Category Archives: Local Life

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

Reflecting on the Warmth of Sea Bright Beach and a Buddy

Best buds beaching it in Sea Bright. Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Best buds beaching it in Sea Bright.
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

That deep chill is still in the air and many minds are on warmth — like the toasty feeling you get when hitting the beach for some sun drenching and catching up with a buddy.

Our Retro Pic of the Day today is dedicated to soaking up that kind of sunny memory.

At the beginning of fall, Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect caught a moment between pals on the Sea Bright Public Beach.

Take a moment to remember such a snapshot in time of your own. And remember that the warmth will return.

Stay warm!

Marching Back to an Old Fashioned Halftime

The RFH Marching Band in 1976. Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot
The RFH Marching Band in 1976.
Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot

With all the post-Superbowl talk about the grandiose pop star-studded halftime, we figured our Retro Pic of the Day should be an ode to simpler, well, high school halftimes.

So, that in mind, our featured photo is of the 1976 RFH Marching Band.

No, there were no myriad costume changes, acrobatics, flying people or gigantic glass tigers (that was a tiger, right?) toting pop star Katy Perry, but these guys had a following of their own and their time to shine on the field.

We won’t editorialize on the Katy Perry popularity contest.

Now, who do you recognize in this RFH photo?

Looking Back at Oktoberfest with Tiki in Mind

Former Fair Haven Mayor Michael Halfacre sells 50/50s at Oktoberfest 2014. Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Former Fair Haven Mayor Michael Halfacre sells 50/50s at Oktoberfest 2014.
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

Our Retro Pic of the Day takes us back to a former mayor and Fair Haven Day fundraiser — Michael Halfacre at Oktoberfest 2014.

Oktoberfest is a relatively new annual event in the borough. It took hold in 2012 when officials decided that people enjoyed the centennial Fair Haven Day celebration so much that they’d have one every year in June.

The Foundation of Fair Haven, a (501c3) non-profit organization, was created to raise funds to offset the cost of the day, pay for fireworks, music and keep the food and drink prices low.

Since Oktoberfest has been such a hit, The Foundation of Fair Haven has decided to organize a luau dubbed Tiki Haven that’s slated for Feb. 28.

 

Snowfall Scene at Nightfall

By Elaine Van Develde

All was calm in the Rumson-Fair Haven area after the blizzard hysteria settled into nightfall after a manageable snow storm.

People shoveled, walked dogs, sledded down streets and a colorful sunset set in down by the Navesink River.

Life is good and all is well in the R-FH area.

See for yourself.

Click on the arrow in the center of the slideshow above and click on the bottom right corner for a glimpse into the scene set to music. Enjoy!

The Next Generation of Snow Angels in Fair Haven

 

By Elaine Van Develde

No sooner did the snow start to steadily fall in Fair Haven than some neighbor kids hit the sidewalks in front of their houses equipped with colorful shovels great attitudes.

The gaggle of good little guys and girls got some quality romping and “work” in before it all got too tough to handle.

Between the snowmen, snow piles and festive shovels and grins, it was evident they were next in line for snow angel duty.

Referred to by many residents as snow angels, there is a group of teens in the area who sign up to clear driveways, sidewalks and steps for senior citizens and those with disabilities in town.

Watch out for this group!

Click on any image to enlarge to full size and hit next or previous image for the rest. 

Here Comes the Snow!

By Elaine Van Develde

As the weather outside in the Rumson-Fair Haven area started getting frightful, the view from the banks of the Navesink River was one filled with choppy waters and a blustery dusting of snow.

It all started Monday morning. As forecasts continue to promise piles of the white stuff, it was still stable enough to get out and capture a bit of the clam before the blizzard in the afternoon.

Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect hit the docks in Fair Haven and Rumson so people could get the picture.

Take a look at the photos above to get a glimpse into the beginning of the 2015 blizzard. Just click on any image to enlarge, and scroll.

Rumson on Blizzard Prep

 

With the predicted blizzard headed the Rumson way, officials are offering advisories on the borough’s website:

• Borough parks will close at dusk;

• There will be no Tuesday garbage collection;

• and Forrestdale, Deane Porter and Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School will be closed on Tuesday.

Residents are also advised, according to a post by Councilman Ben Day, that there will be “NO overnight parking on Borough streets or Borough Parking Lots to allow for DPW Crews to clear. Cars left there will be towed.”

Mayor: Fair Haven is Blizzard-Ready

By Elaine Van Develde

“Fair Haven is ready,” Mayor Ben Lucarelli said of the impending blizzard on Monday afternoon.

There was a meeting of all major departments (police, emergency management and public works) at noon, he said, and all equipment is fueled up and ready to go, staff is on alert and well-rested, and supplies have been loaded.

Aside from the postponement of tonight’s Borough Council meeting to Thursday at 7 p.m., the mayor asked that “people please keep sidewalks clear and hydrants free of snow (3 feet in each direction with a path out to the street.”

Fair Haven’s two schools, Knollwood and Sickles, are both closed on Tuesday, according to the district website. There will be a delayed opening on Wednesday, Superintendent Nelson Ribon said in a post on the site.

The bulletin that was emailed to residents who have signed up for borough alerts and posted on the Fair Haven Facebook page is as follows:

“Tonight’s Council meeting is cancelled and has been rescheduled for Thursday, January 29, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.

“Historic Commission meeting has been cancelled for Tuesday, January 27, 2015. Historic Commission will meet again at their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.

“Zones 3 & 4 trash service for Tuesday has been suspended. Trash pickup for Zones 3 & 4 will resume Friday, January 30, 2015.
Recycling for all zones has been suspended for Wednesday, January 28, 2015. Recycling will resume next Wednesday, February 4, 2015.
Borough Hall most likely will be closed Tuesday, January 27, 2015 and will reopen as soon as practical on Wednesday, January 28, 2015.

“Please remember to report all power outages directly to JCP&L.
Customers who are without power are encouraged to call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) to report their outage or click the “Report Outage” link on www.firstenergycorp.com. In the event of severe weather, customers should immediately report downed wires to their utility or their local police or fire department.

“Customers should never go near a downed power line, even if they think it is no longer carrying electricity. Extra caution should be used in areas where downed lines are tangled in trees or other debris. Motorists are cautioned to treat intersections with inoperable traffic signals as four-way stops.

“FirstEnergy customers also can subscribe to email and text message alert notifications to receive billing reminders, weather alerts in advance of major storms, and updates on scheduled or extended power outages. Customers can also use two-way text messaging to report outages, request updates on restoration efforts, and make other inquiries about their electric accounts.

“More information about these communications tools is available online at www.firstenergycorp.com/connect.

Borough Code 14-6.2 states that no person shall sweep, throw or deposit any snow or ice in that part of the street which has been or is being plowed, swept or cleared by the municipality for the passage of traffic.

“Property owners, tenants or occupants must clear the sidewalk in front of their property of all snow and/or ice within 24 hours after the end of the snowfall or the formation of ice. The path cleared must be a minimum of two feet in width (Ord. 14-6.1).

“If there is a fire hydrant in front of your home or business, please clear the snow around the hydrant. Borough Code 7-10.1 states whenever snow has fallen and the accumulation is such that it covers the streets and highways, an emergency shall exist and no vehicle shall be parked on the streets or highways or portions thereof indicated.

“The parking prohibitions shall remain in effect after the snow has ceased until the streets have been plowed sufficiently and to the extent that parking will not interfere with the normal flow of traffic.”

Communication Tools
Return to top Our customer app and mobile website provide on-the-go access to important information and services related to your electric account at WWW.FIRSTENERGYCORP.COM.

 

R-FH Schools Blizzard Prep: Early Dismissals

The impending blizzard brings with it closings and cancelled/postponed meetings and events within the next few days.

So far, in Rumson:

• There will be a 1 p.m. dismissal on Monday at Forrestdale and Deane Porter schools, according to the district website.

All activities are cancelled.

• The school district’s PARCC Parent Workshop set for Monday at 7 p.m. will be rescheduled. Check the district website for updates.

So far, in Fair Haven:

• There will be early dismissals on Monday at both Sickles and Knollwood schools, according to the latest post on the Fair Haven Schools website.

Sickles will dismiss at 12:10 p.m. and Knollwood at 12:30.

“For the safety and well-being of our students and staff, FH schools we will have an early dismissal today,” Superintendent Nelson Ribon post on the district website. “Overnight forecast models show a potential for extremely windy conditions (blizzard warnings) during the early afternoon along with snow.”night:

So far, for Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School:

• There will be an early dismissal at 11:45 a.m. on Monday.

All after-school activities have been cancelled.

Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect will update this article as information becomes available. Please check back for updates.

A Look Back at Snow Angels

RFH teens get to work clearing sidewalks and driveways of snow in 2012. Photo/Elaine Van Develde
RFH teens get to work clearing sidewalks and driveways of snow in 2012.
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

With the threat of snow looming, the Retro Pic of the Day is dedicated to memories of Fair Haven’s snow angels circa 2012.

The angels are a group of kids who help dig seniors and those who are disabled in any way out of the snow.

These two were headed to an elderly neighbor’s house after they helped out this asthmatic editor.

Do you know them?

Young Life on McCarter Pond

Yes, today was a day of skating and a little ice hockey on Fair Haven’s McCarter Pond.

Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect caught up with the kid we like to refer to as the junior Fair Haven mayor — sorry, Lucarelli — Carson Kirman.

Carson loves a photo opp. He’s always skating around town in one way or another.

Take a look at what the kids were up to today on the pond.