Category Archives: Local Life

A look, in photos, of latest area events, local everyday people and places.

Local Life, News

Joaquin Watch: Retro R-FH Area Post-Sandy

With Joaquin winding its way northeast, Rumson-Fair Haven area residents are hoping it the predicted path will stay on course and not become reminiscent of Hurricane Sandy’s wrath.

Despite the lack of similarities in storms, officials area urging preparedness with a since-Sandy “better-be-safe-than-sorry” mindset.

So, as a reminder that we made it through the worst in a storm, Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect is taking a look back at the post-Sandy scene in Rumson, Fair Haven and Sea Bright.

For the latest from the National Weather Service, click here.

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life

Hail to the Fair Haven Chief on Retirement Eve

You could say that Fair Haven Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge’s days are numbered.

That’s because the chief’s last day of work is Wednesday.

At the end of the day, the Fair Haven native is hanging up his police chief’s hat and walking out of the office he first walked into decades ago as a kindergartener in the borough and years later set up office as a cop.

While he’s been mum on in what direction post-Fair Haven police retirement take him, Breckenridge looked back in a recent interview with much love for and pride in his work and community.

So, in honor of the chief’s last day, we take a look back at some moments in his career.

Best of luck, Chief!

Effective Oct. 1, Fair Haven Police Captain Joseph McGovern will become acting chief/captain.

For information on Darryl Breckenridge’s retirement dinner in October, click here.

Local Life

UPDATE: Holding Off on Gearing Up for Fair Haven Oktoberfest

UPDATE: Don’t get your lederhosen on just yet. Despite the rain-or-shine, move-forward original declaration, the event, due to uncertain Joaquin storm repercussions, Fair Haven Oktoberfest has been postponed, according to Councilwoman Susan Sorensen. 

Sorensen advised on the Fair Haven Facebook page that people should check the page for updates and a new date. 

Stay tuned.

Original story, posted on Sept. 29 …

Hoist up your lederhosen and grab your beer stein. It’s that time of the year again in Fair Haven — Oktoberfest time.

For the fourth year, The Foundation of Fair Haven (a 501C3 non-profit group) is sponsoring the fundraiser on Saturday from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Smart Start Preschool and adjacent River Road municipal lot.

The proceeds of the adults-only event will benefit special community events, such as Fair Haven Day, some   borough capital improvements and other amenities.

“A very dedicated committee has been hard at work for many months and excited that the Fair Haven Oktoberfest has now become a fun outdoor fall tradition celebrating the Borough of Fair Haven,” Fair Haven Borough Councilwoman Susan Sorensen, also president of The Foundation, said. “We hope that the residents come out and support this event. We have some community restaurants providing authentic Oktoberfest food, a great local band, RipTide, providing music and, back by popular demand, the Pong Tournament.”

This year’s Oktoberfest will feature RipTide, traditional Oktoberfest food from local eateries, games, seasonal beer and sangria.

The cost for admission is $25 and includes the food and entertainment. The beer and sangria are to be purchased separately as is inclusion in games.

Tickets are available at Fair Haven Borough Hall or by contacting Sorensen at [email protected] or via Facebook or blasts with a link.

Fair Haven Oktoberfest is a rain-or-shine event.

Local Life

Retro ‘Register’ School Tech Daze in Rumson

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The Tandy and gifted and talented Rumson students Photo/Red Bank Register archives
The Tandy and gifted and talented Rumson students
Photo/Red Bank Register archives

Apparently, it was considered a gifted and talented trait in the early 1980s to be well-versed in the operation of a Tandy computer — or whatever you want to call it.

This Red Bank Register photo went unpublished in March of 1982.

It shows Rumson students, clad in the oh, so traditional preppie fair isle sweaters and turtle necks, gathering around the ol’ Tandy in this promo for a “conference on gifted students for elementary school teachers and administrators to be held at Brookdale Community College on March 26,” a photo caption in the archives of the 2011 Monmouth County Library exhibit entitled Red Bank Register: 40 Photographs, 1976-1985 said. “The Model 3, released in July 1980 and sold at Radio Shack, featured a 2.03 MHz processor; it predated by more than a year the first IBM PC, introduced in August 1981.”

So, the Retro Pic of the Day takes us back to that March 13, 1982 with a copy of an unpublished Register photo of that day.

The exhibit featured the work of several Register photographers. The photos came from years’ worth of preservation of negatives from the work of Carl Andrews, James J. Connolly, Carl Forino, Dave Kingdon, Don Lordi and Larry Perna.

While the records did not indicate which photographer took the RFH shot, it’s a classic, so we’re sharing it in our look back for the day.

So, have you ever worked on a Tandy? What about a word processor? Recognize anyone?

Local Life

Fair Haven Super Moon Gazing

Video

It was a lot of things — the full moon on Sunday was a harvest moon, a super moon, a blood moon and, yes, it was a moon in full eclipse mode to boot.

Skies were a bit hazy, but, post-eclipse, the moon managed to peek through and cast an irdescent glow.

Fans of the movie Moonstruck might simply call it “la bella luna.” Bella. Take a look.

Don’t forget to click on the lower right icon to enlarge!

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life

Retro Yogi Berra in the Area

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Ball players Bill Skowron and Yogi Berra show for dedication of lights at a field in Middletown in 1962 Photo/screenshot of Red Bank Register archives
Ball players Bill Skowron and Yogi Berra show for dedication of lights at a field in Middletown in 1962
Photo/screenshot of Red Bank Register archives

Since the announcement of New York Yankees icon Yogi Berra, it’s been all about Yogi. And, why not?

The athlete who had that special penchant for those kooky quotes dubbed Yogisms, such as “It ain’t over ’til it’s over” and “When you come to a fork in the road, take it,” died on Sept. 22 at the age of 90.

Continue reading Retro Yogi Berra in the Area →

Local Life, Opinion

Retro Stand for Skateboarding

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Skateboarding in the late 1970s in Rumson Photo/George Day
Skateboarding in the late 1970s in Rumson
Photo/George Day

There has long been a debate in the Rumson-Fair Haven area about the merits and menaces inherent in skateboarding as a sport.

In the late 1990s and 2000, a contingent of parents and teens rallied for a skate park in Fair Haven. And there was also a group as enthusiastically opposed as supporters were supportive.

Continue reading Retro Stand for Skateboarding →

Local Life

Sunday Water Sporting Off The Hook

The sun was out on Sunday and so were water sports enthusiasts.

It was day for windsurfing, paddle boarding and some local summer sunning and lounging on the bay side of Sandy Hook.

Kayak rentals and windsurfing lessons were in full swing.

Take a look to get a glimpse into the day and mood. Enjoy!

And don’t forget to click the lower right icon on the slideshow to enlarge.

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life, News

Time for Holy Cross Dedication

Here’s the new Holy Cross Church, here’s the steeple. Pretty soon the doors will be open and there will be people, as a Rumson twist on the classic rhyme goes.

If you drive by the revamped Holy Cross Church in Rumson, you’ll see that it’s ready for parishioners.

However, as Catholic church discipline dictates, there must first be a dedication before a Mass is celebrated in a new or rehabilitated house of worship.

That dedication will take place on Saturday at 4 p.m. A reception will follow in the gym of the school on the campus.

Read more about the church’s revamp and see old photos by clicking here. (For history, click on each of the links.)

For more about the dedication tradition, click here.

— Elaine Van Develde/photos and story

Local Life, Opinion

Retro ‘Register’ RFH Walkout Moment

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RFH students staged a walkout in 1979 protesting three teachers' terminations. Photo/screenshot of Red Bank Register negative archives, Monmouth County Library exhibit
RFH students staged a walkout in 1979 protesting three teachers’ terminations.
Photo/screenshot of Red Bank Register negative archives, Monmouth County Library exhibit

Fall is here and school is in full swing.

At Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School students are back in class, in the halls, in the cafeteria, in study hall … somewhere in that building on Ridge Road with the tower.

You get the drift.

However, on March 13, 1979, they were outside — in force.

They had staged a walkout “in protest of the Board of Education’s decision to terminate three teachers in order to stay within its state-mandated spending limit,” according to the archives of the Red Bank Register. 

So, the Retro Pic of the Day takes us back to that day with a photo of an unpublished Register photo of that day that appeared in the 2011 Monmouth County Library exhibit entitled Red Bank Register: 40 Photographs, 1976-1985.

The exhibit featured the work of several Register photographers. The photos came from years’ worth of preservation of negatives from the work of Carl Andrews, James J. Connolly, Carl Forino, Dave Kingdon, Don Lordi and Larry Perna.

While the records did not indicate which photographer took the RFH shot, it’s a classic, so we’re sharing it in our look back for the day. Carl Andrews was a Rumson resident. Though it’s not clear if he took the photo.

While I was in my first year of college when the photo was taken, I do recall hearing about this walkout. RFH students were always very proactive with school politics.

“The students, who said the Board‘s decision showed ‘callousness and disdain for teachers as individuals,’ argued that the school should have waited for older teachers to retire instead of firing younger ones with less seniority,” the photo description for the exhibit said. “Tora Doremus, Board president, stated that the quality of education at Rumson-Fair Haven would be maintained and that ‘I don‘t think this walkout served the students‘ purpose.’ More than 300 students participated in the demonstration on Friday morning, March 13, 1979.”

Hey, I think that’s Erin Bell, daughter of RFH English teacher Marilyn Bell, right in the front.

The Red Bank Register Negative Collection is in the Monmouth County Archives and the exhibit featuring the 40 photos was at Monmouth County Library Headquarters in Manalapan in October of 2011.