ve made.”

Surrounded by family and friends, Gabe Staino filed his nominating petition on Monday afternoon to run for the vacant Second Ward City Council seat in Ocean City. The seat was vacated in January after the sitting Councilman, Antwan McClellan, was elected to the New Jersey Assembly.

The Ocean City High School football team will celebrate the end of its winter weight training season with its sixth annual Weight Test fundraiser to benefit the football program. Players solicit sponsors and then compete against each other – and the record books – in the dead lift and bench press. The public is invited to attend the free event, set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, in the high school weight room. “It’s a really fun event,” Head Coach Kevin Smith said in an e-mail. “It’s a great opportunity for our football family and the public to get together during the off-season."

Being the type of guy who “never takes myself too seriously,” Jack Merritt answered a question about his year of holding the title of Mr. Mature America with a quip. “It’s been the most fun I’ve ever had with my clothes on,” Merrritt said. The reigning winner of the zany pageant-style competition for men 55 and older says his successor is in for a similar thrill-packed ride. “People stop me at events and chat, I get to come to Ocean City more often than I normally would, and I’ve made many new friends. It’s been great,” he said. For Merritt, a consultant and private pilot from West Grove, Pa., who owns a summer home in Ocean City, the ride will end on Saturday, April 18, at the conclusion of the 7 p.m. event at the Music Pier.