By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Two blizzards, a charter boat that struck a bridge, an Eagles player mobbed by his adoring fans, a short-lived ban on shark fishing and the deaths of three community leaders were among the major stories in Sea Isle City in 2022.
As we prepare to say a final goodbye to 2022, we look back at the Top 10 stories – some good, some bad and some sad – that kept Sea Isle in the spotlight for the past year.
They follow:
Two Blizzards Bury Town in Snow
A powerful coastal storm on Jan. 3 dumped 12 inches of snow on Sea Isle. There was also rain, followed by heavy snow and minor to moderate flooding.
But that storm proved to be a mere dress rehearsal for something even worse.
On Jan. 28-29, the shore was clobbered by another blizzard that left about 14 inches of snow in its wake. Adding to the misery were wind gusts as high as 40 mph.
The wind-driven snow greatly reduced visibility and made travel conditions hazardous for any motorists who ventured out on the roads.
Empty streets and snow drifts left parts of Sea Isle looking like a ghost town. Photos circulating on social media showed heavy amounts of snow piled up on driveways, decks and porches.
Polar Bear Plunge, Sort Of
Hundreds of diehards jumped into the frigid ocean on the Saturday of Presidents Day weekend to carry on the madcap tradition known as the Polar Bear Plunge – unofficially, at least.
A new city policy barring privately run events such as the Polar Bear Plunge from being held on local streets, municipal parking lots and public property put an end to the official celebration in 2022.
The city said the plunge and the thousands of people who turned out in previous years for the spectacle simply put too much strain on the police and Public Work departments and also exposed Sea Isle to potential liability lawsuits if someone were injured or killed.
However, that didn’t stop smaller groups of self-styled polar bears from staging their own unofficial plunges on Feb. 19 to highlight the holiday weekend.
For 25 years, the Polar Bear Plunge had been the centerpiece of Sea Isle’s Presidents Day weekend celebration. The holiday weekend of partying, dining and shopping would awake Sea Isle from its winter hibernation and give local merchants an economic boost in the middle of February.
Rowdy Teens Cause Trouble
Starting with Memorial Day weekend, Sea Isle’s police department was busy responding to an outburst of rowdy teenage behavior that threatened to disrupt the busy summer tourism season in 2022.
Using the experience it gained in 2021 dealing with unruly juveniles, the police department had a heavy presence throughout the summer on the beaches and oceanfront Promenade at night to discourage large groups of teens from causing trouble.
Complaints continued about foul language, underage drinking, vandalism and theft. Declaring that the state ignored pleas for help, Mayor Leonard Desiderio said Sea Isle may develop new local laws to crack down on teens.
Desiderio repeatedly criticized the state for newly enacted state laws that he said have hampered police officers from doing their job while trying to prevent teenagers from getting out of hand.
He held a series of meetings with elected officials from the state, county and local towns in Cape May County to develop a strategy “to swing the pendulum back” in the police’s favor.
The Eagle Has Landed
Jason Kelce faced an adoring crowd every bit as tenacious as the defensive linemen the Eagles All-Pro and Pro-Bowl center encounters in the trenches during his NFL games.
Hundreds of admirers swarmed him for autographs, selfies and a few precious words of conversation during his celebrity bartending appearance in Sea Isle on June 29 to raise money for the Eagles Autism Foundation.
Kelce pulled double duty while mingling with Eagles fans at a family-friendly area set up at the Paddy’s Green outdoor dining area at O’Donnell’s Pour House and then serving drinks at the Sandbar and Grill at the Ocean Drive nightclub.
In a surprise, he brought along his brother Travis Kelce, the Pro-Bowl and All-Pro tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Eagles offensive left tackle Jordan Mailata, who carefully squeezed his massive, 6-foot-8, 345-pound frame into the crowd.
Charter Boat Hits Bridge, Runs Aground
A charter boat carrying 22 passengers struck the Townsends Inlet Bridge linking Sea Isle and Avalon before taking on water and running aground.
All of the passengers were safely evacuated from the Starfish charter vessel and no injuries were reported in the accident July 11.
“The vessel struck the bridge and the captain of the vessel grounded the vessel to ensure the safety of the occupants,” said Lt. Matthew Childs, public affairs officer for the U.S. Coast Guard
The accident remains under investigation by the Coast Guard to determine what led to the boat hitting the bridge and taking on water, authorities said.
“Preliminarily, it appears that strong currents may have contributed to the accident,” Mayor Leonard Desiderio said in a statement. “When it occurred, the pilot put out a distress call, which was responded to by several boats in the area, which assisted in helping get over 20 passengers off the boat.”
Marina Renamed in Honor of Local Icon
A plane circled overhead towing a banner that read, “We Love U Cheech!” The banner immediately drew oohs and aahs from the crowd looking up in the sky.
But the biggest round of applause and cheers was saved for a sign that was about to be unveiled by the family of the late Frank P. Edwardi Sr.
Once the blue covering was removed, the sign revealed the name “Frank P. Edwardi Sr. Sea Isle City Marina.”
The once generically named Sea Isle City Marina was formally rechristened July 26 in honor of the man who supervised it for 30 years and oversaw its transformation into an attractive hub for boaters.
Edwardi, 77, affectionately known by the nickname Cheech, was also well-known in Sea Isle as the former chief of the city’s volunteer fire department. He died in July 2021 after battling leukemia and diabetes.
Former Contaminated Property to Become Housing Sites
The $7 million sale of nine vacant lots that were once the site of a gas manufacturing plant operating in Sea Isle more than 100 years ago received final approval by a state regulatory agency on Oct. 26.
All of the property was sold as one package to a local development group called Noodles 1 LLC and will be the site of housing construction.
Although the land was sold during an online auction last March, the transaction was pending final approval by the state Board of Public Utilities because the property was owned by the utility company Jersey Central Power & Light and required environmental cleanup.
Altogether, the property consists of 1.19 acres in the area of 39th Street and Central Avenue and 40th Street and Central, only about a block and a half from Sea Isle’s downtown business district, Promenade and beaches.
In order to receive state regulatory approval to sell the land, JCP&L had to clean up contaminates stemming from a gas manufacturing plant that operated in Sea Isle from 1889 to the 1920s.
Ban on Shark Fishing Reversed
Sea Isle ended its short-lived ban on shark fishing. But there’s a catch.
To avoid possible conflicts with swimming or surfing off the beaches, there will be restrictions placed on shark fishing during the busy summer tourism season from May 15 to Sept. 15, City Solicitor Paul Baldini said.
Between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the summer season, anglers will only be allowed to fish by casting their lines in the water, according to Baldini.
The city imposed a complete ban on shark fishing off its beaches on Aug. 8 following complaints that drones and other questionable methods were being used to spot some of the big predators swimming offshore and to haul them out of the surf.
However, Sea Isle officials announced in November that the ban was repealed after they met with representatives of the fishing and surfing communities to work out a compromise.
Old School Awaits Wrecking Ball
Sea Isle’s former public school, once a centerpiece of the community during its 50-year history, will soon be torn down following the award of a demolition contract Dec. 13 for the empty building.
The old school at 4501 Park Road will be demolished to make room for development of the city’s proposed $20 million community recreation center on the same site.
With the award of the demolition contract, the building is expected to be torn down in January or February, according to City Business Administrator George Savastano.
Savastano explained that the project will be done in two phases. First, mounds of dirt will be piled on the site for a few months to go through a process known as “surcharging,” which will allow the soil to become compact enough for the community center to be built on top of it without settling.
The second phase will consist of constructing the community center itself. Savastano anticipates construction will begin by late spring or early summer and take about 20 months to complete, a schedule that would put the grand opening in early 2025.
Sea Isle Loses Three Community Leaders
Sea Isle mourned the loss in 2022 of community leaders Leonard J. Desiderio, Travis Waid and Butch Romano.
Leonard J. Desiderio, known affectionately in Sea Isle as Mr. D., was the father of Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio. He died on Jan. 10 at the age of 93.
He was a Korean War veteran, retired elementary school principal and a local business owner. He was married for nearly 71 years to his wife, Carmel.
He was the first generation of the Desiderio family to own the Sea Isle businesses Kix McNutley’s and Sea Isle Inn, which he started in 1965.
Travis Waid was a country boy from Arkansas who made his home at the Jersey Shore with his wife, Melissa Doyle-Waid, pastor of the United Methodist Church in Sea Isle.
He was an integral part of the church. He was also instrumental in Ocean City school district’s After-Prom events and Drama Guild. He was a volunteer for the After-Prom and also helped to build the sets for the Drama Guild.
But despite what would appear to be a beautiful life, one with many loving family members and friends, Travis Waid struggled with severe depression, Pastor Doyle-Waid told mourners at her husband’s memorial service.
On Feb. 25, he took his own life, just weeks shy of what would have been his 47th birthday on March 21.
Butch Romano, who owned Marie’s Seafood Market & Lobster House, was perhaps as equally well known for his morning coffee klatches that served as daily community get-togethers at the restaurant.
Mr. Romano, whose formal first name was Silverio, was almost universally known by his nickname, Butch. He died Sept. 24 at the age of 79.
Relatives and friends recalled Mr. Romano’s love for his family, his strong work ethic and his popularity throughout the community, including the convivial morning coffee klatches at his restaurant that were a big draw for the locals.
