92.7 WOBM News Flash Briefing: August 31 9AM

With the summer beach season drawing to a close this weekend and many of the lifeguards heading back to school.

There is concern over the safety of those heading into the water.

In Harvey Cedars, they're considering training local surfers to help if they see someone struggling in the water.

Other towns are also considering options after a spike in the number of drownings this year.

The company in charge of the food at rest areas on the turnpike and the parkway is teaming up with Sunoco, spending 250 million dollars to modernize and rebuild the facilities, in exchange for getting their contracts extended for 25 years to operate the food and fuel concessions.

Captain Jack Sparrow will never be thirsty if he visits Ocean County, after the opening of its first rum distillery on Old Shore Road in Forked River.

After spending two-decades in the sales industry a New Jersey entrepreneur closes the door on that career to open up Ocean County’s first rum distillery this month.

38-year old Peter Martorelli, owner of the newly opened Island Beach Distillery on Old Shore Road in Forked River says he uses a Caribbean style molasses in the rum at the distillery which results as a base rum that’s white or clear styled and from it other flavors can be added or mixed in.

“I make all of my flavors off of that,” said Martorelli. “From that white rum I also have a spiced rum and a sweet rum which is my version of a dark rum.”

He's hoping to one day expand his operations into liquor stores, bars and restaurants.