As you probably are aware, on August 14 a fire damaged two local restaurants on Park Road in Sea Isle City’s historic Fish Alley neighborhood.
Thanks to a very rapid response by our local Fire Department, the fire was brought under control within an hour – however, both Casa Taco Restaurant and Casino Pizzeria were both badly damaged.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the fire; nonetheless, it is obviously a great loss for the business owners and employees of those two establishments. Therefore, I hope everyone will keep them in their prayers at this challenging time.
I want to thank all the Sea Isle City firefighters who responded quickly and brought last week’s fire under control. I also want to thank the members of Sea Isle City’s Police Department and Division of Emergency Medical Services, who also responded in a moment’s notice and worked in harmony with our firefighters to ensure the scene was as safe as possible.
Additional thanks go to the first responders from neighboring communities who gave assistance as the fire burned, including firefighters from Avalon, Marmora, Ocean City, Ocean View, and Strathmere, and EMTs from Avalon and Upper Township. It is a blessing to have so many well-trained men and women ready to respond to emergencies when the chips are down!
In happier news, the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol’s 2024 Captain Bill Gallagher 10-Mile Island Run brought nearly 1,000 athletes to our beach and Promenade on August 10 – and, from all reports, the race was very exciting!
I want to commend our Beach Patrol for hosting this race and other popular events each year, and for once again keeping our beachgoers safe during the busy summer season. Thank you, lifeguards!
If you are a fan of the Philadelphia Phillies, I hope you were able to be at Excursion Park on Tuesday night for the Phillies “Shimmy Down the Shore” event, which included free activities, giveaways, the chance to meet Phillies alumni, and appearances by the fun-loving Phillies Phanatic.
To make that wonderful community event even more enjoyable, fans were also able to watch the Phillies play the Atlanta Braves on Excursion Park’s big screen. Overall, it was an amazing evening, and we believe it was the largest crowd we ever had at Excursion Park!
I want to thank the staff of Sea Isle’s Recreation Office for helping organize this event – and my heartfelt thanks also extend to the Phillies Organization (including the hilarious Phanatic) for coming to town and entertaining the people of Sea Isle City on Tuesday night.
With Labor Day rapidly approaching, I encourage everyone to make the most of the remaining days of summer, and I hope you can also be in Sea Isle City when autumn arrives.
In addition to cooler temperatures, quieter beaches and plenty of dining and shopping options, we have an array of enjoyable events coming your way in the months ahead – so don’t let a little thing like the end of the summer season get in the way of all the fun that’s waiting for you here in your favorite shore town!
As always, you can learn about our many local events and activities by going to www.VisitSICNJ.com.
This week’s “Shout Out” goes to local native Mike Jargowsky, who recently stepped down from his post as Sea Isle City’s Office of Emergency Management Coordinator.
Following an impressive career with the Sea Isle City Police Department, Mike remained in public service with our OEM – and we are very fortunate that he did so, because he has always been a fine leader.
As anyone can tell you – including the many boy scouts who Mike mentored over the years while Scout Master of Troop 76 or the countless people at Saint Joseph Church and elsewhere in Sea Isle City who know and love him – Mike is a great guy, and our community is a better place because of his efforts. Thank you for setting a good example for us all, Mike!
Smile … You’re in Sea Isle!
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
