Category Archives: Local Life
A look, in photos, of latest area events, local everyday people and places.
Retro Appreciation for RFH Social Studies Teacher Dewey Robinson
Photo/RFH yearbook screenshot
By Elaine Van Develde
He was known as a very cool dude and great teacher. He was Dewey Robinson.
He taught Social Studies at RFH and he coached.
By popular demand, Dewey Robinson is our Retro Pic of the Day in ode to deceased RFH teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week.
Boy, was he popular — and rightly so.
The man was just so totally cool, interesting and knowledgeable and he spread that wealth of good attitude and lessons to be learned on with finesse.
He died suddenly at 58 in 2008.
I did not have the pleasure of having Dewey Robinson as a teacher or coach (because I was always way too uncoordinated to play any sport). But I do remember him well. No RFH student could miss all that coolness in one teacher.
He just had a profound look of compassion in his eyes at all times — an empathetic one. He cared and it showed. He had a real relatable demeanor. Dewey Robinson had no trouble connecting with anyone. You didn’t have to know him to know that.
The evidence was always there, in the students he taught and coached, passing a bit of himself on to them always.
Dewey’s mom, Jeanetter Crowell, died not too long ago, him having pre-deceased her, regrettably.
She, too, was remembered for her sweetness and compassion.
“What a great teacher Dewey was and there is always a strong and wonderful woman behind every great and wonderful man,” Tamera Partington Dinklage said on the Fair Haven Facebook page when the death of Dewey’s mom was announced.
RIP, Dewey Robinson. You were appreciated. Thanks for paying your coolness forward.
Sea Bright Farmers Market Back in Season
By Elaine Van Develde
The Sea Bright Farmers Market is back in season and the goods are ripe for the picking.
In addition to the old favorites — Picklelicious, Fair Mountain Coffee Roasters, Harvest Moon Farm, Holly Jolly Jams, Neshanic Valley Beekeepers, Baker’s Bounty and Franklin Soapworks — there are also some small family-owned farm vendors that have joined in the second year of the outdoor locally grown, organically crafted shopping tradition in the Sea Bright Municipal Parking lot from 2 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays.
Those new additions include organic goodies, like Asian produce, herbs, free-range and grass-fed meats, farm fresh cheeses and from Green Duchess , Central Valley and Holly Hill and Harvest Moon farms. DIVE was also there offering some samples of corn and clam chowder.
Sea Bright Stairway to Donovan’s?
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It’s May. Countdown to Memorial Day weekend has begun and the unofficial start of summer is not far off. But whether or not Donovan’s Reef will make its comeback with summer is not yet clear.
The lot of the iconic Sea Bright spot has been cleared. The Hurricane Sandy-ravaged bungalow is gone. That all happened, after a static period, in December of last year.
Last word, according to Donovan’s Facebook page, was in February of this year. In answer to a patron’s query of whether or not the bar would be back and exactly when, ownership said, “Yes. Things are moving forward, just don’t have specifics yet!”
Since then, not a word. Only speculation. After Sandy, there was a time when a sale was pending. Then that changed. And in the summer of 2013, owners were saying that it would be back in 2014.
Plans for a larger Donovan’s, replete with on-beach Tiki bars and tree houses, were approved, after some delay, in 2014. And there was a plan to at least partially open with Tiki bars on the beach that year, as a teaser.
A Tiki bar and thatch umbrella have remained on the beach since.
The cleared lot and sea wall are fenced in. Small remnants of the original Donovan’s remain. And there’s a relatively new staircase over the sea wall to the beach, where Donovan’s deck and staircase to the beach was before Sandy. Another staircase is a few feet away for beach access.
One of the owners, Dr. Robert Carducci, died in February of 2014. The other is Bob Phillips.
Phillips was not reachable for comment.
There have been rumors of sales bandied back and forth for years.
But, as of now, the above gallery offers a glimpse into its present state — looking far from ready for an end of May, or even summer, opening.
Could that change?
Rumson-Fair Haven Restrospect will keep you updated.
— Elaine Van Develde
Retro Appreciation of RFH Teacher Bill Kern
By Elaine Van Develde
Today is the first day of Teacher Appreciation Week.
So, the Retro Pic of the Day all week will randomly highlight fondly remembered RFH teachers who have passed.
The first pick brought to the attention of Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect was RFH math teacher Bill Kern, a former longtime Fair Haven resident.
Continue reading Retro Appreciation of RFH Teacher Bill Kern
The R-FH Area Weekend: Townwide Yard Sale, Arts Fest, Historic Places Tours & More
The weekend is going to be a sunny one, so they say.
And there will be plenty of opportunity to take advantage of the great outdoors via some popular annual events.
Keep the traditions going and get out to a few …
Friday
• Hanga Loose Fridays continue starting at 7 p.m. at Umberto’s on River Road in Fair Haven. The Friday night get-together was created to inspire and pay forward the community spirit of the deceased beloved pizza-making man who knew everybody’s name and remembered everything about them, down to food preference — Silvio Fabbri.
Join in the fun and “Hanga Loose” a little, as Silvio would say.
• The Monmouth Players’ production of Noel Coward’s Present Laughter is on it’s closing weekend. So, if you haven’t seen it yet, now’s the time.
Curtain for Friday and Saturday performances is 8:15 p.m.
Saturday
• The town-wide yard sales in Fair Haven and Red Bank are both slated for Saturday. And it looks like the weather will suit the events just fine.
Fair Haven’s sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lists may be picked up at borough hall of who’s on the list. Or, you can just drive around and look for the blue and white balloons that will be marking the spots around town.
Fair Haven officials have announced that they will be extending the hours of the DPW bulk drop-off ’til about 5, so people who have leftovers will have a chance to unload what they haven’t sold.
And, next door in Red Bank, the town-wide sale is happening as well. Fair Haven has handed over its list of sale spots to Red Bank so that Red Bank shoppers can come over and vice versa.
Red Bank’s sale ends at 3 p.m., though.
• The Spring Arts Festival comes to Thompson Park on Newman Springs Road in the Lincroft section of Middletown.
The festival, on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., features the work of local artists and crafters in a juried show.
Live music complements the daylong event. Entry is free. Check out what area talent has been creating lately.
• The People’s Choice Car Show will be set on the grounds of Poricy Park, on Oak Hill Road in Middletown, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Old and new cars will be on display. Stop over and see if you know anyone there and their cars, from antique to new.
• The Weekend in Old Monmouth event, showcasing historic places and landmarks across Monmouth County, is set for noon to 5 p.m.
Two places in Rumson will be featured: Sea Bright Lawn, Tennis & Cricket Club and the First Presbyterian Church.
Check out any other of the 40 historic places in the county (by clicking on the green) that will be featured and see the map.
• Closing night for Monmouth Players’ Present Laughter. See above.
Sunday
• Spring Arts Festival at Thompson Park (see above) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• People’s Choice Car Show at Poricy Park, Middletown, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.. See the above entry.
• The Weekend in Old Monmouth event, showcasing historic places and landmarks across Monmouth County, from noon to 5 p.m.
Check out any other of the 40 historic places in the county (by clicking on the green) that will be featured and see the map.
Rewind to Rumson Mayor, Oceanic Bridge Reopening
Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Yes, the Oceanic Bridge is going to need some new imminent, unexpected repairs.
And, yes, that means the bridge will be closed to all vehicular traffic for about three weeks, from the day after Memorial Day to June 12, Monmouth County officials have announced.
The much-needed complete replacement of the historic bridge is slated to happen within the next 10 years.
But, about this time three years ago, in 2012, major repairs thought to have taken care of safe travel for the interim, were completed.
The bridge, after being completely closed for a time, reopened to much fanfare.
Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl was up close for the official reopening of the drawbridge section. And he got a tour of the gatekeeper’s quarters.
So, the Retro Pic of the Day takes a look back on that day.
Oceanic Bridge to Close Before Summer Takes Hold
Just when they thought the temporary fixes to the Oceanic Bridge were coming to an end, and traffic could proceed as usual, Monmouth County officials have announced that the bridge needs more major work and will be closed from May 26 to June 12.
The April structural steel and concrete deck repair work to the bridge that spans the Navesink from Rumson to Middletown revealed the need for more significant repair work critical to safe traverse.
Two of the bridge’s four main bearings are in imminent need of repair and the other two will be fixed as well, Monmouth County Engineer Joseph Ettore said in a release. The bearings are part of the mechanism that supports the bascule and flanking spans on the bridge approaches, he explained.
The $653,650 needed for the additional repair work on 100-foot bascule span of the 2,712-foot historic drawbridge was authorized by the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders at its April 24 meeting.
The Board of Chosen Freeholders authorized $653,650 for the repairs to the 100-foot bascule span of the 2,712-foot historic drawbridge at its April 24 meeting.
“It is prudent to lift the bridge spans and perform the repairs to all four of the bearings,” said Ettore. “The bearings in need of immediate repair are on the eastern side of the bridge, but the county is also going to repair the bearings on the western side of the bridge.
“The nature of the work repair requires that the bridge load be relieved by lifting the bascule and approach spans off of the bearing. To accomplish this, the Oceanic Bridge must be closed to motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic.”
During the period of complete closure, the bridge will still be open for marine traffic, seasonal rules and scheduling will be in effect, the release said.
The hold-off of the total closure until after Memorial Day weekend was scheduled to accommodate the holiday traffic, officials said.
Working around the clock will make it possible to open the bridge to all traffic just a few weeks into the start of the summer season, they added.
Preparation for the bearing work will start immediately and continue weekdays through May 21.
That work may require full overnight closures of the bridge from 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. from May 13 to 15 and May 18 through 21, the release said.
The bridge will be open to all traffic from May 22 through Memorial Day on May 25.
Detours will be posted. But, standard alternatives are: from Rumson to Middletown, motorists should travel east and north through Sea Bright and Highlands to Middletown; and, from the Navesink and Locust sections of Middletown, motorists are advised to travel east and south through Middletown, Highlands and Sea Bright to Rumson.
Built in 1939, the Oceanic Bridge has deteriorated due to decades of exposure to saltwater and from accommodating heavier vehicles and traffic volumes than for which it was designed, the release said.
In 2012, extensive rehabilitation work was done to the bascule span, or drawbridge portion, in the center.
It is slated for total replacement within the next 10 years. Area residents have rallied to maintain the original design of the drawbridge.
Monmouth County received notification from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) Board of Trustees in January that $600,000 in federal funding was available to perform a Concept Development Study for the replacement or rehabilitation of the Oceanic Bridge.
A Rumson Focus from the Shrewsbury River
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The weekend in Rumson was a bit chilly; but sunny skies prevailed as did the warm feel of the riverside area.
Take a look at the gallery above for a glimpse into Rumson life on the Shrewsbury River.
Rewind: FH Chief Breckenridge’s Police Unity Tour Ride
Photo/courtesy of Chief Breckenridge
It’s the time of year for police officers to “ride for those who died” in the Police Unity Tour.
And at Monday night’s Fair Haven Borough Council meeting, Mayor Ben Lucarelli took a moment to recognize that Chief Darryl Breckenridge would be embarking, once again, on the tour set to depart for Washington D.C. on May 9 and arrive on May 12.
“Good luck Chief,” the mayor said at the meeting. “And thank you for all you do.”
So, the Retro Pic of the Day offers a glimpse back to 2013 and the chief’s ride, his daughter Witney by his side then.
The chief said she would not be joining him this year, but he’s set for the roughly 350-mile ride on his bicycle.
In addition to creating awareness, the ride raises funds for the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial and Museum.
The event, which started in 1997 with 18 riders was designed to bring “public awareness of law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty and (to) honor their sacrifices,” according to the Unity Tour’s website. It garnered $18,000 then.
The Unity Tour, as of last year, had raised $16 million. About 20,000 officers who died in the line of duty are memorialized at the Washington memorial.
Good luck to the chief and all other area police officers riding in this year’s tour!
Flavour Festival Fun
The sun was out on Sunday and so were plenty of people — at Red Bank’s International Flavour Festival.
There were craft and food booths galore and plenty of music.
Take a look at our photo gallery for a glimpse into the day. Enjoy!
Rewind: Ode to Fair Haven Police
Photo/Fair Haven Police Department
In keeping with our Retro Pic of the Day homage to first responders, today we honor Fair Haven Police for their service to the community.
The above photo is a look back at the officers in the department not long ago.
Patrolman Robert J. Henne, included in this photo, passed away on March 23. He was loved by his community and colleagues and is sorely missed by both. RIP, Patrolman Henne.
And thanks to the Fair Haven police for protecting and serving the residents of Fair Haven and beyond!
Have you thanked an officer today?
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