by KYW's Mike DeNardo

Merchants at the shore say more American workers are filling the void created by fewer visas available for foreign workers this year.

Business owners along the Ocean City boardwalk say there are more local workers doing the summer jobs that foreign workers had been doing. 

For one thing, Congress effectively cut in half the number of work visas issued this year. 
Another reason, says Playland Castaway Cove owner Scott Simpson, is that the local kids need the money to pay for gas:
    
"It's actually a real cost now, when the kids have to drive around and do all of their entertainment, compared to the foreign kids. Plus, our dollar being a little weaker overseas, some of the kids from Bulgaria aren't coming over as strong as they used to because our dollar doesn't go as far as it used to."
   
Simpson says he used to have a 50-50 split of American and foreign workers. This year, about 70 percent of his workers are American.