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Arts & Entertainment, Business Buzz

The R-FH Area Weekend: Food & Wine Walk, Christmas in July & More

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The weekend is off to a good weather start.

Regardless of what happens in the sky, there is plenty to do around the Rumson-Fair Haven area towns.

Check it out …

Friday

• It’s Christmas in July starting today and through July 25 at participating Fair Haven businesses. Find out more here.

• Hanga Loose Fridays continue at Umberto’s. Come and “hanga loose” in the back room of the restaurant on River Road in honor of Silvio Fabbri’s memory.

Stop by any time after 7 p.m.

 

• For theatergoers, Shakespeare in the park is still going on at Brookdale.

Curtain (or something like that) for Titus Andronicus is 7 p.m. on the Great Lawn of Brookdale Community College’s campus in the Lincroft section of Middletown. Head to Parking Lot 2 and bring chairs.

For more information, call 732-224-2411.

• Phoenix Productions’ summer musical Mary Poppins is playing the weekend starting with a curtain at 8 p.m. tonight at the Count Basie Theatre.

Call 732-842-9000 for more information.

Saturday

• St. George’s-by-the-River Episcopal Church in Rumson is holding services on the beach on Saturdays for the summer.

The services will be held at 5:30 p.m. at Ancorage beach in Sea Bright, right over the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge (to the left coming from the Rumson direction).

Call 732-842-0596 for more information.

• Titus Andronicus curtain is 7 p.m. on the Great Lawn at Brookdale. See above post for more information.

• Curtain for Phoenix Productions’ Mary Poppins is 7 p.m. See above for more information.

Sunday

• Don’t forget the Red Bank Farmers Market at the Galleria parking lot from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lots of organic produce, baked goods, coffee, crafts and more.

• Red Bank RiverCenter’s Food and Wine Walk will be going on from 2 to 5 p.m. It’s a great way to sample a taste of Red Bank, literally. Wristbands may be purchased online (by clicking here) in advance only for $35. The bands get people samples of food and, of course, wine at various restaurants, caterers and bars throughout the borough.

People get a map to guide them through the walk.

Click here for a complete list of participating places. 

• Matinee curtain for Phoenix Productions’ Mary Poppins at the Count Basie Theatre is 3 p.m.

Business Buzz, Local Life

Scene Around: Sea Bright Beach, Farmers Market Time

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The Sea Bright beach scene has been sparse, due to the past few hazy, humid couple of days peppered with rain.

But, the clear, crisp weather break set in just in time for the Sea Bright Farmers Market, featuring Marcy of Relish Chef Services concocting some treats and a newbie maker of organic treats for dogs — Waggle Snapp.

Many of the usual favorites will also be back today: BakersBounty, Central Valley Farm, Fair Mountain Coffee Roasters, Farmer Meg’s Digest, ‎FlyBrookFarm,‬ Franklin Soapworks, Green Duchess Farm, Harvest Moon Farm, Holly Jolly Jams, Holly Hill Farm and Neshanic Valley Beekeepers.

The market is open in the Sea Bright Municipal Parking Lot, in front of the beach, from 2 to 7 p.m..

Business Buzz

Celebrating Christmas in July at Fair Haven Businesses

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Christmas is coming to Fair Haven on Friday. And, no, no one is confused.

July 17 marks the start of a week-long Christmas in July promotion in the borough’s business district, sponsored by the Fair Haven Business Association.

Throughout the week businesses will offer specials and promotions.

Which businesses are participating? You’ll know by the ones with Christmas decorated front doors.

“We have a great variety of stores and businesses in Fair Haven,” event coordinator Pam Boyd, of Boxwood Gardens, said. “If you want the latest fashions, a great book to read on the beach, flowers or fancy food for a dinner party, or lunch delivered to your beach club, you can get that right here in Fair Haven.

“With this event, we wanted to create a little fun and encourage people to visit our stores, restaurants, and services businesses in town.”

Deck the halls — or the River Road corridor!

Local Life, Opinion

Break a Leg: Retro Rumson Barn Summer Theater Part II

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It’s been the subject of the Retro Pic(s) of the Day before and it is again — summer theater at The Barn in Rumson.

It was a place for local talent to gather, hone theatrical skills, have a lot of summer fun and entertain the masses in Monmouth County to boot.

One of the shows produced in the summer of 1977, which thrust lots of arts-thirsty area teens into myriad rehearsals and onto a  stage, was Bye Bye Birdie.

As told in our last piece on The Barn, many RFH students were in the cast of the show. And one area resident who played Albert Peterson — the English teacher, no less — broke his leg during rehearsals.

Continue reading Break a Leg: Retro Rumson Barn Summer Theater Part II →

Local Life

Retro Reorg on Deputy Fire Chief’s Birthday

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Fair Haven Deputy Fire Chief Michael Wiehl being sworn in on New Year's Day at the borough's reorganization Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Fair Haven Deputy Fire Chief Michael Wiehl being sworn in on New Year’s Day at the borough’s reorganization
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

It’s Fair Haven Deputy Fire Chief Michael Wiehl’s 37th birthday.

The deputy chief is a lifetime Fair Havenite and RFH grad whose family goes back a couple of generations in the borough. And he and new wife Gloria got married not too long ago on the Fair Haven Dock.

So, the Retro Pic of the Day offers a glimpse back to reorganization day in Fair Haven when he was sworn in as deputy.

Happy Birthday, Deputy Chief Wiehl! And thank you for your service and dedication to the borough. Have you thanked a firefighter today?

Local Life

Helping a Fair Haven Friend in Need

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By Elaine Van Develde

Brian Allison is a son beside himself and by the side of his mom.

He is desperately trying to get some help for the woman who raised him in Fair Haven and grew up there and graduated from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School herself — Regina Lamberson Allison.

After a long and winding two-year plus medical journey, Regina has been diagnosed with stage four cancer in her pelvic region, Brian said. And she needs some financial help for her care and hopeful cure.

It’s an all too common healthcare problem that Regina is experiencing, Brian said. In financial straits, “she has straight Medicaid but it does not pay for some of the cancer meds or treatments that could help cure this,” he said. “She will be starting radiation next week everyday for the next five weeks.”

And that begins yet another uncertain medical journey.

It all started in January of 2013 when Regina contracted an infection in a surgical wound after surgery for a broken ankle, her son said. “She has been in and out of the hospital with antibiotics (since 2013),” Brian said. “Then in Janury 2014 they had to remove the hardware because it was protruding from her leg.”

Blood clots had formed due to a lack of movement, he said, and after a some bouts with that issue, she ended up with stage one endometrial cancer. After complications from that, Regina ended up having a hysterectomy, the prognosis being a good one. Cancer had been removed and she did not require any follow-up chemotherapy or radiation, according to Brian.

That was in April of 2014.

But, as of March of this year, Regina found herself facing the worst of her medical dilemmas — the stage four cancerous mass was found in her pelvic area.

“I am trying to raise money to get her the best treatment and care possible to get rid of this cancer hopefully this time,” Brian said.

So, he set up a page on GoFundMe to help offset medical costs not covered by Medicaid and fund alternative treatments that Brian says could be explored and possibly help, but for which she does not qualify through Medicaid.

After a period of hospitalization, Brian said that Regina is being discharged Monday and headed back into rehab at Liberty Royal in Tinton Falls.

While they no longer live in Fair Haven, Regina had lived in the borough for 42 years, again, having been brought up there. Brian, also raised in the borough, spent 18 years of his life there.

While the two live in Ocean now and have for the past 12 years, Brian has volunteered at the Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair for 16 years, as Fair Haven holds a special place in his and his mother’s hearts.

 

Any help with his mom’s plight at this point, said Brian, would be “greatly appreciated.”

You may contribute to the cause by going to the Regina Lamberson Allison GoFundMe page by clicking here.

Local Life

Red Bank Car Show Classics

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If you made it to the classic car show in Red Bank on Sunday — sponsored by Liberty Hose Fire Company in memory of Bob Holiday — you likely saw the cars featured above.

They, an orange Dodge Super Bee and a Challenger, are owned by Bob’s son Joseph. In fact, if you live in the area, it’s likely you’ve seen the cars around. They’re difficult to miss. Though we’re told that the orange color choice is a popular one for the Dodges.

The reason: it’s a new version of color dubbed Hemi Orange that was popular in the 1960’s and 70’s, a Charger owner and car enthusiast tells us.

Nonetheless, former longtime Fair Havenite and RFH grad Troy Brandon caught up with “Joey” at the show and grabbed a pic of the Dodges along with a Camaro owned by Brian Penta of Tinton Falls.

Of course, he included a photo of a Liberty Hose fire truck.

Thanks to Troy Brandon for the photos! Which was your favorite classic at the show?

Local Life

A Retro Happy Birthday to Former Fair Havenite Ann Mauger

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Former Fair Havenite Ann Mauger in the late 1940s Photo/courtesy of Peter Mauger
Former Fair Havenite Ann Mauger in the late 1940s
Photo/courtesy of Peter Mauger

Former longtime Fair Havenite Ann Mauger turned 88 on Friday, June 10.

So, to honor the birthday girl, who lived in Fair Haven for 28 years, from 1957 to 1985, the Retro Pic of the Day is a snapshot of her in the late 1940s, provided by her son, Peter. The photo was taken in Plainfield, a few years before she moved to Fair Haven and raised her family there.

Check out the car with the wood side panels. Do you know what make and model it is?

How about some memories of a Fair Haven mom in the 1960s to ’80s — Mrs. Mauger?

Happy Birthday, Mrs. Mauger!

Arts & Entertainment, Local Life

The R-FH Area Weekend: Concert, Shakespeare, Poppins & Cars

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The sun is out and it looks like it’s going to be shining for the much less humid weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

And the weekend events are the perfect complement to the weather forecast.

Friday

• Hanga Loose Fridays continue at Umberto’s. Come and “hanga loose” in the back room of the restaurant on River Road in honor of Silvio Fabbri’s memory.

Stop by any time after 7 p.m.

• And, guess what? It’s time for the first Concert at the Fair Haven Dock tonight at 7:30 p.m.

The concert tonight features The Lads and is, of course, free at the dock at the foot of Fair Haven Road on the Navesink.

See you there!

• For theatergoers, Shakespeare in the park at Brookdale opens tonight.

Curtain (or something like that) for Titus Andronicus is 7 p.m. on the Great Lawn of Brookdale Community College’s campus in the Lincroft section of Middletown. Head to Parking Lot 2 and bring chairs.

For more information, call 732-224-2411.

• Phoenix Productions’ summer musical Mary Poppins is playing the weekend starting with a curtain at 8 p.m. tonight at the Count Basie Theatre.

Call 732-842-9000 for more information.

Saturday

• St. George’s-by-the-River Episcopal Church in Rumson is holding services on the beach on Saturdays for the summer.

The services will be held at 5:30 p.m. at Ancorage beach in Sea Bright, right over the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge (to the left coming from the Rumson direction).

Call 732-842-0596 for more information.

• Titus Andronicus curtain is 7 p.m. on the Great Lawn at Brookdale. See above post for more information.

• Curtain for Phoenix Productions’ Mary Poppins is 7 p.m. See above for more information.

Sunday

• Don’t forget the Red Bank Farmers Market at the Galleria parking lot from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lots of organic produce, baked goods, coffee, crafts and more.

• It’s car show season and the Red Bank firefighters from Liberty Hose are hosting their annual classic car show in the White Street parking lot from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Matinee curtain for Phoenix Productions’ Mary Poppins at the Count Basie Theatre is 3 p.m.

 

 

Schools Scene

A Special Year’s End RFH Bio Lesson for Deane-Porter Students

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When AP Biology students at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) thought outside the box recently, they created a winning situation for all involved.

Faced with the task of completing an end-of-year project, the students embraced a novel idea suggested by their teacher Valerie Kilar — to share what they had learned with students in kindergarten through third grade at nearby Deane-Porter School in Rumson.

“My six-year-old daughter Madelyn is a student at Deane-Porter, and she enjoys attending events at the high school with me and interacting with the ‘big’ kids,” said Kilar. “Since the end-of-year project should be something fun and meaningful, I thought it would be perfect if my students created science books and taught lessons to the students at Deane-Porter.”

Kilar contacted Madelyn’s Kindergarten teacher, Gina Varanelli, about organizing the visit. Varanelli worked out the logistics and connected Kilar with other teachers at the school.

The RFH students worked in groups to create lesson plans and produce books describing scientific terms and processes in a way that could be comprehended by elementary school students.

The participating RFH students and their assignments …

• Jack Luby and Jackson Reid – Venus Fly Trap, Shellie Miller’s kindergarten class
• Willie Freeman – Litter/Pollution, Brooke Huff’s kindergarten class
• Oliver Heins, Ted Schroeder, and Chris Tuttle – Butterfly Metamorphosis, Sara Stanziola’s kindergarten class
• Jen Andreacchi – Biomes, Karen Newman’s Kindergarten Class
• Robin Green and Emma Paulus – Symbiosis, Gina Varanelli’s kindergarten class
• Charlotte Miller and Fini Satzke – Genetic Traits, Carissa Azzaro’s first grade class
• Abigael Donohue and Olivia Rosenberg – Clouds, Bridget Albrizio’s second grade class
• Jessica Browne and Jackie Kho – Food Chains, Keri Lecorchick’s second grade class
• Shea Davis and Sean Dunphy – Astronomy, Colleen Henrikson’s second grade class
• Tristan Kilper, Noah Tucker, and Brianna Worobel – Water Cycle, Ken Grasso’s second grade class
• Clara Eskwitt – Levels of the Ocean, Jill Cox’s third grade class
• Katherine Hill, Megan Klem, and Campbell Lee – Challenges for Living Things, Megan Manney’s third grade class

Kilar hopes to make the event an annual collaboration.

“I am proud of all the thought and creativity the RFH students put into their children’s books and lessons,” said Kilar.

— Rumson School District press release

From the Meeting Room, News

Names in Fair Haven News

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There are some familiar and new faces and names in Fair Haven borough business.

At last Monday’s Borough Council meeting, a Special Law Enforcement Officer Class I was promoted to Class II in the Fair Haven Police Department, a new full-time laborer was hired for a probationary period in the borough’s Department of  Public Works and part-time seasonal laborer was brought into the same department.

By resolution, Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge recommended that Michael Volker be appointed to Special Law Enforcement Officer Class II.

The recommendation came along with a request, via resolution, to appoint a Special Law Enforcement Officer Class I to fill the spot vacated by Volker in his promotion.

Volker is filling the Special Class II spot left open when Robert Henne Jr., who passed away in March, was posthumously promoted to patrolman in the department.

The appointment of an as of yet unnamed Class I officer will become effective July 15.

Volker, a Fair Haven resident, is a Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School graduate. He is also a graduate of the Academy of Law and Public Safety, Long Branch.

His rate of pay for the Class II position is $16.75 per hour.

In Public Works, Matthew Rosenstreich was hired, via resolution, as a full-time laborer.

Rosenstreich, whose hiring is now in the probationary period, will earn an annual salary of $30,043.99.

The position was advertised on the borough’s and League of Municipalities’ website. Rosenstreich, who was deemed to best suit its qualifications, was interviewed by both the borough administrator, Theresa Casagrande and Richard Gardella, director of the borough’s Department of Engineering and Public Works.

Also hired as a part-time seasonal laborer in Public Works was Patrick Anderson, according to the resolution.

Anderson’s hours are not to exceed those of a part-time employee, according to the resolution, and his rate of pay is $11 per hour.

 — Elaine Van Develde