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Iron Cowboy Hits Fair Haven

Iron Cowboy Photo/Ben Lucarelli

 

They call him the Ironman Cowboy. He’s the triathlete named James Lawrence who is going for a record of 50 distances in 50 states in 50 days.

Independence Day marks the 29th day of the Utah man’s quest. He’s already a Guiness World

He was on Sandy Hook. He was in Fair Haven at about 10:45 a.m. and he’ll be wrapping things up on his Jersey tour with a 5K run in Sea Bright at 7 p.m.

Fair Haven Mayor Ben Lucarelli caught up with him today. Check out the photo above.

Retro Patriotism in Sandy’s Aftermath

Sea Bright storefront patriotism in Hurricane Sandy's aftermath Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Sea Bright storefront patriotism in Hurricane Sandy’s aftermath
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

It’s the Fourth of July weekend and patriotism is in the air.

Flags are flying and the red, white and blue color theme is abundant. The same held true as people banded together in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Flags few amid a lot of wreckage.

Here’s one of them in our Retro Pic of the Day.

Remember this scene in downtown Sea Bright?

Retro Fair Haven Kindergarten: The Kids and the Classroom

Fair Haven afternoon Kindergarten Class of 1965 ... There! I said it!
Fair Haven afternoon Kindergarten Class of 1965 … There! I said it!

With all this talk about the little tykes transitioning from third to fourth grade, school being out for summer and, well, of course, graduation, there’s one milestone that’s been left out — kindergarten.

Back in the day — OK, waaaaay back in the day — there was a third school in Fair Haven for kindergarten. It was the Youth Center. People now know it better as the Fair Haven Police Station and by its newly adopted name that hasn’t quite caught on yet, and may never for us “older” folks still in town — Fair Haven Community Center. Phooey to that. Some things just need to keep a name for nostalgic purposes alone.

Continue reading Retro Fair Haven Kindergarten: The Kids and the Classroom

Fair Haven Schools’ Transition Tradition: Third to Fourth Grade

It’s a tradition. The Fair Haven School District celebrates the transition of students from third to fourth grade — from Viola L. Sickles to Knollwood School.

This year was no exception. It happened on June 11 and here’s how it went:

Teachers and students from Viola L. Sickles School cheered from the sidelines on Willow Street as the third graders began their journey on bicycles and the big red trolley.

Escorted by members of the Fair Haven School District staff and administration, as well as eighth-grade peer leaders, the students headed toward Knollwood School on Hance Road. They were greeted along the way by many well-wishers holding signs and shouting encouragement.

“I love seeing all of the students begin their transition to a new school, just as I did when I was a third grader,” Knollwood School Peer Leader Grace Geiger said.

At Knollwood School the third graders attended a brief assembly hosted by Principal Kevin Davis, learned about the school’s music program, and were given a tour by the eighth grade Peer Leaders.

“This is such a wonderful tradition,” said Davis. “It’s always so much fun to greet the incoming students at Sickles School and bring them over to Knollwood.”

— Fair Haven School District press release

Former Fair Haven Mayor, ABC Director Joins Genova Burns Legal Firm

Former Fair Haven Mayor Michael Halfacre has a new job; and, there’s nothing controversial about the fact that he resigned from an appointed, high profile state position before signing on to the private sector post, he told Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect a couple of weeks ago at Fair Haven Day.

Halfacre announced he would be bowing out as director of the NJ Division of Acoholic Beverage Control (ABC) in the state Attorney General’s Office not too long  before making the announcement that he had joined Genova Burns LLC law firm as a member of its Commercial Real Estate & Redevelopment and Business Law & Commercial Transactions Practice Groups effective today, July 1, a release from Genova Burns said. He will also be available for consultation to the firm’s Craft Beer, Spirits & Alcohol Law Practice Group, a new branch of the firm, it added.

The Gov. Chris Christie administration-appointed public sector job with the ABC, the lifelong Fair Havenite added, was an opportunity to serve the public that he was honored to have had. He just made a decision to move on, he said, nothing more. “It’s all good,” Halfacre said casually on the subject, before revealing his next career move.

Of his new job, he said in a released statement that he was “honored to join this prestigious law firm. I was basically a small-town attorney before joining the Attorney General’s Office (under which the ABC is run) as head of the ABC, and I am thrilled to join a firm with the prestige and regional presence of Genova Burns.”

Michael Halfacre at Fair Haven Day 2015  Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Michael Halfacre at Fair Haven Day 2015
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

Halfacre stepped as mayor of Fair Haven in his second term to accept the ABC appointment. He had been mayor since 2006. Prior to the ABC position, he worked ion the private sector as a commercial real estate attorney specializing in transactions, including sales and refinance of commercial real estate and transfers of ABC licenses, the release said.

“Michael’s experience running the ABC these past three years makes him an excellent choice to offer counsel to the firm’s newly formed Craft Beer, Spirits & Alcohol Law practice group,” said Managing Partner Brian W. Kronick. “Genova Burns occupies a niche at the nexus of business, law and government. Michael’s background, experience and knowledge of top business people around the state is a perfect fit.”

 

 

Looking Back at Fair Haven Students’ Honors for 2014-15

 

Students in the Fair Haven School District achieved several distinctions in the 2014-15 school year; and, they were recognized for all by the Board of Education.

The accomplishments were all outlined in an early June ceremony by Superintendent Nelson Ribon and Knollwood School Principal Kevin Davis with a little pizza party on the side.

Continue reading Looking Back at Fair Haven Students’ Honors for 2014-15

Retro RFH Graduation Venues

It’s a relatively new tradition for RFH to have its graduation at Monmouth University.

The venue is large. It’s where many of the high schools with larger graduating classes, by sheer virtue of population, have held graduations — mostly out of a need for more room. Middletown, which has two large public high schools, has held its graduations at Monmouth. And, before that, the PNC Bank Arts Center amphitheater in Holmdel. And some high schools have their graduations at Brookdale.

Continue reading Retro RFH Graduation Venues

Retro Knollwood, Forrestdale Graduation Moments

It’s been just a little more than a week since the students of Rumson and Fair Haven’s middle schools, Knollwood and Forrestdale, took their graduation walks in more ways than one.

From the traditional walk from Knollwood to Sickles School, symbolizing the end of an era and many milestones made, to lining the halls of their new high school, the middle school students marked a time for moving on to their teen years in high school.

It’s a symbolic time. One that those who grow up in the area tend to never forget — well, unless wish you’d forget it, because you wore a really ugly yellow dress and your hair was particularly frizzy that night.  Ahem. I digress.

The walk, either way, either to Pomp and Circumstance, down Third Street in Fair Haven, through the halls of RFH or all, it’s a walk toward the future.

Good luck to the Knollwood and Forrestdale grads! Embrace the future with passion and purpose!

Check out our Retro Pic of the Day slideshow capturing some of those moments. Thanks to the following parents for the photos: Paige McCann, Erin, Elizabeth Sullivan, LuAnn Hughes, Doug Borden and Madelyne Valko.

The R-FH Area Weekend: St. Mary’s Fair, ‘Mame’ & More

Well, the weather forecast for the weekend is not looking so great.

The National Weather Service, as of now, says there’s a 100 percent chance of rain on Saturday in the area.

So, that in mind, here are some fun indoor times for the weekend …

Continue reading The R-FH Area Weekend: St. Mary’s Fair, ‘Mame’ & More