A golden-doodle headed to class at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) on May 16. Continue reading Therapy Dog Heads to RFH Special Ed Classroom
Category Archives: News
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Former Fair Haven Police Chief is New County Police Academy Director
On the first day of National Police Week and little more than six months after his retirement as Fair Haven’s police chief, Darryl Breckenridge has been appointed director of the Monmouth County Police Academy, Sheriff Shaun Golden announced in a press release today.
“There’s no one I’d rather have lead the Monmouth County Police Academy than Darryl Breckenridge,” Golden said of the 35-year police veteran in the release. “He brings with him a wealth of experience, exceptional leadership skills and shares the vision of maintaining and enhancing training at the academy, which as a result, will continue to produce the finest members of law enforcement who will serve the public.”
Breckenridge began his career in law enforcement as a special police officer in Fair Haven in 1976. In 1977 he left the department to serve in the U.S. Army where he was assigned to the 3rd ID Military Police Division in Germany.
When he returned home from duty, he worked as an investigator at the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and after graduating from the Monmouth County Police Academy in 1985, became a patrolman for the Fair Haven Police Department.
He rose through the ranks and was assigned to the position of detective in 1997. In 2000, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and then lieutenant in 2002.
Breckenridge achieved his lifelong goal and dream of becoming police chief in 2005 and remained in that position for 10 years before retiring in 2015.
“I’m deeply honored to have been appointed to this position and I thank Sheriff Golden for allowing me this great opportunity to run the Monmouth County Police Academy,” Breckenridge said in the release. “I intend to meet every challenge with enthusiasm and will take pride in providing the most challenging and effective training possible to our police recruits and veteran officers.”
In addition to training basic police and corrections recruits throughout the state, as well as special law enforcement officers and county park rangers, the Monmouth County Police Academy offers in-service trainingcourses to veteran members of law enforcement. Officers from many of the 50 states as well as other countries have trained at the academy. The academy currently has 290 part time instructors.
Breckenridge began as director the week of May 16 and takes over the duties of Undersheriff Ted Freeman, who was the interim acting director. In addition to his vast experience in law enforcement, Breckenridge received three honorable service awards, an exceptional duty award, and in 2008, attended the National F.B.I. Academy.
— Edited press release from Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office
Retro Fair Haven Police Chief, Mentor
Photo/FHPD
The news of former Fair Haven Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge’s appointment as the new director of the Monmouth County Police Academy prompted thoughts of the man he says in one moment, with one gesture became his mentor and motivated him to live his dream of being a police officer in his hometown — Chief Carl Jakubecy.
Police: 26-Year-Old Jailed on Major Drug Bust Charges; $210K Bail
The following recent arrests were made and reported by Middletown police. An arrest does not constitute a conviction.
Continue reading Police: 26-Year-Old Jailed on Major Drug Bust Charges; $210K Bail
Retro RFH Baseball Home Run
It’s not only still baseball season at RFH, it’s Friday the 13th.
So, in the spirit of good luck, the Retro Pic(s) of the Day feature some successful ball playing of the 1970s with a beloved coach whom many felt charmed the game — Hal Lorme.
Lorme passed away just over a year ago. He is still fondly remembered by many an RFH alumni and ball player.
In the top featured photo, Lorme is seen with ball player Tripp Dupree.
Below, he’s behind and in the scenes coaching. Recognize anyone else?
RIP, Coach Lorme. May the luck of Lorme be with today’s team!
— Elaine Van Develde
Focus: Wine Tasting, Politics & Pals in Fair Haven
It was a night of wine, bi-partisan political perspectives and socializing when political and community leaders gathered at Raven & the Peach in Fair Haven on Thursday evening.
Billed as a simple Wine Tasting Party, hosted by and benefitting the Fair Haven Republican Committee, the evening featured casual talks about the current political landscape by former gubernatorial candidates of both parties, Bret Schundler and Michael Murphy. The talks were followed by mingling and hors d’oeuvres and, yes, wine tasting.
Take a look at the photo gallery above for a glimpse into the event. Recognize anyone? The name tags are a giveaway.
— Elaine Van Develde
An RFH Home Run Derby for a Good Cause
Photo/RFH
The first annual Home Run Derby was held at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) recently and ended up raising $3,000 for Change A Life Uganda, a charitable organization dedicated to improving the lives of Ugandan children and their families through quality education, healthcare, and income-generating programs.
Focus: More House on Fair Haven’s Church Street
The street that is called Church Street in Fair Haven is looking less and less like its namesake.
Old-time residents of the street that fronted River Road with the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion have expressed some chagrin since the longtime church came down on the .54-acre parcel and a three-home subdivision by Kolarsick Builders — of one 3,000- and two 2,000-square-feet, roof-porched homes with garages and decks — was approved.
Development on the property had been stagnant since it was put on the market in October of 2010. After being shown a reported 43 times since (between 2011 and 2014) and for various uses, the subdivision was deemed the most appropriate fit the the Planning Board.
Now, several months after approval, two homes fronting Church Street are now undergoing finishing touches and the foundation is set for the third slated to front River Road.
The street had always comprised a close knit neighborhood of many who lived in much smaller versions of homes on the street in the 1960s through 1980s and ’90s. They keep in touch or remain close friends. Some still live on the street.
Those who no longer live there or close by have been asking lately what the street where they lived looks like. Here it is, old time Church Street people.
And, no, as we’ve confirmed before, there are no plans to change the name to House Street.
— Elaine Van Develde
Rumson Schools’ Students Take a Break from Tech
In light of the notion that front of a computer, tablet or TV screen than they do in school, students in the Rumson School District recently participated in what was dubbed Screen-Free Week.
Continue reading Rumson Schools’ Students Take a Break from Tech
Retro Salute to R-FH Area Moms
In honor of the area’s moms of the past and present, here’s a little glimpse into Mother’s Day in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.
Some of these moms are gone, some are still with us and celebrating several generations of motherhood.
In one way or another, many of the faces captured here from the past and present have made life in the area all the more special, if not for anything else but being a comfortingly familiar face in a place we call home.
Happy belated Mother’s Day!
Thanks to our Facebook friends for these priceless photos!
— Elaine Van Develde
Focus: Waiting for the Sun Under the Dock
The weather has been overcast, rainy, drizzly and downright gloomy.
Waiting for the sun to return to spring has become a ritual. It’s the kind of day for rewinding to when the sun was out and casting shadows in a view from under the Fair Haven Dock.
Take a look at our wishful gallery of shadows and reflections on a sunnier day right before the rain from under the dock.
— Photos/Elaine Van Develde
Fair Havenite Set for Book Signing
By Elaine Van Develde
Fair Havenite Carolyn Cope’s life has undergone an unlikely transformation. She’s gone from corporate attorney to food blogger and author. And she has a book signing tonight at River Road Books in the borough she’s made her home for nearly the past 10 years.
What are the books? They’re entitled We Love Kale and We Love Quinoa and feature more than 100 “healthy and delicious recipes for enjoying two of the world’s most nutritious foods,” she said the day of the signing which is slated for 7:30 p.m.
How did she end up there? One day the epiphany of wanting to live a simpler, more wholesome and, perhaps, healthier dream just hit her while sitting at her desk at work as an attorney for a large corporate firm.
“I looked up from my desk at a giant corporate law firm one day and realized I hardly had any idea how I’d gotten there,” she said. “Shortly thereafter I left and started my food blog, Umami Girl, where I share mostly healthy, mostly plant-based recipes. Food blogging has been a dream, and the books are a direct offshoot of my work on the blog. Although the blog has a wide reach, it’s wonderful to be able to put a real cookbook in someone’s hands. Thank goodness people still love books!”
And Cope will be signing hers at her “first-ever book signing” and giving a talk tonight about just how she ended up where she is after her journey “from hungry kid to corporate lawyer to food blogger and author.”
She will also be sharing some cooking tips and offering up some wine and sample finger food to complement the evening.
Join her at 7:30 p.m. at the store near the corner of River and Fair Haven roads.
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