Dear Friends,
The snow should be tapering off this evening, but air temperatures are expected to remain below freezing throughout the weekend.
Please be cautious on roads that could be slippery, and make sure thermostats are set to at least 60 degrees to prevent frozen pipes. Check to see if you can help neighbors whose homes might be unoccupied for the weekend.
Crews are mobilizing this week on the beach at the Ocean City Music Pier, as they begin work to repair and strengthen the substructure of the Pier.
Our Public Works team is moving stockpiled sand to help shore up sections of downtown beach and dunes that were eroded in the recent coastal storms. On Jan. 30, we will open bids for construction of the Merion Park neighborhood drainage improvements, and I’m glad to see this major project continue to move forward.
Michele and I would like to extend deepest condolences to families and friends of several members of our community who passed away. It was a sad week for Ocean City.
As a photographer at special events throughout the years, Don Kravitz became a familiar face to all who enjoy everything “America’s Greatest Family Resort” has to offer. He was always a kind and generous person – a true fixture of Ocean City. His legacy will last in the countless number of priceless images he created over the decades.
Al DeMichele served as an Ocean City firefighter for 20 years and later as a state fire inspector for another 12 years. He was a graduate of Ocean City High School and a member of the Army National Guard.
Marie McIntyre owned and operated many local businesses with her late husband, Bill. Residents may remember her best as the owner of Yesterday’s and Obadiah’s along Roosevelt Boulevard. But they also operated the Surfside Inn, Mallard Hotel and a Horn & Hardart location, among other establishments. Marie was an active member of the Ocean City Yacht Club and the matriarch of an extended local family.
Carol Kearney is another Ocean City resident and business owner who will be greatly missed. She was an antiques dealer and owned the Gingham Whale store on Asbury Avenue for many years. Carol was also a dedicated volunteer at the Ocean City Historical Museum.
All of these outstanding citizens lived long and rich lives, but I want to pay special tribute to an exceptional young man we lost long before his time. Connor Laverty died last Friday at age 25 after a battle with a rare form of cancer.
His father, Tim, is a retired Ocean City firefighter, and his mother, Trish, is a team member with the Ocean City Municipal Court. The Lavertys raised a son who was universally admired and respected by his peers, teachers and coaches.
Connor graduated in 2016 from Ocean City High School, where he was a 1,000-point scorer on the basketball team. He went on to play for Widener University and return as an assistant coach, before moving on to Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pa., where he was coaching and working toward his MBA.
My son Noah grew up with Connor, and he said it better than I ever could:
“He was one of my best friends whom I could confide in with anything and could trust. On the court, he was amazing. A true three-level scorer who affected the game sometimes more with his passing and ability to read the court than his scoring. His infectious personality permeated throughout our entire team and created a tight-knit group that overachieved through teamwork and togetherness. I know I speak for all my teammates who ever shared the court with him that he was one of the best players I’ve ever played with and one of the best people I’ve ever shared a uniform with.”
Warm regards,
Mayor Jay A. Gillian
