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Local Life

The R-FH Area Weekend: Riverfest, Yard Sale, Farmers Market & Spy House Tour

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The weather is cooling down a bit for the weekend, and just in time for some waterfront and inland events in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

It all starts Friday night with the annual return of Riverfest at Marine Park in Red Bank.

The classic waterfront event starts at 5 p.m. and features the usual craft/artisan booths, food from a host of favorite restaurants, drink, river rides, live music, kiddie rides and more.

Friday’s Riverfest is scheduled to end at 10 p.m.

Then, on Saturday …

• There’s more Riverfest fun at Marine Park in Red Bank from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.;

• It’s time for Shrewsbury Borough’s town wide yard sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with maps available by clicking here.

And on Sunday …

• It’s that time again. Time to hit the Red Bank Farmers Market in the Galleria parking lot from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The market features the usual locally-grown produce, crafters, baked goods, coffee, Cinnamon Snail vegan food truck and more;

• And if you want to spend some time by the water and take in a little history, there are tours of the historic Seabrook-Wilson House, otherwise known as The Spy House, over at Bayshore Waterfront Park in Middletown’s Port Monmouth section from 1 to 4 p.m.

Local Life, Opinion

Retro Good Neighbor Ray Miller

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Ray Miller, the owner of the former Fair Haven Esso/Exxon passed away recently.

So, Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect is honoring him as the Retro Pic (Slideshow) of the Day honoring good neighbors.

While he was known for his iconic caring curmudgeon-like personality, when Ray Miller smiled, it was real and he meant it.

Continue reading Retro Good Neighbor Ray Miller →

Schools Scene

Fair Haven Students’ Earth Day Contribution

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Reduce, reuse, and recycle.

They’re standard procedures at Viola L. Sickles and Knollwood schools in Fair Haven, but especially so when the students and staff are commemorating Earth Day — the day earmarked to honor the environment.

Fair Haven students were asked to reuse and recycle by donating their used books to the Book Recycling Project at Sickles School and the Student Council Book Drive at Knollwood School.

Continue reading Fair Haven Students’ Earth Day Contribution →

Local Life

A Rumson Memorial Day

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It was a day of remembrance, honor and celebration — Memorial Day 2015 in Rumson.

The day began with a parade which ended in Victory Park. There, vets, friends, family and locals gathered to pay homage to those who died in service to their country.

Take a look at the above slideshow for a glimpse into the day. Don’t forget to click the bottom right icon to enlarge. Enjoy!

Local Life

Block Party Happiness in Fair Haven

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Memorial Day weekend signals the start of summer and … block parties in Rumson-Fair Haven area towns.

Well, the folks on Parker Avenue in Fair Haven kicked off the season with some festive block partying on Saturday.

Take a look at the above slideshow for a glimpse into some fun on a street full of oldies, second and third generation residents and newbies who say they moved there because of the longstanding appeal of the neighborhood where tradition is treasured.

Local Life

R-FH Area Memorial Day Events

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Monday is Memorial Day. It is not just a barbecue day, or the signal to the unofficial start of summer. It is a day of remembrance to those United States war veterans who have died in service to their country.

In the Rumson-Fair Haven area, many veterans of World War II, the Korean War and Viet Nam are still alive. They, community, family and friends gather annually on this day to pay homage to those whose lives were sacrificed in war.

Continue reading R-FH Area Memorial Day Events →

Local Life

A Retro Happy Birthday to Fair Haven’s Al Robbins

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Longtime Fair Havenite Al Robbins delivering fuel to Ray Miller's Esso station on River Road circa 1950s Photo/courtesy of Kathy Robbins
Longtime Fair Havenite Al Robbins delivering fuel to Ray Miller’s Esso station on River Road circa 1950s
Photo/courtesy of Kathy Robbins

Today would be former Fair Havenite and Fair Haven Fire Company member Al Robbins’ 96th birthday, so his daughter Kathy tells Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect.

So, to honor the longtime Fair Havenite and volunteer, we honor him in our Retro Pic of the Day.

According to his daughter, Kathy, the retro pic above is of Al delivering gas to Ray Miller’s Esso station on River Road back in the 1950s.

Al had a nickname: Baggie. Know why? Well, daughter Kathy says it’s because he was a kid, about 7 years old, when he started caddying at Rumson Country Club. Of course, he was tiny, so, she says, “all you could see when he caddied was the bag.”

This editor remembers Al from time with her family. The whole family was lots of fun. And, true to form in remembrance of Memorial Days past, a bunch of us, including the Robbins family, used to go camping every Memorial Day weekend in Pennsylvania Dutch Country at Oak Creek Camp.

Precious memories! Thanks for all you did for the community and this one child’s life memories. You were a good friend to all, Al Robbins! Oh, and Happy Birthday!

Arts & Entertainment, Schools Scene

Getting All Jazzy at RFH

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The following is an edited press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School:

If you didn’t get a chance to attend, now’s the time to find out how hard work, creativity, and abundant talent were driving forces behind the performances at the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Jazz Combo and Vocal Concert.

A variety of musical selections were presented by RFH jazz musicians and vocalists on the evening of May 18 in the high school’s auditorium.

Continue reading Getting All Jazzy at RFH →

Local Life, News

Woody’s Win: Sea Bright Rising’s Chris Wood & His Telly Award

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Woody’s Ocean Grille owner and Sea Bright Rising creator Chris Wood has earned a place in documentary history.

The Fair Havenite and Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School graduate won a Telly award for his part in a documentary on Sea Bright Rising and the non-profit’s partnership with the St. Bernard Project.

Wood, or Woody, as he is more widely recognized, thanked “Sean Moran, Viacom, MTV and VH1 for doing such a great job documenting Sea Bright Rising and our partnership with the St Bernard Project,” in a post on his Facebook wall about the award, which he said was a surprise to him on Thursday night.

Wood started Sea Bright Rising in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Surviving the storm better than most in Sea Bright, a small strip of a then near-flattened peninsula town, he and his head chef, Onofrio Moscato, started flipping burgers on a grill in the municipal lot next to the restaurant to feed whoever they could.

What started out as a bite to eat and a little comfort quickly turned into three meals a day, clothing, toiletries, incidentals, a U.S. Air Force tent under which cooking was done and then the National Guard rolled in on official duty to help. The effort grew to fundraising to fix Sandy-ravaged homes under the monicker of Sea Bright Rising.

To date, Sea Bright Rising has raised more than $1.3 million and distributed more than $1 million of it to 300 families and 18 businesses in Sea Bright, according to its website.

Congrats, Woody!

Arts & Entertainment, Schools Scene

All About Knollwood’s ‘James and the Giant Peach’

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The following is a press release from the Fair Haven School District:

If you didn’t get a chance to see the fourth and fifth grade Knollwood Drama Club’s recent production of James and the Giant Peach, here’s a look back:

Based on the book by Roald Dahl and adapted by Richard R. George, the production featured a cast of 36 students as well as a chorus of 16 and a troupe of 10 Cloud Dancers.

James and the Giant Peach tells the story of James Henry Trotter (Ryan-McCaskill-Schock), who lives with two horrid aunts named Spiker (Addie Cope) and Sponge (Anabelle Heinle). Poor James does not have any friends — until he meets the Old Green Grasshopper (Sophie Barabas) and the other insects taking up residence in a giant, magical peach. The group then sets off on an exciting adventure.

The production also featured Madeline Amper as Silkworm, Julia Coon as Earthworm, Kasey Hughes as Ladybug, Quinn McManus as Centipede, Nora Philips as Glowworm, and Sara Sullivan as Spider.

Scene Setters were Matthew Cruz and Ryan Giardino, and Sydney Gibson and Scott Gyimesi were James’s Mother and Father. Ben Durdack was featured as Old Man, and Vivianna Bermeo was the Captain.

Vanessa Lane and Emma Shaw were choreographers/head cloud dancers.

Thirty four students participated in the production as Ushers and also behind the scenes in backstage crew, makeup, set design, and technology crew.

James and the Giant Peach was directed by Viola L. Sickles School third grade teacher Morgan Bufano and Knollwood School fourth grade teacher Tammy Cappello.

The chorus was directed by Knollwood School music/chorus teacher Vince Mottern. Brian Ericson was tech director and Monica Caruso was the head of set design.

“Mrs. Bufano and Mrs. Cappello did an amazing job,” Knollwood School Principal Kevin Davis said. “The show was fantastic and the students were terrific.

“It was truly one of the best school performances I have ever seen!”