Topics include boardwalk hotels, wind farms, beach curfew Editor’s note: See related main story on the Ocean City Council Candidate Forum. OCEAN CITY — Nine candidates seeking five positions on City Council weighed in on boardwalk hotels, wind farms and the beach curfew during the lightning round of a Candidates Forum on April 29 hosted by the Ocean City Sentinel. The lightning round provided each candidate for the four wards and an at-large position 30 seconds to answer a range of questions. In the election May 14, voters will choose between Sean Barnes and Michael DeVlieger for the at-large ..read more

They were advertising on social media, employing a juvenile Editor’s note: The information in this story is from the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office. MAYS LANDING – Donna Shiffler, 40, of Somers Point, pleaded guilty April 30 before the Honorable Donna M. Taylor, J.S.C. to first-degree employing a juvenile, first-degree possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, first-degree maintaining a production facility, and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.  Shiffler is expected to be sentenced in the second-degree range to an aggregate term of five years in New Jersey S ..read more

Spring Block Party, merchant table sales OCEAN CITY – Ocean City’s annual Spring Block Party will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 4, from Fifth Street to 14th Street on Asbury Avenue. There will be more than 350 crafters, food vendors, music and more. For more information, call 1-800-BeachNJ. On Saturday and Sunday, May 5, will be merchant table sales on Asbury Avenue and from Sixth to 14th streets on the Boardwalk. N.J. Troubadour performs May 4 OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Arts Center presents the folk music and songwriting of New Jersey’s Troubadour, Valerie Vaughn at 2 p.m. Satu ..read more

Part of effort to make center a new, vibrant, fresh place to go OCEAN CITY – Things were a touch more elegant at the Ocean City Senior Center April 23. Seniors donned white gloves and some wore fancy hats and fascinators as they were served high tea on fine china courtesy of the Flanders Hotel. “It is something to make them feel a little special and celebrate spring,” Samantha Kurtz-Seif, director of social services, said about the event, which came about through the center’s supervisor, Karen Bergman, who used to work at the Flanders. The Flanders staff prepared pastries, showed the seniors ..read more

‘The hardest thing I’ve had to do’ – Chief School Administrator Mark Marrone LINWOOD — “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in almost 25 years,” Chief School Administrator Mark Marrone said about cutting staff to make up for a significant loss in state aid. “Unfortunately it’s heartbreaking the way you get to these numbers is by addressing staff.” The Mainland Regional High School Board of Education adopted its 2024-25 budget April 25 after “a long month of sleepless nights.”  Gov. Phil Murphy delivered his budget address Feb. 27 and the district, under the final year of the Studen ..read more

Budget also features 5-cent tax rate hike SOMERS POINT — One page of the Somers Point Board of Education budget presentation stood out among the rest, starkly telling the tale of the district’s fiscal situation for 2024-25. Detailing the effects of state aid cuts and the loss of COVID funding, the page lists: 12 certified staff position non-renewed, 1 certified staff position attrition, Multi-Tiered System of Support gutted, postponed or canceled capital projects, 4.45% tax levy (increase), 10% reduction in all supply accounts, $250,000 maintenance reserve withdrawal, significant 2023-2024 gra ..read more

While other districts face lower funding, staff cuts, O.C. remains intact OCEAN CITY — The Ocean City Board of Education adopted its 2024-25 budget April 25 with no change in the tax rate. Business Administrator Tim Kelley presented the spending plan, saying it is the same as presented in March and noting it was reviewed by the executive county superintendent’s office and approved with no changes. While the total general fund is up $641,651 to $46,204,566, the tax rate will remain the same. The school tax bill for a home assessed at $650,000 will remain $1,294. The tax rate remains at $0.199 p ..read more

SOMERS POINT — Under cloudy skies and amid cool temperatures — but no rain — Somers Point celebrated the 35th anniversary of its popular Bayfest celebration Saturday along historic Bay Avenue. Started in 1989 to coincide with Earth Day and celebrate the city’s maritime heritage, the event brings more than 25,000 people to the city every spring to enjoy food and craft vendors and nonprofit environmental organizations. Booths lined both sides of the street along Great Egg Harbor Bay, between Pleasant and Annie avenues, where the crowd enjoyed live music from four bands, games and children’s ac ..read more

SOMERS POINT — “As mayor, I am absolutely thrilled with this budget. We don’t lose any city services and it takes care of this year and the vision for the next five years,” Mayor Dennis Tapp said April 25 as City Council adopted its 2024 spending plan. The $19,381,816 budget, down $779,754 from 2023, increases the tax levy by $91,871 to $12,801,124. It also raises the municipal tax rate 1.47 cents to $1.1237 per $100 of assessed value. That amounts to an increase of $31.25 on an average assessed home of $212,587, for a total municipal tax bill of $2,388.84. The Somers Point school tax rate inc ..read more

Nine weigh in on issues facing the resort in event sponsored by the Ocean City Sentinel VIDEO LINK: To view the forum on YouTube, follow this link: https://youtu.be/yxN9krSI4sU OCEAN CITY — Nine candidates for five City Council positions shared their views on issues raised by voters and what they would do to address them during a Candidate Forum on April 27. David Nahan, editor and publisher of the Ocean City Sentinel, hosted and moderated the event at the Bill and Nancy Hughes Performing Arts Center at Ocean City High School. In the election May 14, voters will choose between Sean Barnes and ..read more