Just one more step.

A business dream for three Sea Isle City friends – Dustin Laricks, Chuck Gehman and John Martin – has reached the brink of reality. There is a strong chance that area restaurants this fall will showcase oysters from their enterprise, the Ludlam Bay Oyster Company. If not, the timetable would be early next year.

Summer days and nights may be coming to an end, but we will let you in on a little secret … fall is one of the best times to visit the Jersey Shore. With several restaurants adapting to the current outdoor-dining allowances issued by the state, there are still plenty of days and nights to head out and enjoy a delicious meal. From cozy, cabana-style dining to a romantic date night, the options for dining out are endless. Fall is a great time to be outside, so why not treat yourself to a night out?

Lenny DiNote believes his son Matt is “like the wind, he comes and goes. If you catch him, you are lucky.”

Matt brings bursts of energy to endeavors, leaves a mark and then goes somewhere else. His father hopes the wind is at Matt’s back for the next couple of months, guiding his cross-country bike ride for philanthropy.

The Swanicks began their decades-long affair with Sea Isle in the mid-1960s, when Don and Mary Swanick bought their first house at 125 47th St., and filled it with their seven children and a German shepherd. The house had two units, top and bottom, and they lived on the first floor. It had three bedrooms, one bathroom, and no dishwasher or clothes dryer.

It is always sad to see the summer coming to an end. Fortunately, the season seems to keep lasting longer and longer here in Sea Isle. Endless Summer is the “season” you don’t want to miss. Nothing beats the fall weather when the sun is shining during the day, but you need to throw on a sweater at night.

1. Where did you receive your training? I’ve been in the kitchen since I was 15 years old, so I’ve never formally been “trained,” but I’ve worked in every aspect of the restaurant and worked my way up.

Building a community center in Sea Isle City is not a new idea. But a level of excitement is growing as concept plans for the multipurpose facility were revealed at the Aug. 11 city council meeting.

St. Joseph Catholic Church’s new pastor, Rev. Perry Cherubini – better known as Father Perry – is familiar with leading seasonally shifting congregations by the sea.

Strap yourselves in ... It’s going to be a long hurricane season.

But should we expect anything less in the tumultuous year that has been 2020?

It’s hard to believe the summer is ending. Sometimes it felt like it was taking forever, and at other times it was just flying by. School is on the horizon, and most likely it will look different for everyone reading this.

What a deal! This roadside sign is probably circa 1935-40 on Ocean Drive across from the Deauville Inn. Ocean City Gables still shows on Upper Township tax maps … Even at this great price, sales must not have been great because as of 2020 many are listed as “vacant land” owned by Upper Township. Not sure if this young lady stopped at the sales office after posing for what would have been a selfie today.

Elizabeth Buch of Sea Isle City recently was named one of eight recipients of an Irv R. String Local 152 Scholarship Award by the UFCW Local 152, a union that represents grocery-store workers. President Brian String and union representative Cary Lawson presented Buch with the award in front of Acme, alongside her dad, Michael, who has worked for Acme for 36 years.

I’m always sad to see the summer go. When there are only a few weeks left, I already start to miss it and begin planning for when the next one comes. My heart belongs to the beach, for sure. If I could, it’s where I would spend each and every day, while reading every book I could get my hands on. Even the best book is better when you read it on the beach.

Among the great things about the Jersey Shore are the family traditions. There are tons of them … all along the coast, every town. Some traditions stretch back for generations. Others are just beginning. Regardless of how old the traditions are, they are all special to those who have them or are living them.

Among the many fallouts of this year’s pandemic lockdown are spikes in alcohol demand and a supply-chain shortage of aluminum cans. These are affecting the ability of many breweries – both small and large alike – to package their beloved suds for retail sale, and it is changing the look of liquor store shelves across the nation.

Small businesses are at the heart of our community and as summer comes to an end, many will remain open through the fall as it is one of the best times of the year to visit Sea Isle City. With new businesses opening up in town and our old favorites coming up with creative ways to support our community, we caught up with these store owners for the latest business buzz in Sea Isle City.

The courtroom drama might not have the commercial sizzle or blockbuster potential of the action thriller or the superhero adventure.

As summer draws to a close, we all feel the familiar anticipation of a new season, but something very unfamiliar tempers the usual excitement this year. The transition, normally bittersweet, seems a little more bitter. A pandemic will do that. Those who leave the beach to return elsewhere, as well as those of us who stay, all wonder what to expect.

The Sea Isle City Public Fishing Pier with Kayak Launch project at Dealy Field is anticipated to be completed this fall. A preconstruction meeting was held May 6 and work began shortly after. The City received approval from the Cape May County Open Space Board and County Freeholders for funding in the amount of $935,605.

Tide Charts for September & October 2020