OC Today WWW.OCEANCITYTODAY.COM
AUGUST 12, 2022
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
FISHING
ANNUAL WHITE MARLIN OPEN More than $8.6 million up for grabs; 408 boats entered into this year’s tournament – Page 67
FREE
Staff woes stop trams for concert Lack of workers causes council to nix event service
The conductor, who has his own audience, is critical to tram operations.
LISA CAPITELLI/OCEAN CITY TODAY
HEAVY HAUL
The Ocean City Fire Department welcomed firefighters and community members for a firefighter challenge at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center last weekend. Relay teams comprised of the general public, fire departments, companies, nonprofits, and others, tackled a modified firefighter skillsbased course where they performed the Five Essential Functions™ of America’s fire service.
Biz adjusts to non-pandemic season Employers find workers where and when they can By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (Aug. 12, 2022) Coming off the sting of pandemic-infused staffing shortages, many resort business owners were happy and excited with the number of people that came in looking for jobs at the beginning of summer 2022. While housing was — and is — an
issue, the lifting of travel bans allowed more J1 student workers to come to town, which was a significant factor in helping employee numbers shoot up higher than they were in 2020 or 2021. “I was turning people away for jobs, obviously, for the first time in years,” Dough Roller Owner Kevin Gibbs said of the staffing situation at the start of the summer. “And we kind of had the ability to maybe even possibly have an interview this year.
That was nice, a good change of pace.” The Dough Roller is a busy Ocean City staple restaurant with four locations across the resort. Gibbs operates the location on South Division Street, which is one of two on the Boardwalk, and said this week he has done very well with the White Marlin Open crowd. But that has not been the case all summer for daytime business. See WEATHER Page 4
By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (Aug. 12, 2022) Boardwalk trams are officially nixed for the upcoming Oceans Calling music festival as resort officials look into alternative options for shuttling people to and from the inlet venue. Members of the city’s Transportation Committee initially thought they would bring back the trams, which stop running daily after Labor Day, for the three-day festival on Sept. 30 to Oct. 2. The move would be similar to what the city does during OC BikeFest and Sunfest. In those instances, advance work by transportation staff ensures having enough employees to handle the extra events. That is not the case for Oceans Calling. “A lot of the tram staff had planned vacations and everything between BikeFest and Sunfest,” Transportation Operations Manager See NO TRAM Page 3