Police and Fire, Rumson Police and Fire Files

Rumson Police Report Theft, Vandalism, Fraud

August 6, 2015 Elaine Van Develde Leave a comment

Rumson police reported the following criminal incidents for the month of July:

• Sgt. Ronald Vilardi on July 9 took a report of the theft of an I-pod valued at $199, from an East River Road resident.

• Special Officer Shannon McCurdy on July 10 took a report of vandalism to a vehicle in the area of Blackpoint Road and Rosalie Avenue. The complainant advised that the the rear window of his vehicle had been broken overnight.

• Sgt. Peter Koenig on July 16 took a report of a fraudulent tax return filed to the IRS using the personal information of a Bruce Place resident. The incident will be forwarded to the IRS fraud department.

• Patrolman Richard Torres on July 29 took a report of the theft of a set of golf clubs from the front of an Island Road home. Total loss approximately $1,500.

• Patrolman Richard Torres on July 31 took a report of vandalism to numerous mailboxes on Warren Street.

• Special Officer Michael Berger on July 31 took a report for a theft from a parked vehicle in the area of 41 Bellevue Avenue. The victim advised that his wallet and briefcase were taken from his unlocked vehicle. Subsequent use of the victim’s credit cards in Irvington were referred to the detective bureau.

Local Life, Opinion

A Retro Happy Birthday to Lucille Ball

Image August 6, 2015 Elaine Van Develde Leave a comment

Actor, writer, producer, director Billy Van Zandt with Lucille Ball Photo/courtesy of Billy Van Zandt — Actor, writer, producer, director Billy Van Zandt with Lucille Ball
Photo/courtesy of Billy Van Zandt

Everyone loves Lucy … well, a lot of people do — like this editor who shares the same birthday!

Yes, today is Lucille Ball’s birthday. She would have been 104!

And there’s one area guy, who got a jump start on his long successful writing, producing, directing and acting career at Rumson’s Barn Theater, among other very familiar classic community and professional spots in the area.

That guy is Billy Van Zandt. And the great comedic love and inspiration of his live, besides his lovely wife, actress Adrienne Barbeau, is Lucille Ball.

To know Billy or to have heard him tell tales of his life is to know that he doesn’t just love Lucy, but he adores her.

The writer (along with partner Jane Milmore) of and actor in many a successful stage farce and TV sitcom (movies and more) has always credited Lucy as his top comedic inspiration.

And, lucky and talented as Billy is, he had the honor of not only meeting Lucy, but producing a TV special all about Lucy entitled Lucy: The Very First Show for which he was nominated for an Emmy. He also had his dream come true when he acted alongside his comedic heroine in her final TV series.

Billy will tell you that he was scared to death to meet her for fear that his comedic goddess-like vision of who she was might be shattered. The opposite happened. He felt they were kindred comedic spirits and he was awestruck with her personality, professionalism and, well, comedic genius. He loved Lucy, to say the least, and remained friendly with her until the time of her death.

He said, though, the comedy queen did rule with a worthy, spiky scepter and was “tough, scary tough. She liked to rehearse a lot, work with her props a lot … and if you didn’t do things the way she wanted them done, it got ugly.”

He has joked about how Lucy even chided Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, working them to death. He has told the story of how Burton asked, “Who does she think she is?” and Taylor replied something like, “She’s the queen of comedy, dear … do it again.”

And we know Billy would! So would I, for that matter!

Bravo, Billy! Happy Birthday, Lucy! And, well, Happy Birthday to me, who also loves Lucy and wants to grow up to be just like her, too! Whaaaaaa!

Thanks to Billy Van Zandt for sharing this classic photo with us!

Oh, and, yes, Billy is the brother of rocker Stevie Van Zandt.

Police and Fire, Rumson Police and Fire Files

Rumson Police Report Party Arrests, Theft by Deception, Disorderly, Marijuana Possession, DUI

August 6, 2015 Elaine Van Develde Leave a comment

The following arrests were made and reported in the month of July by Rumson police. An arrest does not constitute a conviction.

• Patrolman Anthony Ciambrone on July 1 arrested Sayyied Rida, 36, of Red Bank, on a warrant issued by Detective Christopher Isherwood for theft by deception with a loss of $2,140.

Rida was released on bail of $2500 with a 10 percent option, set by Judge Richard Thompson.

• Sgt. Ronald Vilardi on July 3 arrested Michelle Waldron, 39, of Fair Haven on a contempt of court charge.

Waldron was released after posting $1000 bail, set by the Fair Haven Municipal Court.

• Patrolman Daniel Campanella and Special Officer Michael Berger arrested two juveniles on July 4 in the area of Blackpoint Road and Navesink Avenue and charged them with disorderly conduct and maintaining a nuisance, after observing approximately 100 juveniles leaving a party.

The matters were referred to the juvenile division.

• Capt. Jeff Nixon arrested Michael Gambino, 32, of Highlands on July 6 on two contempt of court warrants out of Little Silver ($216) and Tinton Falls ($751).

Gambino was released after posting full bail.

• Special Officer Grace Maggiulli arrested a male juvenile on July 9 in the area of Ridge Road and Center Street and charged him with disorderly conduct and minor in possession of alcohol.

The subject was released to a parent and referred to the juvenile division.

• Patrolman Anthony Ciambrone arrested Connor Carroll, 19, of Tappan NY on July 11 in the area of North Ward Avenue and charged him with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana and disorderly conduct.

Carroll was released pending court.

• Special Officer Michael Berger arrested Jose Valentin III, 31, of Egg Harbor City on July 13 in the area of 22 West River Road for the theft of approximately $12,895 from his employer.

Valentin was released after posting $25,000 bail set by Judge Alfred D’Auria.

• Patrolman Anthony Ciambrone and Detective Christopher Isherwood arrested Phillip Sturner, 30, of Rumson, and Christopher Sutphen, 19, of Monmouth Beach, on July 17 and charged them with robbery, simple assault and theft of services.

Sturner was transported to MCCI in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Sutphen was transported to MCCI in lieu of $50,000 bail.

• Patrolman Daniel Campanella and Detective Christopher Isherwood arrested Phillip Sturner, 30, of Rumson, on July 17 and charged him with aggravated assault, simple assault, and false imprisonment stemming from an investigation of two assaults that took place at an East River Road home on July 5.

Sturner was transported to MCCI in lieu of $50,000 bail, set by Judge Honora Kilgallen J.S.C.

• Patrolman Cody Lovgren arrested Paul Seyffart Jr., 20, of South Plainfield, on July 19 and charged him with driving under the influence (DUI) after he struck a parked vehicle on Maplewood Avenue.

Seyffart was released pending court.

Middletown Police & Fire Files

Police Arrest Several Locals on Contempt Charges

August 6, 2015 Elaine Van Develde Leave a comment

The following recent arrests on contempt of court charges were made and reported by Middletown police:

• James Rice, 25, of Creek Road in Hazlet, was arrested on July 27 by Patrolman Christopher Menendez on a contempt of court warrant issued by the Belmar Municipal Court.

He was released after posting $500 bail.

• John Balzer, 27, of Cherry Tree Lane in Middletown, was arrested on July 29 by Detective First Class Daniel Sullivan on a contempt of court warrant issued by the Keyport Municipal Court.

He was released after posting $250 bail.

• Curtis Jones, 47, of Roosevelt Avenue in Carteret, was arrested on July 28 by Patrolman John Soltysik on a contempt of court warrant issued by the Middletown Municipal Court.

He was held on $1,000 bail.

• Ashley Mowery, 26, of Applegate Street in Red Bank, was arrested on July 29 by Lieutenant Michael Kenney on a contempt of court warrant issued by the Middletown Municipal Court.

She was released after posting $500 bail.

• Carlos Maxime, 36, of Hancock Street in Keansburg, was arrested on July 31 by Patrolman Savvas Roumeliotis on a contempt of court warrant issued by the Middletown Municipal Court.

He was released after posting $500 bail.

• Diana Roth, 20, of Lorillard Avenue in Union Beach, was arrested on Aug. 2 by Patrolman Thomas Foster on contempt of court warrants issued by the Middletown and Keansburg municipal courts.

She was held on $1,540 bail.

• Walter Finley, 25, of Cliffwood Avenue in Cliffwood, was arrested on Aug. 2 by Patrolman Nicholas Haines on a contempt of court warrant issued by the Borden Municipal Court.

He was released after posting $500 bail.

• Chad Hacker, 41, of Day Avenue in Middletown, was arrested on Aug. 3 by Patrolman Michael Heaton on a contempt of court warrant issued by the Howell Municipal Court.

He was released after posting $750 bail.

* Arrests with bail of less than $250 were not included.