Focus: Freedom Festival Rockin’ in Sea Bright

A sunny Sunday made for a festival first in Sea Bright.

In a niche by the boardwalk, music played for a few hours as people gathered to soak up some seaside sun, listen to speakers, take part in activities, peruse booths and tents, mingle and gather resource information for addiction recovery as the First Annual Fall Freedom Festival got underway.

The aim of the festivals is to “offer free resources for freedom from addiction, fear and co-dependency,” a banner said. “Uniting Resources for the Courage to Change,” the subhead of the banner said.

Take at the photo gallery below for a glimpse into the event … (Click to enlarge!)

Police Report: Theft, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Contact, Burglary, Assault, Weapons, Heroin, Marijuana, DWI

The following September criminal incidents and arrests were reported by Red Bank police. An arrest does not constitute a conviction.

Continue reading Police Report: Theft, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Contact, Burglary, Assault, Weapons, Heroin, Marijuana, DWI

Prosecutor: Man Arrested on Theft Charges for Stealing Deceased Wife’s Disability Benefits

A Monmouth County man is facing theft charges following an investigation that revealed he allegedly stole $23,028 in his deceased wife’s Social Security Disability (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced.

Continue reading Prosecutor: Man Arrested on Theft Charges for Stealing Deceased Wife’s Disability Benefits

Retro RFH Fall R & R

Lounging on the VW at RFH in the 1970s
Photo/RFH Yearbook

 

A reprise as an ode to an old normal and return of those sunny fall days we’ve been having … 

Everyone’s falling for the summery fall in the Rumson-Fair Haven area  lately. It makes an RFH student want to escape the classroom with a spring fever-like fervor.

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Prosecutor: Three Facing Charges for December 2019 Shooting

Three men are facing charges related to two separate shootings in Asbury Park as part of a clash between rivals back in December. One of the men was involved in both shootings, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced.

Continue reading Prosecutor: Three Facing Charges for December 2019 Shooting

Living The Dream: Going Home with Chef Arturo Balderas’ Dos Banditos

The waft of a scent, snippet of a sight, taste of a home-cooked morsel. It’s an unfailing recipe that brings the happy child in anyone back home. And some have a wish. A wish to bring a slice of their home comfort to others to share like family.

Chef Arturo Balderas had that wish. A dream. That dream came true recently. Now, like a big pot of Mexican pozole, steeped in family love, the chef is sharing the very best of his home and heart in authentic Mexican street food at his new dream restaurant, Dos Banditos, in Fair Haven. It’s an homage to his childhood, his parents Mercedes Gonzalez and Julio Balderas, both of whom he lost in the past couple of years. He’s now sharing all with which they and his extended family enriched his life. Sustenance. Those who know Arturo say, “he’s just generous in that way.”

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Prosecutor: Owner of Rumson Golden Goose Facing $300K More in Theft Charges

The Rumson jewelry store owner who was charged with theft in September is now facing additional charges after 11 new victims alleging $300,000 more worth of theft came forward to report having been victimized, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni announced on Thursday.

Continue reading Prosecutor: Owner of Rumson Golden Goose Facing $300K More in Theft Charges

Retro RFH Aides’ Time Out

RFH library aides do chair battle in the 1970s Photo/RFH Yearbook

You’ve seen it before, but it warrants a reprise. With the recent death of aide Joan Blake RFHers all over are reminiscing about their time, or doing time, with those RFH aides. And every good RFH grad knows that they sometimes had to resort to techniques to tame us beasts that likely would get them in a heap of trouble, just like misbehaving students, if they were implemented nowadays. So, we revisit doing hard time in the library with those aides at RFH on a rainy day laden with those doldrums that they always seemed to chase away, even if it was with a chair …

Once upon a time, when the rain started, so did the antics in the library at RFH. And there to keep everyone in line and keep up one step, or a char, ahead of the antsy foul weather pranksters were those library aides.

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Remembering Joan Blake: Ode to the Fair Haven Mom, Schools’ Aide

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School teacher aides of the 1970s, Joan Blake (far right).
Photo/screenshot of RFH yearbook

When you’ve grown up in a small town, your memories often revolve around the comforting kind of feeling that anyone else’s mother, no matter their child-rearing differences or life circumstances, is a surrogate of your very own. That’s just how it is. The neighborhood concept.

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Focus: Rich Chandler’s Fair Haven Goodbye

The picture of his childhood friend caught his eye. Among the cozy chatter of old friends and family, he left the conversation at the table staring, transfixed for a brief moment. The sudden silence in his own head overcame him, welled up a bit in his eyes as he moved toward the picture of his old friend that seemed to call to him.

Continue reading Focus: Rich Chandler’s Fair Haven Goodbye

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