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MARCH 10, 2023
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Volume 20, Issue 10
FREE
A flip of the coin keeps Wisgirda in seat Brienza, Parent f inish atop election By Kerin Magill Staff Reporter One of the three seats up for grabs in the March 4 election for Millville Town Council came down to the flip of a coin
this week, following a tie between two of the candidates. When the votes were counted after polls closed at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sharon Brienza and Joseph Parent had secured two of the seats. The third, however, came down to tie between Barbara Ryer and Robert Wisgirda, both of whom received 205 votes. Contacted Wednesday morning,
Robotics provides early exposure to STEM careers
Wisgirda said “all options are being pursued” in the wake of the tie between him and Ryer. Then, an hour later, both candidates confirmed that they had agreed to flip a coin to determine who would be declared the winner. “I called heads. It came up heads,” Wisgirda said. Ryer said they discussed whether to do a single toss, or a best-of arrange-
ment, such as “two out of three” but ultimately decided on a single toss. “Bob and I decided that it was in the best interest of the town,” Ryer said, to decide between themselves who would take the seat, rather than force a runoff election where they would be the only
See ELECTION page 2
Traffic jam
By Mike Smith Staff Reporter Melissa Bleile, instructional technology specialist for the Indian River School District, remembers that when she started with the school system eight years ago, there were only eight robotics teams in the entire district. Last weekend, at the regional VEX IQ Robotics competition hosted by the school system at Indian River High School, 36 local elementary school teams and six local middle school teams qualified to compete. The students moved their robots through a series of tasks, including removing disks from their towers and sliding them across a goal zone to collect points. “It is awesome for the kids to work together to gain points on the floor or moving their disk targets under the bar,” said Bleile. “We are looking at future engineers who are garnering an early interest in STEM education.” STEM is the acronym for science, See ROBOTICS page 4
Special to the Coastal Point • Butch Comegys
A gaggle of snow geese take flight... or they land. They’re definitely doing something.
Carrs still in shock after fire, but recovering with support By Susan Canfora Staff Reporter As he tried to express the depth of gratitude he and his wife have for area residents, police and firefighters who
rushed to their aid, finding them shelter, providing them with clothing, gift cards and cash after a recent fire destroyed their Ocean View home, Jim Carr started to cry. “Excuse me,” he said during a con-
versation with the Coastal Point this week, before he regained his composure and said the shock of losing their home the evening of Feb. 18 has robbed his 85-year-old wife, Ada, of sleep and caused him to lose his ap-
petite. “Every time I get near food, I feel like I’m going to get sick. I’m still in shock,” Carr, 80, said. See CARRS page 2