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Local Life

R-FH Area Weekend: Fair Haven Day & Canterbury Fair

The tents are in place. The stage is set. Fair Haven Day is Saturday, and organizers say they’re set for a full Fair Haven Fields.

With the event starting at 3 p.m., there will be food (picnic, seafood and desserts), live music, kids’  games, bouncy rides, fireworks and more.

New this year is a climbing wall, brought to the fields by the Monmouth County Parks System and sponsored by Fair Haven business Canyon Pass Provisions. The wall can e climbed by kids 8 and up.

For the adults, new this year is a bottomless white or red glass of wine for $30.

The Fair Haven Business Association is providing a magician to entertain kids and face painters.

Music, provided by Stone Bullets, River Road Band, RipTide and Juke Box Criminals, will begin at 3 p.m.

Beer, wine and sangria can be purchased starting at 4.

Ground rules: No dogs, outside alcohol, personal tents or grills/open flames. And attendees are asked to please clean up after themselves.

Click here to purchase food and beverage tickets and for more details.

Also on Saturday, in Rumson, the tradition of the annual Canterbury Fair continues, rain or shine.

The fair, set on the grounds of St. George’s-by-the-River Episcopal Church, runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The fair features a petting zoo, clowns, balloons, cotton candy, face painting, games and a children’s chance auction.

In addition to the famous white elephant sale, jewelry, electronics, sporting goods, gently used children’s games and clothing, homemade gourmet treats, plants, flowers and books for all ages will be sold. There will also be a silent auction tent.

Grilled food, lobster salad luncheon, baked goods, coffee and tea will be served.

 

News

Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge Plans Aired

By Elaine Van Develde

“The cul-de-sac is no longer an option,” a Monmouth County project coordinator could be heard telling Rumson residents about a hotly contested proposed cul-de-sac on Ward Avenue that was to be an option for intersection improvements that are to come with the 2020 Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge replacement. “People were strongly opposed to the concept, so it has been eliminated.”

It’s one component of what was revealed about conceptual plans at a public information forum on the estimated $60-million federally-funded bridge project at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School Wednesday night. Another was held earlier in Sea Bright.

The 66-year-old historic drawbridge, deemed in serious condition a few years ago, is slated for replacement with a similar structure spanning the Shrewsbury River to the south of the original bridge. Though nothing is set in concrete and steel yet, county officials cautioned, it’s a definite that the existing bridge will remain functional as the new one is built parallel to it, significantly minimizing if not eliminating the need for detours during construction.

Continue reading Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge Plans Aired →

Arts & Entertainment, Schools Scene

Focus: RFH Art Show

Gallery

A group of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) seniors giggled, gossiped, reminisced and complimented one another’s artwork.

It was Wednesday night — the night of the RFH Art Show. It was one of the last events they would attend together as RFH students. Graduation is soon — the end of an era for the Class of 2016.

“You’re graduating soon. Are you going to cry (realizing the end of your high school years)?” asked Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect. “Yes, I think so,” one senior girl said as she blushed and started to get a bit teary eyed. The bittersweet ending sentiment was contagious. “Yeah, we are,” another chimed in with a sad grin, glancing at her friend.

And they put their arms around one another and smiled for a picture.

There were lots of moments like that at the RFH Art Show. And there were students of all grades taking in the art, realizing the end of an era as seniors and the beginning as freshman and everything in between.

The students conveyed their personalities and experiences in various art mediums. Take a look at the gallery below for a glimpse into the evening.

Good luck, RFH seniors!

— Elaine Van Develde

 

News

Reminder: Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge Replacement Meetings

It’s not something that’s happening any time soon, but the replacement of the deteriorating Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge is happening.

With what has been dubbed the Local Concept Development Phase of the project in the works, Monmouth County officials are letting the local public know that their input, in the form of public informational meetings, is invited as the project’s design moves into its Local Preliminary Engineering Phase.

Those meetings, held in cooperation with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, are today in both Sea Bright and Rumson: from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Sea Bright Municipal Building’s public meeting room, with a presentation at 2:30 p.m.; and tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School in the cafeteria.

 

From the county …

“The purpose of the Public Information Center meetings is to inform the public of the status since the Local Concept Development Phase of this bridge replacement project including refinements to the approach roadways and intersections, and to solicit public input and comment on the Preliminary Engineering Phase of the project.

“These meetings are being conducted in conformance with Federal and State regulations. The public is invited and encouraged to comment on the project and may attend either or both meetings.

“Written comments will be accepted through Friday, July 8, 2016. Comments may be mailed or faxed to:

Inkyung Englehart, Project Manager
Monmouth County Division of Engineering & Traffic Safety Hall of Records Annex, 3rd Floor
1 East Main Street
Freehold, NJ 07728

Fax 732-431-7765 [email protected]”

 

Continue reading Reminder: Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge Replacement Meetings →

News, Obituaries

Services Set for Former Rumson Roulette Owner, Community Leader Peggy Werber

The following is an edited obituary of Margaret “Peggy” Werber from Thompson Memorial Home:

Former Rumson resident, business owner and community leader Margaret “Peggy” Werber passed away suddenly on Friday, June 3.

Margaret "Peggy" Werber Photo/courtesy of Thompson Memorial Home
Margaret “Peggy” Werber
Photo/courtesy of Thompson Memorial Home

A lineal descendant of Thomas Hinckley, governor of Plymouth Colony and first governor of Massachusetts, Mrs. Werber was a wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother who was known to epitomize grace, intelligence and kind heartedness, her obituary from Thompson Memorial said.

Continue reading Services Set for Former Rumson Roulette Owner, Community Leader Peggy Werber →

Local Life

Focus: Nightfall River Kayaking

Gallery

The sun set. The water was still. It was a serene nightfall on the river in Fair Haven.

A lone kayaker rowed his way from the shore across the Navesink from the Middletown shores to the River Rats boat launch. The clouds seemed to follow him. The new moon a sliver above.

And, in the distance, in the hushed evening, were only soft echoes of the water lapping gently to each paddle, bringing him home.

Home here. Good night, Fair Haven.

— Elaine Van Develde

 

Local Life, Opinion

Retro Fair Haven Ride

Image
A special Fair Haven bike ride in the 1960s Photo/courtesy of Peter Mauger
A special Fair Haven bike ride in the 1960s
Photo/courtesy of Peter Mauger

There’s nothing quite like taking a ride with your buddies when you’re a little kid, especially if your bike is a tractor, too.

What kid rides a tractor in the Rumson-Fair Haven area? Well, back in the 1960s, Fair Havenite Peter Mauger did. He, the pint-sized driver carted Nancy Wilson down Lake Avenue in what was a combo tractor-bike with a cool little trailer to lug stuff or a pal in — a “dump trac,” to be exact. Susan Wilson, old and cool enough to ride a two-wheeler with a bell, rode along.

No power wheels in the form of high end, luxury cars. No helmets. No special permission needed to drive a dump trac, because, you know, they’re rural kinds of vehicles.

And the streets were barren enough in those days to ride up and down and even around the block on a seemingly endless loop. Hey, neighborhood kids used to also play dodge ball and hopscotch in the street. But, that’s a retro pic for another day.

Today, the Retro Pic of the Day, courtesy of Peter Mauger, honors a kids’  bike ride of a simpler time — not that there’s anything wrong with helmets and designer power wheels.

What kind of bike did you have? Your dream bike or foot-pedaled car? Remember those?

Local Life

Sea Bright Farmers Market Seeks More Vendors

The Sea Bright Farmers Market is back in season and with it some popular vendors have returned. But, organizers are looking for a few more.

According to a Facebook post, the market is “looking to expand our 2016 list …”  That list, so far, includes: Harvest Moon Farm, Holly Jolly Jams, Pickle Licious, Baker’s Bounty, Neshanic Valley Bee Keepers, Hot Sauce Good, Green Duchess Farm, Harvest Moon Organic Farm, and, new this season, Gourmet Nuts and Dried Fruit.

Organizers say that “at present, we are are hoping to add a coffee roaster and organic dog/cat treat vendor. If you are interested in being considered or have suggestions/recommendations feel free to message us here … or call/text our market managers, Sonya Cappillo at 732-614-9590 or Linda Blevins at 732-757-1374. Any vendor interested in participating must carry a general liability insurance policy.”

The market, which runs for the season every Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m. in the Sea Bright Municipal Parking Lot, is a produce/food farmers market.

 

 

Local Life

Focus: Rainbow After the Rain

Gallery

It rained. It poured. Then a near double dose of good luck symbol stretched across the sky — a vibrant (almost) double rainbow.

And Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect wasn’t the only witness. People in the Rumson-Fair Haven area grabbed shots of the site from many different perspectives.

Here’s what we saw in Fair Haven. If you’d like us to add your photos of the rainbow(s), just give us the OK and we will.

Perhaps it’s a good luck sign for the start of the week.

Here’s to natural wonders and luck!

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life

Lending a Helping Fair Haven Day Hand

It’s just about that time of the year — time for Fair Haven Day.

And organizers of the now annual event, via The Foundation of Fair Haven, are alerting residents and area business owners that it’s also time to get your tickets and sign up for sponsorships. If you want more perks/business visibility and would like to offer some financial assistance to keep the event going for years to come, this is the best way to help and reap some benefits in the process, they say.

Fair Haven Day started when the borough celebrated its centennial a few years ago. There was an informal barbecue, music and fireworks to cap the day-long event designed to bring the community together at Fair Haven Fields.

People voiced opinion that they wanted to do it again, and again. But, the estimated cost was high. So, The Foundation of Fair Haven, a 501c3 non-profit was formed to defray the cost that wouldn’t be covered in charging a basic food fee.

Now, fundraisers, donations and sponsorships later, tickets for the event are on sale and so are family packages, personal and business sponsorships that include advertising.

According to The Foundation of Fair Haven website, River Road Band, Riptide and Jukebox Criminals will be playing, picnic food will be offered by Brennan’s at $10 per person, seafood from the Lusty Lobster will be sold at $5 a serving and dessert and coffee, at $2 per serving, will be served by Booskerdoo. Unlimited mugs of beer will be offered at $25 and, new this year, is a bottomless wine glass for $30.

In addition to these ticket prices, sponsorships range from $100 on up and include a variety of associated benefits.

Check the site by clicking here and choose your tickets and/or sponsorship offer.

Check out our slideshow here to revisit Fair Haven Day 2015.