High Tide

The wait is finally over! The 2026 Rockaway Times Photo Contest is here! Believe it or not, this is our eleventh year (wow!). If we do say so ourselves, the Rockaway Times Photo Contest has become a beloved Rockaway tradition—one that showcases community pride and talent while helping beautify Rockaway along the way. We are excited and grateful to have our co-sponsors—the Jamaica Bay–Rockaway Parks Conservancy, NYC Ferry, and the NYC Parks Department—back on board for what we know will be another great year. We look forward to receiving and reviewing your submissions. To be eligible, photos must be emailed to Contest@RockawayTimes.com. We will continue to run our regular Local Color pages, but those photos should be sent to Mail@RockawayTimes.com. For more information about the 2026 contest, see pages 2 and 3.

*****

Ahead of Saturday, we’d like to wish all of our readers and advertisers a Happy Valentine’s Day! We truly love you all. If you’re taking your sweetheart out for dinner or picking up a special gift, be sure to check out the ads from our loyal advertisers throughout this week’s paper. When you visit, order, or make a reservation, don’t forget to tell them you saw their ad in The Rockaway Times.

*****

And for some of us, this weekend is a long one—Happy Presidents’ Day! Enjoy Monday off. If you’re a teacher or student, enjoy the week off, and if you’re heading out of town, we hope it’s somewhere warm.

*****

Due to the Beach 108th ferry landing still being encased in ice, the Rockaway ferry is still out of commission. However, Soundview service from Throgs Neck to Pier 11 has resumed as of February 11, so hopefully the Rockaway and Sunset Park stops will be up and running soon with the warmer temperatures.

*****

We don’t know about you, but we can’t remember a cold spell quite like this—and we are done with it. On the bright side, there are only 36 days until spring!

*****

A big shout-out to local Callie Mullin, a senior at Xaverian High School, for scoring her 1,000th career point last Friday night. Doing it on Senior Night made the moment even more special. Congratulations, Callie—what an incredible accomplishment!

*****

Looking for some Valentine’s Day exercise to keep that New Year’s resolution going strong? Start your day by joining the Rockaway Track Club for their Half Marathon and 5K run on Saturday, February 14, at 9 a.m. Meet at Healey’s Pub on Beach 108th Street for bib pickup, a t-shirt, and check-in beginning at 8 a.m. For more information or to register, visit www.rockawaytc.org

*****

Looking for a summer job? Registration and applications for the 2026 Summer Youth Employment Program are now open, with a deadline of February 27. To apply, visit application.nycsyep.com. The PIN for younger youth (ages 14–15) is 894482, and for older youth (ages 16–24) it is 815736. For questions, contact the Rockaway Development & Revitalization Corporation (RDRC) at rdrcsyep@gmail.com or 718-327-5300.

*****

If you’re a snowbird and want to make sure you receive The Rockaway Times, we email the entire paper every Thursday to more than 4,300 subscribers. It’s fast (8:30 a.m. Thursday mornings) and free. Are you receiving it online? If not, drop us a note at Mail@RockawayTimes.com and we’ll add you to our list.