All posts by Elaine Van Develde

Retro Rumson Cheers from Frank’s

Cheers to Friday, a Rumson icon and his iconic River Road spot!

That would be Tony Mellaci and his father’s bar, Frank’s. The door was always open at the place, welcoming Rumson friends for a cold one, a Mellaci sausage sandwich, a little camaraderie and good conversation among locals. The senior Mellaci, Frank, owned it and ran it with his son, Tony. The proprietors, they were.

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Prosecutor: Former Area Cop Pleads Guilty to Endangerment, Sexually Explicit Criminal Computer Activity Involving Two Teen Girls

A former area police officer has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from engaging in criminal activities involving the sexual exploitation and endangerment of two teenage girls, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Thursday.  

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Getting the Clear Retro RFH Graduation Picture

Sometimes those ’70s RFH graduation memories are not all a blur. They’re crystal clear. In focus. Like this Pomp and Circumstance walk snapshot back in time. It’s been almost a week since the RFH Class of 2026 did their graduation walk. So, we’re taking you back to a walk of the dinosaur kind — that of the RFH Class of ’78.

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Retro RFH ’60s Daisy Chain Gang

RFH Class of 1965 graduation Daisy Chain
Photo/courtesy of Kim Christman

In honor of RFH graduation … Reprise of a classic originally posted in June of 2022 …

That’s the sight of the girls working on the Daisy Chain gang! When it comes to RFH graduation traditions gone, the Daisy Chain is a classic, well-remembered one. So are the links in the chain — the girls, not so much the flowers.

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Prosecutor: 21-Year-Old Area Man Charged with Attempted Murder in Monday Shooting

A 21-year-old area man has been charged with attempted murder and related weapons offenses in connection with a Monday shooting, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Tuesday.

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Prosecutor: Area Little League Prez Charged with Stealing more than $73K from League

An area little league president has been charged with pilfering more than $73,000 from the organization over the course of roughly three years, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Friday.

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Retro RFH Graduation: The Daisy Chain Girl

RFH 1978 graduation in front of the high school, replete with daisy chain
Photo/Daryl Cooper Ley

The following was originally posted in May of 2017. It is being re-run in honor of graduation, time honored traditions of the past, and this RFH Daisy Chain girl of ’78, who passed away in February of 2018 — Daryl Cooper Ley.

In high school social circles, it was considered a popularity status symbol to be chosen for the chain. Daryl wasn’t all too thrilled about it at the time. It had confirmed what only her closest friends knew — that she was cool. It was often repeated to her. “I didn’t think so,” was always her answer. Sorry, Dar. We win. Got the last word. You were. RIP, Dar. You are remembered … in our hearts, souls and print, like it or not! Love you forever more. Oh, she would kill me

It was considered a privilege and honor. They were chosen from the junior class at RFH to serve as the debutante-like ushers for the graduating class. All dressed in white and supposedly gracefully toting a chain of daisies, the Daisy Chain girls were a fixture of high school finery at graduations in the 1970s.

The origins of the somewhat upper-crust tradition date back to the 1900s, but this Retro Pic of the Day was snapped in 1978.

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