All posts by Elaine Van Develde

Local Life, News

Rumson Mayor Inducted into Hall of Fame

As a testament to his decades-long service to the borough, Rumson Mayor John E. Ekdahl has been inducted into the Elected Officials Hall of Fame.

The honor was bestowed upon him recently by the New Jersey State League of Municipalities during the 24th Annual Mayors Legislative Day on Feb. 24 at the State House Annex in Trenton.

“The Elected Officials Hall of Fame recognizes these officials who have selflessly guided their communities through the good times and difficult times, often with little recognition of their public service,” State League of Municipalities President Joseph Tempesta, Jr., also mayor of West Caldwell Township, said. “This small token of appreciation focuses a light on their sacrifices over lengthy tenures, demonstrating how much they care and serving as excellent examples of civic pride for all citizens to emulate.”

The honor is reserved for local municipal governing body members who, as of December 2015, served for more than 20 years in elected municipal office. And that length of public service for Ekdahl has been nearly double that — or roughly 38 years.

Mayor Ekdahl began his formal service on the borough’s Zoning Board of Adjustment in 1978, serving as its chairman from 1991-95. He was elected to the Rumson Borough Council in November of 1996 and was appointed mayor in 2004 when Mayor Charles S. Callman stepped down. Since then, he has been re-elected three times. His current term ends on December 31, 2019.

There are currently 566 inductees in the Elected Officials Hall of Fame.

Congratulations, Mayor Ekdahl! And thank you for your service!

Rumson Police and Fire Files

Rumson Police: Meet IRS Phone Scams with a Hang-Up


 

It’s tax season. Did you know that “Americans have lost more than $23 million by giving information” over the telephone to fraudsters posing as IRS agents?

Well, they have, according to U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General Timothy Camus. And the problem is a pervasive one that has hit the Rumson-Fair Haven area, according to Rumson police in an advisory Facebook post.

In light of the season and a few reports of such attempted scamming in Rumson, police are advising people to be on the alert for these IRS phone scammers.

Three Rumson residents reported getting scam calls from people posing as IRS agents and delving into their personal information to perpetuate fraud.

So, Rumson police shared the above video from Camus to offer tips on how to recognize a fraudster and deal with him or her.

These fraudsters tend to be very aggressive in trying to obtain personal information to bilk people of personal funds and access their bank/credit accounts and other material assets, according to Camus.

The IRS, he says, will always make first make initial contact via mail (paper), never telephone. The scammers have a habit of being extremely aggressive and may even threaten police action or deportation, according to Camus. The IRS will not threaten force, he said.

Just hang up, Camus advised.

Local Life

Retro RFH Ski Club Guys & Gals

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RFH Ski Club of the 1970s with club director Hal Lorme on the slopes. Photo/RFH yearbook
RFH Ski Club of the 1970s with club director Hal Lorme on the slopes.
Photo/RFH yearbook

With all the recent talk about skiing champ and RFH senior Alex Perkins claiming the gold at the 2016 NASTAR Eastern Regional Championship for the second consecutive year and heading to compete in the national NASTAR championship round this month, visions of the old RFH Ski Club were conjured up.

Yes, there was an RFH Ski Club, now a Jurassic memory. While there weren’t too many people in the club, it existed. It’s members took trips and, well, skied the winters away in between mods (remember them?) and studies at RFH — sort of.

And the RFH Ski Club was headed by the beloved RFH coach, gym teacher and RFH Athletic and Jersey Shore Sports Hall of Fame inductee Hal Lorme, who passed away just over a year ago.

So, the Retro Pic(s) of the Day honors Lorme and those renegade conquerers of the slopes.

The guys in the top featured shot all still live in the Rumson-Fair Haven area. One is a Rumson dad and couple of the others are well-known businessmen. One actually handled memorial services for Lorme last year.

RIP, Hal Lorme. You are remembered.

Recognize any of these preppy ski attire-donning ladies and dudes?

 

Arts & Entertainment, Schools Scene

RFH Drama Students Set to Perform at NYU Forum on Educational Theater

The Bystander: A Portrait of Apathy, a proposal submitted by Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) English teacher Suzanne Sweeney, has been accepted by the New York University Forum on Educational Theatre (FOET).

Continue reading RFH Drama Students Set to Perform at NYU Forum on Educational Theater →

Local Life

Retro RFH Family Showfolk Affair

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By Elaine Van Develde

When it comes to show biz, sometimes in the RFH area, sometimes it’s a family affair. Sometimes it just is.

Sometimes people just catch the bug at an early age. Sometimes it happens in high school or even a little later. Then it spreads rampantly — through the family.

Continue reading Retro RFH Family Showfolk Affair →

Local Life

Focus: RFH Grads Shoot Hoops & Raise Funds for a Good Cause

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Some Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) grads took to the basketball courts at Knollwood and Sickles schools in Fair Haven recently to shoot hoops for a good cause.

The cause: Covenant House, a non- profit organization which provides much needed services for at-risk and homeless youth in America and abroad. The organization helps roughly 50,000 young people a year.

The fundraiser, which brought in $4,000 for the cause, was dubbed The 1st Annual Fair Haven Covenant House 3v3 Basketball Tournament and it took place at Knollwood and Sickles schools on Feb. 22.

There were a total of 24 teams and 95 players, many of whom were RFH grads. RFH classes 2003-12 were represented and players ranged in age from 22 to 60.

The tournament was run by Fair Haven natives D.J. Breckenridge, Jim Laufer, Ben Miller, Dan Miller,Will Miller, and Dan Ryan, who will all be participating in The Covenant House Young Professionals Sleep Out coming up on March 18.

At this coming event, more than 300 young professionals will sleep out on the streets of NYC in an effort to raise funds and awareness of youth homelessness. The Sleep Out is expected to raise more than $300,000.

Locally, there are Covenant House branches in Asbury Park, Atlantic City, Newark, Philadelphia and NYC. Covenant House President Kevin Ryan, also a Fair Haven resident, made a surprise appearance at the Feb. 22 fundraiser.

Take a look at the above slideshow for a glimpse into the event. 

For more information on Covenant House, click here.

— Photos and information, courtesy of D.J. Breckenridge

Arts & Entertainment, Schools Scene

Bonnie and Clyde Come to RFH

The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Tower Players are setting the stage for a production of the Tony-nominated musical Bonnie and Clyde.

The show will start with opening night on Friday, March 18 with a 7:30 p.m. curtain and a show on Saturday at the same time and close with a 1 p.m. Sunday matinee on March 20.

Bonnie and Clyde, musical by Frank Wildhorn, of Jekyll and Hyde, Civil War and Dracula fame, is based on the real-life adventures of starry-eyed Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and the outlaw Clyde Chestnut Barrow, who embarked on a crime spree across the United States at the height of the Great Depression.

Bonnie wants to escape from her west-Texas town and become a movie star. Clyde has just broken out of prison with his brother Buck. When they meet, their mutual cravings for excitement and fame set them on a mission to chase their dreams.

Teaming up with Buck and his wife Blanche, they commit a string of robberies and become American folk heroes as well as law enforcement’s worst nightmare. Forced to remain on the run, the lovers resort to increasingly brutal crimes. But as their fame grows and the body count rises, the end draws near for the ill-fated duo.

Bonnie and Clyde features a non-traditional score combining blues, gospel, and rockabilly music. The RFH production will showcase a cast of 45.

The RFH production stars Eli Rallo as Bonnie Parker, Matt Hughes as Clyde Barrow, Kate Sustick as Blanche Barrow, and Liam Hughes as Buck Barrow.

Suzanne Sweeney is director, with Kasi Ann Sweeney as assistant director. RFH Dance Team Coach Jen Costa is choreographer. Amy Fredericks, musical director for the Count Basie Awards, will be conducting the pit orchestra and overseeing vocal performances as the production’s musical director.

Costumes and props are under the direction of Carole Malick, and Matthew Leddin is overseeing the tech crew of 50 students providing set construction, sounds, and lighting.

Refreshments and a Texas-style feast, including chili and cornbread, will be available for purchase at the café in the RFH gymnasium before each performance and during intermissions.

Ticket prices are: $10 for general admission and $6 for students and seniors. RFH students with SGA cards will be admitted free.

To purchase tickets online, visit the RFH web site (rumsonfairhaven.org) and click on “Bonnie and Clyde.”

For more information including group discounts, contact Play Production Coordinator Stefania Flecca, [email protected].

The Box Office will be open for ticket purchases an hour before each performance.

Over the years the Tower Players have received numerous awards for acting, directing, choreography, costumes, set design and lighting, and overall outstanding production.