All posts by Elaine Van Develde

Focus: Gone Fishing in Fall

It’s not a typical time of the year for fishing off the end of the Fair Haven Dock. Yet, Wednesday wasn’t a typical fall day, either.

Call it nature’s little overpour of summer. And no one was in a hurry to clean up the spill into the cooler season. The sun was bright, the leaves were turning and falling, and the Navesink River was beckoning the warmth and reflection of the sun and the solace of some lone fishing.

Take a look … (and click to enlarge!)

— Elaine Van Develde

Prosecutor: Criminal Justice Reform Statistical Update

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office has compiled statistics for the first nine months of the 2017 calendar year relating to the Bail Reform and Speedy Trial Act that went into effect at the start of 2017.

Continue reading Prosecutor: Criminal Justice Reform Statistical Update

Fair Haven: Sickles Students Pose for Peace

Students in first through third grade at Viola L. Sickles School in Fair Haven poised themselves with a pose for peace in honor of World Peace Day recently. Continue reading Fair Haven: Sickles Students Pose for Peace

Memorial Services Set for Lifetime Fair Havenite John R. Choma Jr., 35

John R. Choma, Jr.
Photo/courtesy of Thompson Memorial Home

Lifetime Fair Havenite John R. Choma Jr. passed away on Sept. 28; and memorial services begin today, Sunday. He was 35.

Born to John R. Choma Sr. and Lorraine K. Choma, John was a lifelong resident of Fair Haven.  He was employed by the maintenance department of the Middletown Township Board of Education.

John is predeceased by: his grandparents John Choma, Leslie Peter Stout Sr., and Kathleen Stout, and his step-grandmother, Georgia Stout.  Continue reading Memorial Services Set for Lifetime Fair Havenite John R. Choma Jr., 35

Prosecutor: Former Cop, Gang Members Found Guilty After Major Racketeering, Drug, Weapons Bust

A jury returned guilty verdicts on Wednesday on most of the charges that a former Asbury Park police officer and a pair of criminal street gang members were facing during a trial of what was dubbed Operation Dead End that began in May, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced on Thursday.

Continue reading Prosecutor: Former Cop, Gang Members Found Guilty After Major Racketeering, Drug, Weapons Bust

Fair Haven’s New Tennis Courts Unveiled

New tennis courts in Fair Haven Fields
Photo/Fair Haven Borough

The Borough of Fair Haven, in collaboration with Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Board of Education, has unveiled the new tennis courts at Fair Haven Fields.

Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony today, the Shore Conference Tennis Tournament, between the RFH Girls Tennis Team and Mater Dei broke in the brand new courts.

The tennis courts project background, from Fair Haven borough …

This construction project represents a significant capital investment in new and expanded tennis facilities at Fair Haven Fields, Ridge Road in Fair Haven. The project is unique in that five new tennis courts were jointly funded by the two separate public entities, through an interlocal agreement between the borough and the RFH Board of Education. The interlocal agreement was deemed one that would pare down costs significantly.

In 2016, the Borough’s four existing tennis courts, which were located in Fair Haven Fields, were old, crack- ridden and needed to be completely replaced.

At the same time, the RFH tennis courts were also in need of extensive repairs and that facility was unable to accommodate a high school tennis match in one location. Additionally, the regional high school was in need of more recreational space on their campus, which could be achieved by relocating their tennis court facilities.

With the support of the Fair Haven Borough Council and the RFH board, Fair Haven Borough Administrator Theresa Casagrande and RFH Business Administrator Frank Gripp pooled professional resources for both the interlocal agreement and construction and restoration plans for the courts and site.

Here’s how it works …

The borough and the board will split the total cost of the entire project. The interlocal agreement includes provisions for future court maintenance.

The joint project will provide the public and Fair Haven schools’ and RFH’s students with a new tennis facility for many years to come.

Sharing facilities and splitting the associated construction costs for these new courts enabled each public entity to save a significant amount of money, on behalf of the tax payers of both Rumson and Fair Haven.

The new courts will be home to the RFH Girls Tennis Team in the fall season and the Fair Haven Knollwood School and RFH Boys tennis team in the spring season.

Aside from limited school team use and borough-approved camps, etc., the courts will be open to the public. Two of the new courts have also been painted for pickle ball, a fast-growing, popular sport for active adults.

Bikes, skateboards, rollerblades, etc. are not permitted on the new courts, as they will diminish their condition.

— Press release from Fair Haven Borough