PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The Delaware Valley is dealing with scorching temperatures during yet another heat wave this summer. 

One of the only spots to get some relief from the excessive heat was down the shore.

The beach at 12th Street in Ocean City looked more like a Saturday or Sunday. 

Joseph Ferrante and Cindy Galasso were sitting right by the water.

“The breeze makes all the difference in the world and hearing the ocean makes it feel cooler too,” said Ferrante.

“This weather is absolutely gorgeous here, today. It’s breathtaking,” said Galasso.

Ferrante and Galasso were just two of the many people who drove down the shore for the day on Tuesday to escape the brutal heat back home.

“It’s oppressive at home, I mean compared to here, there’s a nice breeze. And it’s fun to see little kids on the beach and just the sound of the ocean …. there’s nothing better,” said Donna Leeson.

The Ocean City Beach Patrol said lifeguards have seen more people recently on the beach midweek than normal, and with the ocean temperature hovering in the low 60s, it’s an easy way to cool down.

“You know you go in and then you actually get pretty chilly, so you have to come out to the beach and warm up,” said Lt. Kelly Catania of the Ocean City Beach Patrol.

“I’ve just been dipping in the ocean every couple minutes, juggling my soccer ball and every time I get hot I just like to go for a nice little dip,” said Brody Kaplan, who was on vacation with his family.

There was a big difference between how it felt on the boardwalk and the beach, and that’s why Galasso said she was staying put on the sand.

“The ocean breeze, the salt air, the sun, sand in between my toes, sun on my face …. this is my happy place,” Galasso said.

Lifeguards with the Ocean City Beach Patrol are in the stands from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. They say they want you to be safe, and remind everyone not to swim when the guards are off duty.

While many people escaped the heat by flocking to the shore, some Philadelphia business owners took a different approach.

Amid the high temperatures, outdoor-only restaurants are struggling. The oppressive heat is keeping many customers away.

For the last few days, Morgan’s Pier on Christopher Columbus Boulevard at Penn’s Landing has been emptier than usual, despite the restaurant being right on the Delaware River with beautiful views of the Ben Franklin Bridge. The restaurant has no indoor seating.

“We are on the water, so it is 10 degrees cooler,” Dana Canalichio, director of operations for FCM Hospitality, said. “Being an all-outdoor restaurant, obviously, you know, people are very hesitant to come down, to come out to outdoor restaurants because it is so hot.”

Business has been sluggish because of the heat wave. But for customers willing to brave the scorching temperatures, the restaurant is taking precautions to keep them safe.

“We have fans, we have misters. And then we set up water stations for all the guests so they can hydrate at their own leisure,” Canalichio said.

Employees are working shorter shifts to minimize exposure to the heat.

“Trying to keep staff motivated, that’s a little bit of a struggle,” Canalichio said. “You know, ’cause they’re also extremely hot and they have to be in the weather.”

At Walnut Garden in Rittenhouse Square — owned by the same company as Morgan’s Pier — the restaurant had to push back its opening from noon to 4 p.m. on Tuesday to avoid the hottest part of the day. The heat wave is also affecting other restaurants within the hospitality group.

“Liberty Garden, which is our newest location, located next to Liberty Bell, we did close for the day because there’s not a lot of shade down there and it’s extremely hot,” Canalichio said.

The restaurants are doing the best they can, Canalichio said, while hoping for relief.

DSSA and the other plaintiffs contend the laws violate the Delaware Constitution and the Second, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. The constitutionality of the laws is still being litigated in district court.

Third Circuit Judge Stephanos Bibas said the plaintiffs had not shown that a preliminary injunction was necessary to prevent irreparable harm.

“They do not even allege that Delaware has tried to enforce the disputed laws against them or to seize the guns or magazines that they already own,” Bibas wrote. “Nor do they allege a time-sensitive need for such guns or magazines. This status quo shows no signs of changing.”

Bibas said the court took no position on the merits.

AG Jennings praised the ruling in a statement.

“The idea that the Founders envisioned unfettered access to AR-15s when they described a ‘well-regulated militia’ is a delusion,” her statement said. “Assault weapons and large capacity magazines are modern tools whose sole purpose is to kill. I’m grateful to the Third Circuit for its ruling and will continue to fight like hell to keep our kids and our communities safe.”

Read the full opinion below.

On Monday morning, Simmonds took to social media again. This time, he announced his resignation from both roles.

In a statement on Facebook, Simmonds said, “I am truly sorry that my actions as an individual now bring Prospect Park Borough and Fire Company into a negative light. I know that my position requires me to always put the Borough and Fire Company in mind while posting or speaking anywhere in public.”

Simmonds went on to call the Facebook post a “terrible” and “stupid” mistake.

Borough officials reacted to his resignation in a statement.

They said Simmonds was a dedicated public servant. But, they added, “grossly inappropriate language condoning political violence, which violates the oath every public official takes to uphold the Constitution and laws of our country, our state and our borough, forfeits the confidence of our public that such official may continue to serve.”

Action News caught up with Delaware County residents, who also called the comments unacceptable.

“I think it’s absolutely horrible to wish any harm to anybody,” said Charles Callahan from Chester.

Mark Dawson, of Ridley Park, told Action News, “I don’t think it’s appropriate at all, but you see it on both sides. It’s not something our leaders should be doing.”

“You’re a public figure. You can’t be encouraging violence,” he added.

The Prospect Park Fire Company Board of Trustees appointed the assistant fire chief to fill the role of fire chief for the remainder of the term.

The board said its members are now thinking of Corey Comperatore, the firefighter killed during Saturday’s shooting at the rally.

“Our hearts go out to Corey Comperatore and his family. The man is a true hero and was a dedicated member of the fire service,” the board said in a statement.

The board declined to do an on-camera interview with Action News. Borough representatives never responded to our request for comment.

Action News attempted to speak with Simmonds at his home in Prospect Park, but he didn’t answer when we knocked at the door.