Dear Friends,It was great to see so many cars streaming into town this morning as we all get ready for another summer in Ocean City.Representatives of the city and the Ocean City Beach Patrol “unlocked the ocean” this afternoon and local groups took the first official swim of the summer in the always chilly Business Persons Plunge. The events kicked off what promises to be a gorgeous and sunny Memorial Day Weekend. I hope you and your families enjoy the great weather.But I want to remind everybody that Memorial Day is more than just a holiday and a day off work. It’s a time to remember and to reflect on the ultimate sacrifices made by so many service members and their families. They gave their lives so all of us might live in freedom.I encourage you all to attend our annual Memorial Day Service at 11 a.m. Monday (May 27). The ceremony will be at the Ocean City Tabernacle (550 Wesley Avenue). Our community has always respected the men and women of our military, and the event is well-attended.This year’s keynote speaker will be Army Staff Sgt. Patrick Carney, who suffered multiple injuries during two tours of duty in Iraq. Carney is now on staff at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.I hope to see you all there on Monday. At 3 p.m. Monday, Ocean City will participate in the National Moment of Remembrance. A bugler will play “Taps” in front of the Ocean City Music Pier, and it will be broadcast on the Boardwalk speaker system during a moment of silence.
I’m sad to report the passing of two long-time Ocean City residents who were an important part of our community.John Henry, who was honored at Ocean City’s first Juneteenth celebration in 2017, will be remembered by many as the lightning-fast running back for Ocean City High School in the 1960s. He was one of the greatest athletes in school history. In recent years, when he wasn’t fishing, he could be found cruising the north end on his three-wheeler and chatting with neighbors.Mae Costello passed away last Friday. She was a dedicated volunteer in the St. Augustine’s parish and long-time Shriver’s employee who lived a rich life serving family, church and community in her 94 years. She passed along a spirit of volunteerism to her family, who remain active in the community.Michele and I would like to extend our deepest condolences to the extended family and friends of these two beloved citizens.I want to let everybody know in advance that Atlantic City Electric repairs to an underwater cable serving Ocean City could lead to a service interruption up to 30 minutes long on Tuesday, May 28. The outage will occur sometime between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28. It will affect homes and businesses in parts of the city north of 11th Street (see maps of the affected areas).Warm regards,Mayor Jay A. Gillian
