Too much of a good thing can be painful, even deadly, when it comes to sunshine. So with summer just about in full swing, dermatologists and skin cancer researchers say people should limit their time in the sun and take other steps to protect themselves from the sun, the Associated Press reports. "Enjoy it, but enjoy it in moderation and with common sense," said Dr. Warren Heymann, head of the division of dermatology at Cooper University Hospital in Camden.
Read the full story.

Gretchen Coyle's garden is defined by the sparkling waters of Little Egg Harbor Bay, which envelops her two-acre property in Beach Haven, reports Inquirer gardening writer Virginia Smith. Over the years, Coyle has adapted her gardening style to the whims of weather and the demands of the land. "Just living here is a great lesson," she says.
Read the full story.

And here's a short primer on plants that thrive at the shore.

Just why a Cape May County man fatally drove his car at high speed into a Garden State Parkway toll booth in Somers Point last month apparently will remain a mystery, according to a report in the Press of Atlantic City. The reason: The accident left 52-year-old Bernard King's body in such bad condition that toxicology tests likely would reveal no clues, according to State Police.
Read the full story.

YouTube has video of the crash from toll booth security cameras.

From concerts and comedy shows in Atlantic City to the Mummers in Wildwood to a Victorian fair in Cape May, there are oodles of events at the shore in June.
Read the full events listing.

Euphoria swept the Claridge Ballroom inside Bally's Casino in Atlantic City early Sundayas the United Auto Workers racked up a key election victory to represent Bally's dealers, the Inquirer's Suzette Parmley reports. Bally's dealers voted, 628-255, to unionize, and now the UAW and casino management are tied at 2-2 among casinos that have held elections. Dealers at Caesars and Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino voted overwhelmingly to join the UAW, while the union has suffered two narrow defeats in recent weeks at the Trump Marina and Atlantic City Hilton.
Read the full story.

Most shore visitors don't know what to do when they get caught in a rip current 50 yards from the beach, and that has some advocates calling for a week of awareness about the dangerous currents, the Press of Atlantic City reports.
Read the full story.

Beachgoers are packing more than just bathing suits and sunblock for their summer vacations: An AP-Ipsos poll released Friday said that one in five people also packed a laptop computer for their most recent vacations, the Press of Atlantic City reports. Some businesses, like How You Brewin' and Buckalew's Cafe in Beach Haven, cater to such visitors by offering free Wi-Fi access.
Read the full story.

Somewhat shockingly, it remains midseason form down here (except with lots of parking), even midweek. Normally, after Memorial Day, the shore will sort of go back to sleep during the week, at least that is what we tell our editors, with kids still in school and the tradition of the Memorial Day to Labor Day rental pretty much a thing of the past. But, with apologies to those who actually have day jobs, today is a beauty, low 80s with a warm comforting breeze, the sounds of Akon hanging in the air, making an early run at this summer’s prize for ubiquity that Gnarls Barkley snagged last year. Girls on bikes with surfboards under their arms are cutting off cars in Ocean City, people are hanging in the chilly surf, and those lucky enough to be down here are finding themselves stumped by this question asked over and over again at the Dixie Picnic on 8th Street, where they will pack you a nice box lunch for $8.25. “What kind of upcake would you like?” Upcake is their word for an upside down cupcake, minus the top, that comes with every lunch. There’s too many varieties to list, and the most common answer, at least today, was “I don’t know.” Go for buttercream over chocolate.

One minute, the dogs are living large, hanging on the sands, fetching balls from the surf, keeping order among warring flocks of seagulls. The next, in the name of progress and summer tourists, it’s this: a barren, pebble-lined, fenced-in desperate stretch of land nestled in the shadow of the Ocean City’s sewage waste treatment facility (ok, fittingly nestled, but still). Its own website euphemistically and apologetically describes the park as “sterile.” Even my dumb dogs would know this is not exactly doggie heaven.
Officially known as the Cape May County/Ocean City Dog Park, it was unveiled last month to the backyard-challenged dogowners of the shore as a refuge during summer, when their dogs are suddenly canis non grata on the beaches. They are promising some trees at some point. It’s located at 45th and Haven Streets, with the scary-big pipes of the treatment facilities as the view, complete with the sounds of sewage being treated as you scoop your dog’s poop. Four blocks away, the beach beckons.
Once the dog lovers of Ocean City dreamed of getting a stretch of actual beach front declared open for dogs, even just in the early morning hours. But all their efforts _ and they were considerable _ resulted in this penitentiary-like setting on the bayside of the island. There are a few amenities: a tire to jump through, a cute little water fountain at dog height, double entrances so your dog doesn’t go chasing after a new friend, and, eventually, the company of other dogs. There’s lots of room to throw a ball and to run. It costs $35 a year for out-of-county folks to get a “Paw Pass,” $25 for locals and $10 for a week. Mandy, a 9-year-old miniature pinscher, was the only dog there today. “It is kind of bleak,” her owner, Gene Hall, said. “It’s all gravel. But if you try to take them to the beach anymore, it’s like a federal case.”

State environmental officials were investigating Wednesday whether to take action against a sewage plant in Asbury Park after a broken pipe leaked as much as 250,000 gallons of sewage into the ocean, the Associated Press reports. Beaches in four Monmouth County communities remained closed to swimmers today, as county health authorities were awaiting the results of the most recent water quality tests.
Read the full story.
UPDATE: The beaches were reopened Wednesday.
Read the full story.

Bill Santora, a World War II memorabilia collector from Toms River, made it possible for the National D-Day Museum to present the dog tag of an American soldier killed on Omaha Beach to his family today in Tennessee, the Associated Press reports. Exactly 63 years after that tragic day, the remarkably well-preserved tag was returned to the relatives of Pvt. William Bernice Clark. "I always wondered who it was," said Santora, who handed the dog tag over to the Bedford, Va., museum. "I feel more connected to the soldier, a little connected to family and I think they are going to be happy to have this memento back."
Read the full story.

Edwin Tuttle gave the world many gifts _ just ask people at the Pennsylvania Ballet _ but none more beautiful than the little beachfront lot across the street from his shore house in Ventnor that he turned into a free standing patio two decades ago and then left alone. The former head of Pennwalt Corp. preserved this lot at Sacramento and the Boardwalk to preserve his own view, naturally, but also that of his neighbors. He brought in a statue of a nymph, a replica of one in Pompeii, which he replaced with another replica when the first one was stolen. He put in circular patterned pavers like it was a piazza in Florence and chairs and benches and a pavilion that, truth be told, nobody really ever sat in it. Maybe one time, they had a barbecue. The garden was valued for what it wasn't. It wasn't another big house at the shore. It didn't block anything. It wasn't for sale. It wasn't available. It wasn't fenced in, just a little gate around it. When he died last year, he left the lot to his neighbor directly across the street from him, whose house borders the lot, another act of generosity in a lifetime full of them. But taxes on the lot are $26,000 and the neighbor, an 80-year-old widow, can't afford them. By selling the lot, which has an asking price of about $1 million, she will be able to live out her life in the two story bungalow the Wades have lived in since the early 60s. She thinks Edwin Tuttle meant for that to be the case. "It's been lovely for everyone," she said last night, as dusk fell on a perfectly lovely evening along the Boardwalk. She didn't want her full name used. "I am just not able to keep it." Here's another photo.

Saturday and Sunday (June 9 and 10) will be this year's New Jersey Free Fishing Days, which are held annually in conjunction with National Fishing and Boating Week, the state Division of Fish & Wildlife announced. The special designation means anyone may fish the public waters in the state without a license or trout stamp. All other regulations, including size and daily catch limits, remain in effect. Anglers should also note that any smallmouth or largemouth bass caught during this time must be released. For information and a guide on places to fish at the shore, click here.

Ocean City officials said residents and local businesses could enjoy free wireless Internet access by next May, the Ocean City Gazette reported today. The city's Library Board has contracted with a firm to create a "Wireless Wave" that would cover the entire city. Visitors to the city would have to pay $6 daily or $25 weekly for access to the Net.
Read the full story.

Click here for a related story from the Press of Atlantic City.

New kiosk-style meters installed recently in parking lots by the Stone Harbor beach has confused visitors, the Beachcomber newsmagazine reports. Still, police say they will continue enforcement of the parking laws. Officials said some residents reported difficulty using the machines and others said they did not know the parking lot was no longer free.
Read the full story.

The 4100 block of Landis Avenue in Sea Isle City will be closed to traffic beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday (June 11-12) for a building demolition, according to a notice on the city's Web site.

Cape May County tourism officials said a stronger Canadian dollar has reinvigorated interest in north-of-the-border tourists and has renewed marketing efforts to highlight the sandy beaches and boardwalks at the New Jersey shore, the Press of Atlantic City reports. Canadians, primarily those from the province of Quebec, formed a large base of the region's tourism market for decades, but a weaker exchange rate in the mid-90s apparently triggered a dropoff in their numbers visiting the Jersey Shore.
Read the full story.

There's a minnow mystery at the Jersey Shore, the Press of Atlantic City reports. “I have no minnows. The guys who catch them for a living don't know why,” said Tony Eaton, of Captain Andy's in Margate. Some bait shops figure the water is still too cold or the problem is the recent full moon, which drives minnows up into the tidal grasses to breed.
Read the full story.

Comps, those freebies that casinos dangle to entice gamblers to spend their time and money, are getting a closer look in Atlantic City, where for the first time in the 29-year history of legalized gambling, casinos will likely take in less money than they did the year before, the Associated Press reports. Comps, which range from free hotel rooms and show tickets to coupons for a free buffet or a roll of quarters to pump into slot machines, were up 2.1 percent over the first quarter of 2007, even while revenues at the city's 11 casinos declined by 5.5 percent in May. Some casinos are cutting back on comps, while others are handing out more as a way to attract customers that can gamble closer to home, including at the new slots parlors in Pennsylvania.
Read the full story.
Click here for key facts on casino revenues.

Visitors to the Belmar municipal Web site soon will be able to zoom in on a satellite picture or map of the borough's 320 summer rental homes to a street-level view of the properties, the Asbury Park Press reports. Clicking on a specific address on the Web site, powered by GoogleEarth, will enable visitors to keep tabs on the legal status of rentals designated as "animal houses" in Belmar, according to Mayor Kenneth E. Pringle. The information online will serve not only the interests of permanent residents wary and watchful of summer rowdies, but those seasonal renters with an interest in properties subject to legal entanglements, he said.
Read the full story.
For more 'Animal House' information, go to the Belmar Web site.

Pennsylvania slots continue to hurt Atlantic City casinos, as seven of the resort's 11 gambling halls suffered revenue decreases last month, The Inquirer's Suzette Parmley reports. The casinos took in $408.8 million in total revenue, down 1.9 percent from a year ago. "We're continuing to see the impact on our slots business as a result of slots in Pennsylvania and in New York," said Tony Rodio, president of the Atlantic City Hilton and Resorts casinos.
Read the full story.

From today's Press of Atlantic City, a great story by Martin DeAngelis. It starts:

"He woke up Monday morning in a no-newspaper, no-TV, no-Internet sweat.
He had to know what happened, now. But even though he's a three-newspaper-a-day guy, he couldn't know yet, couldn't take the risk of seeing a headline or hearing even a snippet of news — anywhere.

It's a long story. But it starts at the end of “The Sopranos,” the long-running Mob hit's series finale Sunday night."
Read the full story.

The hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean has begun, forecasters are predicting a 75 percent uptick in the frequency and fury of this year's storms, and New Jersey remains vulnerable, exposed and unprepared for the devastation that could come, write James Lee Witt and Adm. James M. Loy on The Inquirer's Opinion page today. They are national co-chairs of ProtectingAmerica.org, a Washington nonprofit that seeks to protect and prepare Americans for catastrophes. They believe the state should establish a private catastrophe fund now.
Read the full essay.

Another round of comments about changing the 2 a.m. closing time for bars in Seaside Park could be served up tonight at a meeting of the Borough Council, the Asbury Park Press reported today. At a meeting last week, speakers sent council members a strong message: a midnight bar closing is a bad idea.
Read the full story.

The Route 52 causeway project is almost a year old, but still years away from completion. NBC40 reports that work continues to move along on the New Jersey Department of Transportation's biggest project. In the first phase, two bridges will be built to link Somers Point and Ocean City. Completion is scheduled for December 2009. The second phase, causeway replacement and circle elimination, is in its final design phase.
See the report.

Cape May County Buzz, the Press of Atlantic City's "look at the lighter, quirky and colorful side of the news," has its own take on word that Cape May County officials are considering a new library for the grounds of the county Park and Zoo.
Read their reading list of possible tie-ins with the zoo, and add your own under Comments.

For all the appeal that Atlantic City may have for gamblers as a beach destination, the resort town has one chronic flaw: Every year, summer ends, writes Bill Ordine in the Sunday Inquirer Travel section. He's found an oasis, however, at Harrah's, where a new indoor pool covers a half-acre under a 90-foot dome, with every amenity offered. Only waves are lacking.
Read the full story.

After hours of public comment, Ocean City Council last Thursday night voted 4 to 3 in favor of purchasing $1.3 million dollars worth of the tropical hardwood Ipe, to re-deck a one block length of boardwalk, NBC40 reported. The harder Ipe would replace yellow pine, a relatively soft wood that requires much maintenance, on one block of the boardwalk. The issue has sparked emotional debate, including protests, between those for and against the use of the wood, which grows in equatorial rainforests.
See the full story.

They make a pizza so large at “3 Brothers from Italy Pizza The World's Largest Pizza” on the Boardwalk in Ocean City, they have a daily contest challenging people to eat the entire pie in less than an hour, the Press of Atlantic City reports. Patrons who can finish the 26-inch, 5½-pound pizza get their money back, and 10 free pies. The pizzeria is between Ninth and 10th streets.
Read the full story.

By Jonathan Tannenwald, Philly.com producer

Greetings from the other side of the Cape May-Lewes Ferry -- Rehoboth Beach, to be precise. I’ve spent just about every summer of my life there, and I have much the same kinds of connections to its boardwalk that the other Downashore writers have to the Jersey side of things.

I went down to Rehoboth for the first time this summer this past weekend to surprise my father for Father’s Day. I usually go by car, but I decided to try something new this time. There’s a bus that runs on weekends from the Wilmington Amtrak station down to the Park & Ride lot out by the outlets for $7.50 each way. It’s run by DART, the Delaware public transit agency. So I caught the 5:33 p.m. R2 out of Suburban Station last Friday and decided to give the Route 305 bus a shot.

It was quite a pleasant trip. Just under two hours from start to finish on a modern, Greyhound-sized bus instead of a city-style bus – but much cleaner. There wasn’t a bathroom, but it was a short enough ride to not make much of a difference. Best of all, the bus got to Rehoboth right on time, and there’s an easy connection to Route 201, which takes you down Rehoboth Avenue to the bandstand.

The Cape May-Lewes Ferry today inaugurated its “Lucky 7 Package,” which will take foot passengers from Delaware all the way to the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, the Press of Atlantic City reports. The ferry has partnered with Lion Trailways to provide transportation from the ferry terminal in Cape May to Atlantic City. The cost: $7.
Read the full story.

Admit it: you still make jokes about how gross New Jersey beaches are, right? Obviously you've never been to Stone Harbor. The beaches there were recently awarded with a Blue Wave Beach certification. The honor is given out by the Clean Beaches Council, a nonprofit that promotes beach sustainability, and Stone Harbor received the only Blue Wave in New Jersey.

Stone Harbor met or exceeded 33 criteria for clean, healthy water to score the designation. Blue Wave beach towns promise to be vigilant about water quality, beach and intertidal conditions, hazards, services, habitat conservation, public information and education and erosion management.

The Clean Beaches Council recommends these steps to keep beaches in great shape:

1. Leave no trace (if you carry it in, carry it out)
2. Use public restrooms (help keep beach water clean)
3. Don’t tread the dunes (prevent beach erosion/use walkovers)
4. Know your limits (swim, surf and boat safely)
5. Respect native habitats (wildlife and plants)
6. Mind your pet (help keep beaches sanitary)
7. Get involved!

More from Stone Harbor tomorrow. I'm headed to Media Day in town. I swear I am not just going because of the promise of Springer's Ice Cream. But that doesn't hurt, not one bit.

A Cape May woman who swerved to avoid hitting a turtle as it crawled across the northbound lanes of the Garden State Parkway Tuesday afternoon in Upper Township lost control of her car, crashed through a guardrail and tumbled down an embankment before the car flipped over onto its roof, the Associated Press reports. The driver was wearing a seat belt and was not critically injured, State Police said.
Read the full story.

I was dodging fat raindrops and walking up to Borough Hall just as my phone rang - weather's too iffy. Media event cancelled.

The good news is tomorrow - the longest day of the year - is supposed to be beautiful, and everything that was supposed to happen today is now scheduled to happen tomorrow. The bad news is I drove 90 minutes to get that news in person. Ouch.

Anyway, it's clearing up now, but here's proof that it started out as a bad beach day: this is the view of 96th Street from out my car window.

Happy first day of summer! At 2:06 p.m. today, we ditch this it-feels-hot-but-it's-not-yet-officially-summer business and embrace officialdom. Today is my rescheduled Stone Harbor Day, plus I'm going to a surfing event in Ocean City tonight. Check back for updates.

Leave a comment if you're planning anything to commemorate the first day of summer! Happy summer solstice!

A .22-caliber revolver that an off-duty Pennsylvania police officer reported losing Wednesday in Ocean City has been found, KYW 1060 is reporting. According to a report in the Press of Atlantic City, Gillian's Wonderland Pier on the boardwalk was shut down for two hours Wednesday night as a precaution after the officer, whom police did not identify, reported the handgun missing.
See the full story.

... sharks, jellyfish, red tide, medical waste, tsunamis. And now, in time for the first day of summer, we have something new to worry about at the Shore.

A new Harvard Medical School study shows that waves and sharks aren't the only dangers at the beach. More than three dozen people have been killed over the last two decades when sand holes collapsed on them.

Today was a perfect beach day. A worthy beach day for the beginning of the Summer of 2007:

I spent the day on a trolley, on a boat, on the beach, eating ice cream, and chatting with the mayor and council president of Stone Harbor. Pretty tough, huh? Anyway, the headline from my day is this: contrary to rumors that fly around the island every year, Oprah Winfrey does NOT own a house in Stone Harbor. Her significant other (are they still engaged?), Stedman Graham - no relation - went to high school nearby, and returns every year for a reunion of the basketball team of which he was a star. So there are occasionally Oprah sightings. But she is not a property owner. Glad we got that straightened up.

In other news: have you been to The Point? (No, not the nightclub!) It's a portion of the beach cordoned off to serve as a habitat for wildlife, especially some endangered birds that need protection. It's less than one square mile in size, and you can frequently spot piping plovers, terns, and red knots. (Wish I had a photo of a bird to show you, but no dice. Here was a funny turtle I spotted, though!)

This is what $12 million can buy you. It's the house that's the talk of the town. View from the boat, out on the bay:

This house is merely $9,900 per week during the peak summer season. It's got six bedrooms, and some of the best deck views I've ever seen. It's a beach block house, of course, and from the top deck, you can look one way and see the ocean and the other way and see the bay. It would cost about $4 million, says real estate agent Patty DeMarco of Diller and Fisher. Here's one corner of the spacious living room. I love the murals painted everywhere:

It's going to be a great summer.

I finished my Shore/Summer solstice day at the 59th Street beach in Ocean City, where the Surfrider Foundation held its annual International Surfing Day Festival. Hundreds of people surfed, ate, played Frisbee, and listened to music. The weather was stunning, and I wasn't sure if everyone knew each other or this was just a really, really friendly group of people. I think it was a little bit of both.

Surfrider is a nonprofit organization that's about more than just surfing. Jen Zappone, a member from Linwood who doesn't surf herself (her husband, Mark, does) explained: "For our family, it's about keeping the beaches and oceans clean so we can enjoy surfing." While her kids Charity, 5, and Bodhi, 3 (means "peaceful warrior") ran around in swimsuits, the family dog Bailey, a chocolate Lab, appeared to be the most joyful creature on the beach. Dogs, who are normally banned from O.C. beaches, were given a temporary reprieve for the event. Life was good.

Steve Muller, president of the South Jersey chapter of Surfrider, expounded on Jen's philosophy: "We're promoting clean water, environmental activism, and surfing access."

If you see something that looks like a gun, maybe your best bet is to err on the side of caution and treat it like a gun ... In Ocean City, a teenager found what she thought was a toy gun on an amusement park ride. Turns out, it was the weapon reported missing Wednesday by an off-duty Philly police officer, AP reports today. Full story.

In other news, police plan to crack down on underage beachgoers trying to buy alcohol at the Shore this year with a "Cops to Shops" program that 26 towns have signed on to, according to the AP. And those who are caught face more than just a lecture from mom or dad: Fines start at $500, and the punishment could also affect driving privileges. Read the full story.

It was a beautiful day on the beach in Sea Isle City on Saturday. Blue skies. Hot sun. Cool breezes. Still, on the first weekend after the official start of summer, the beaches weren't packed.

The fire destroyed a building across the street that housed retail shops, said commission spokesman Daniel Heneghan. At the headquarters, six large windows were blown out, and smoke caused some problems, he said.

The commission's offices will be closed Monday, and fire inspectors remained at the scene late Sunday afternoon, trying to determine whether the blaze had caused any structural damage. The cause was under investigation.

The fire damage "is actually minimal, aside from the windows. There was no charring of anything inside our building, but there is some debris around," Heneghan told the Associated Press. The cause was being investigated.

About 160 of the commission's 330 employees work out of the building, Heneghan said. None were inside at the time.

Twenty-six beach towns on the Jersey Shore are expected to participate in the Cops in Shops program, which targets underage drinkers, the Associated Press reports. Police will work undercover in liquor stores to catch those under 21 who try to buy alcohol and adults who buy it for them.
Read the full story.
Update: Here is a list of the participating towns, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General Web site:
Atlantic County: Absecon, Egg Harbor Township, Margate
Cape May County: Avalon, Lower Township, Sea Isle City, Wildwood
Monmouth County: Belmar, Eatontown, Long Branch, Middletown Township, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, South Belmar, Wall
Ocean County: Barnegat, Bay Head, Beach Haven, Beachwood, Dover Township, Harvey Cedars, Lakehurst, Little Egg Harbor, Long Beach, Pt. Pleasant Beach, Pt. Pleasant Boro, Seaside Heights, Ship Bottom, Stafford Township.

One man's source of electric power is causing an ill wind to blow in Long Beach Island, the Associated Press reports. Two of Michael Mercurio's neighbors have filed a lawsuit to stop him from using a windmill in his backyard that helps to heat and light his house. The suit contends the windmill is too noisy, creates shadows on their property and spoils their sleep.
Read the full story.

The Atlantic City boardwalk will require repairs after a fire Sunday burned a section of it, destroyed five stores and damaged the headquarters of the state Casino Control Commission, the Associated Press reports. The fire was so hot it warped the steel support beams, fire Capt. Michael Mooney told The Press of Atlantic City for today's newspapers. To do that, the fire had to reach about 1,100 degrees, he said.
Read the full story.

America's favorite oversized wooden elephant by the sea is going through what seems to be seasonal trauma here in Margate. Last summer, the problems were deeply rooted, psychological ("was Lucy really a boy?), financial (should the city seize control from the Lucy Committee?) and, most dramatically, cosmic (her famous howdah, the thing that sits on top of her back, struck by lightning!).
This summer, the old lug looks kind of dapper from ground level, see above, with some fancy new nail polish, no idea what the J stands for, but on top, things are a little, shall we say, open-ended. Lucy has temporarily lost the roof of her howdah. It now sits on the ground, with all its rot exposed like, say, a workman's belly on a hot day.

This is Tom Haight, an employee of MB Markland contractors, who this morning was selflessly ignoring the lure of the 70-degree water, and repairing rotted wood that was found after the howdah was removed. The lightning bolt struck Lucy's crescent and star (leading, perhaps, to this year's Lucy existential question: is Lucy a Muslim?) and blew apart the wood, but contractors found massive rotting of wood and steel throughout the structure. They are now basically rebuilding the fiberglass and wood. Haight, whose last job was an actual house, though he's also worked on dog houses, noted the unusual nature of the work. "Whoever built this thing was crazy," he explained.
Here's another look.

Check out the transcript from today's live chat with Inquirer food critic Craig Laban. After spending several weeks at the Shore, Laban makes beach eats a focus of the discussion. The comment section here awaits your take on the tastes of summer.

FBI agents have joined an investigation into the theft of tools used by whalers in the early 19th century from the Cape May County Historical Museum, the Associated Press reports. The maritime instruments taken were kept in a case and included six harpoons and a whaling gun. A worker noticed them missing on June 5. The museum estimates the stolen items are worth more than $7,500.
Read the full story.

So where can you see fireworks on the Fourth of July at the shore? Philly.com has compiled a list for you:

Atlantic City: Fireworks after the Atlantic City Surf baseball game, which begins at 7:05.

Cape May: Fireworks shot off on a barge on the ocean, visible from the beach, no charge. For tickets to an All-American picnic to be held on the lawn of historic Congress Hall, held before the show, contact Congress Hall at 888-944-1816. Tickets $20.

Lower Township: Fireworks at the Cape May Ferry Terminal Grounds, 9:30 p.m., with live music, and food available for purchase beginning at 7:30.

Ocean City: Fireworks after a kite-flying contest and other entertainment, beginning at 9 p.m., at Carey Stadium, 6th Street off the Boardwalk.

Sea Isle City: Fireworks at 9 p.m., JFK Boulevard and the beach.

Stone Harbor: Fireworks and band concert at the 80th Street Fields, 9 p.m.

Wildwood: Fireworks at 10 p.m., Boardwalk at Pine Avenue.

Ventnor: Fireworks at 9 p.m., raindate Saturday July 7.

For a list of fireworks displays scheduled throughout the region, see our Fourth of July guide.

Mrs. Leahy returned to Ventnor this week, along with 30 of her nearest and dearest. But instead of staying at the shore home her family built and owned for 75 years, the family stayed across the street, renting the sprawling gray house owned by the Dominican Nuns of Blauvelt, N.Y. (To see why the nuns are now landlords, click here.) Twelve years ago, as taxes rose, new construction blocked their views, and the older generation that united them all had passed along, Mrs. Leahy and her two siblings reluctantly sold the house they loved _ and kept immaculate, summer after summer, from the third floor dormer to the basement, where the lifeguards would come to shower. But as is so often the case with these family heirlooms, the sale, which made sense for all the right reasons, financial and practical, still left a hole in the family's heart _ and summers _ that was not easily filled. And so, twelve years later, Mrs. Leahy is again presiding over dinners for 30 served in a big pan, margaritas on the porch and, no doubt, keeping the nuns' house immaculate. (The new, or no longer that new, owners of her old house have never been able to match the spic and shine of the previous owners, and face it, the geraniums just never bloomed as big.) She declined an offer to go through the house again, though in truth, much of it is still as they left it. But others in the family poked around, approved of the newly paved driveway and the rosebushes out front, as they tried to recreate the old sense of family togetherness and contentedness that is a shore house's true gift. From the view across the street, it seems clear they succeeded. And so we say, welcome back to Dorset Avenue, Mrs. Leahy and family. Come back anytime.

Surely there'll be a Fourth of July weekend at the Jersey Shore. But when? asks Inquirer staff writer Jacqueline L. Urgo, who reports that with the Fourth falling on Wednesday this year, schedule shilly-shallying has driven the Shore into a near panic. With so much uncertaintly about when exactly the celebrating should begin for that out-and-out, no-doubt-about-it, in-your-face signal that summer's finally here, the great Fourth of July Weekend debate has become the season's great question.
Read the full story.
Take our poll: When are you celebrating the Fourth of July weekend? (Through Friday, most respondents said they were celebrating next weekend.)