Year in Review: Life in Ocean City in 2011

What do Irene, welcome centers, cookies and Elvis have in common? Each was part of Ocean City history in 2011.

This week, we brought you the year in news for schools, sports and government news. Now it’s time to recap “the rest,” the news that doesn’t neatly fit into any category but paints a picture of the year in Ocean City life in 2011.

Remember when Hurricane Irene hit in August? No you don’t — turns out Irene was a when it hit Ocean City. Regardless, Irene was by far the most-read coverage on Ocean City Patch this year. Readers posted thousands of comments to our and followed the storm as . Ocean City escaped and officials that could help the city address hurricanes in the future. And amid all that, Irene couldn’t stop one couple’s .

Ocean City also graced the small screen this year, in both well-received ways and not. became the subject of the and Martin Z. Mollusk , while used Ocean City as the backdrop for a  

Ocean City saw a bit of heroics this year after a Strathmere left a man near death — to the emergency personnel and friends who helped him. A separate sent several people to the hospital.

The island returned to many of its notable traditions in 2011, among them the , the , the , lifeguard and .  

Also in Ocean City this year, fans of a , the city took on this year after a man was arrested for at a Coast Guard helicopter, Mack & Manco , a new opened, Ocean City saw an increase in the town’s , Asbury Avenue businesses against the Boardwalk, the on  and a World War II hero finally got .

What is the one story that defines life in Ocean City in 2011 for you? Did we leave out your favorite? Let us know in the comment section below.