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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.
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!
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!”
She won!
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School senior Julia Mosby on Wednesday night won as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama at the 10th Annual Basie Awards.
The awards celebrate the talent of Monmouth County high school students in various categories.
RFH was nominated for a total of 11 awards. Mosby was nominated for two: Outstanding Supporting Actress in both the Drama and Musical categories.
She won for her supporting role in the high school’s fall production of Miracle on 34th Street.
So, in our Retro Pic of the Day, we take you back to the closing day performance of that show with a photo of Mosby and friend Ben Ley, also an RFH grad, after the final performance.
Congrats, Julia!
No one knows quite when yet, but Rumson’s iconic Butler’s is coming back soon.
The signs are up and the word on the deli’s Facebook page is that it will be any day now when fans will be able to once again, sit and chat on the Adirondacks outside and have any one of the sandwiches, from breakfast to lunch, for which the place has earned its high foodie and social place in Rumson history.
Owner Paul Stout says on the Facebook page that the coffee is brewing and so are some all-time favorites over which townies are still singing songs of tribulation.
Yes, Stout said on the Facebook page, the famous corn chowder will return. So will the chicken salad. Of course, the yummy lobster salad was mentioned as well.
We, at Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect, have made Butler’s our standard stop since high school days back in the 1970s and through the years after.
It has never disappointed. Fabulous bread always, our favorite, in addition to that lobster salad, was always a roast beef sub with pepperoni and provolone. The works, please!
Can’t wait. We will be there!
Just a side note that Butler’s is now Butler’s Market, rather than Butler’s Deli. No mind, all will be there!
What’s your favorite Butler’s sandwich?
The following is a press release from the Rumson School District:
The Rumson School District has honored two as Teachers of the Year.
Holly Nixon and Lori Zucker were awarded the distinction, among many accolades from the Board of Education, friends, family and colleagues at the April 29 meeting.
“My goal is to bring excitement, curiosity, and enthusiasm to my classroom, and to foster an environment in which students have a joy in learning,” said Nixon, a first grade teacher at Deane-Porter School. “I am dedicated to giving my students an innovative education while above all helping to ensure their well-being, success, and growth.”
“I believe that teaching is one of the most fulfilling professions, and teaching at Forrestdale is a privilege and a pleasure,” said Zucker, an eighth grade English Language Arts teacher. “I love coming to work every day.”
Board President Colleen O’ Connor spoke of the many positive attributes displayed by both Nixon and Zucker, and the ways in which their students benefit.
“They are recognized as special teachers who build strong relationships with their students,” she said, “And they create a productive learning atmosphere where students are recognized and valued.”
Video tributes featuring students and colleagues were created for Nixon and Zucker, and shown at the meeting. Nixon was described as, among other things, “kind” and “caring.” Among the words used to describe Zucker were “warm-hearted” and “joyful.”
Nixon has taught at both Deane-Porter (Pre-K to 3rd grade) and Forrestdale (4th through 8th grade) Schools during her 14 years with the Rumson School District. She received her undergraduate degree from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts and attained her M. Ed. from Kean University in Union, New Jersey. A mother of four, she has been a resident of Rumson for the past 22 years.
“If you want to see patience in action, go see Mrs. Nixon,” said Deane-Porter School Principal Shari Feeney. “She is able to reach students in various ways because she is committed to them – and they know it.
“Mrs. Nixon sees tomorrow in her children’s eyes.”
Zucker has been teaching at Forrestdale School for 10 years. She received her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and her M. Ed. from Teachers College/Columbia University in New York City. She began her teaching career at John Adams Elementary School in North Brunswick, New Jersey, and spent 10 years working in educational publishing before returning to the classroom.
“Mrs. Zucker is a respectful, reliable, and dynamic member of our eighth grade team, and is inspirational in so many ways” said Forrestdale School Assistant Principal Amy Romano. “She has a calling in her life, and has mastered the art of being firm yet fair while teaching her students to strive for excellence.”
“She does not work for accolades, but to enrich children’s lives.”
Nixon lives in Rumson with her husband Jeff and their children, Jessica, Amy, Allison, and Gregory, who attended grade school in the Rumson school district.
Zucker lives in Oakhurst with her husband Sam, children Annie and Daniel, nephew Keala, and dog Ziggy.
By Elaine Van Develde
Curtain up! Light the lights! Tonight’s the night Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) senior Julia Mosby is set to hit the heights as she competes with the area’s high school talent for two Outstanding Supporting Actress wins at the Basie Awards.
With RFH up for a total of 11 awards at the annual ceremony, Mosby is the only RFH actress nominated, and in both the drama and musical branches of the Outstanding Supporting Actress category.
Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect caught up with Mosby recently at a Rumson gathering.
Headed to Princeton in the fall, she’s a lover of the old time Broadway greats, many of whom her generation doesn’t recall. She has a great deal of respect for her craft and those who embodied stage presence and originality in characterization back in the day and it is her goal to emulate that.
She’s not a fan of any typical sound in musical voice or cookie cutter acting method.
What part would she love to play? Reno Sweeny in Anything Goes.
Mosby, for her role in RFH’s Miracle on 34th Street, is competing for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama with: Emily Esposito, Matawan Regional High School, Cocktails with Mimi; Laura Diorio, Middletown High School South, A Diamond as Big as the Ritz; Emily Mitro, Shore Regional High School, Lend Me a Tenor; Amanda Spina, St. John Vianney High School, 3 One Acts.
In the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical, Mosby, who was Frau Blucher in RFH’s Young Frankenstein is competing with: Joelle Rosen, Long Branch High School, A Chorus Line; Rachel Calvosa, Freehold High School, The Addams Family; Julia Crean, Ocean Township High School, The Addams Family; Eliana Swartz, Red Bank Regional High School, Anything Goes; Alysa Finnegan, Mater Dei Prep, Curtains.
Break a leg, Julia and all the other competitors!
Here’s Holy Cross Church. Here’s its steeple. Open the doors … Well, not quite yet.
By the looks of things and according to the word around town, the Rumson church will be ready for its people (or parishioners) by the summer.
And it looks that way.
With the foundation of the 1885 church restoration/expansion blessed on Nov. 3, 2013, after the project broke ground that spring, construction was slated for completion by the end of 2014. While it has looked very close to finished for several months, a look back from its groundbreaking to now shows the progress and latest refinements.
The church project has been a contentious one from the start, tainted by the scandal of its leader in the early 2000s, Rev. Joseph Hughes, who pleaded guilty to embezzling millions from the church and its revamp fundraising coffers.
Then there were battles over the size of the expansion of what was a small, white-shingled 1885 church the expansion of which is being tailored to recreate the original design of Charles Keely.
For fundraising sponsorship offers, check out the church’s website by clicking here.
— Photos and story/Elaine Van Develde
You see him in every parade, at just about every event around town and always ready to lend a hand with a smile, respectful nod and gentlemanly demeanor.
He is lifetime Fair Havenite Ray Taylor and he has been unanimously nominated for Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect’s Retro Pic of the Day featuring good neighbors.
The veteran of World War II and the Korean War is in his 90s and has nothing but love for his hometown and its people.
Whenever he gets the chance, Taylor lets people know that he remembers those in the community who were pillars without pretense — good neighbors, volunteers and friends. He talks about them, offers his anecdotes on what each gave to the town he loves and encourages others to never forget, but to emulate them.
Teary eyed, he told children at the Veterans Day service in Fair Haven a couple of years ago that they are the future and that they should learn right away to “do your best for our beautiful community. I was raised here; and, if i die, I’ll die here.”
Thanks, Ray Taylor, for being a community role model and a good neighbor to all.
It happened on schedule. The new $21.9 million West Front Street (or Hubbard’s) Bridge opened just in time for Memorial Day on Monday, but work will continue.
The old, temporary bridge will be removed; and, with that, finishing touches on the bridge approaches and amenities will be wrapped up within a year or so, Monmouth County officials said in a release.
It’s curtain up on the 10th Annual Basie Awards on Wednesday and Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School’s (RFH) directors, actors, musicians and techies have already gotten a standing ovation in nominations.
Among its 11 nominations, RFH is up for Outstanding Overall Production in both the Drama and Musical categories for its Miracle on 34th Street and Young Frankenstein. In the acting categories, senior Julia Mosby also garnered nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in both the drama and musical categories for her roles in Miracle on 34th Street and Young Frankenstein.
RFH was also nominated for:
• Outstanding Set/Scenic Design in a Drama, Miracle on 34th Street, Matthew Leddin;
• Outstanding Lighting Design in a Drama, Miracle on 34th Street, Matthew Leddin;
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama, Julia Mosby, Miracle on 34th Street;
• Outstanding Direction in a Drama, Suzanne Sweeney, Miracle on 34th Street;
• Outstanding Overall Production – Drama, Miracle on 34th Street, Suzanne Sweeney;
• Outstanding Set/Scenic Design in a Musical, Young Frankenstein, Matthew Leddin;
• Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical, Young Frankenstein, Matthew Leddin;
• Outstanding Student/Adult Orchestra, Young Frankenstein, Vincent Mottern;
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical, Julia Mosby, Young Frankenstein;
• Outstanding Direction in a Musical, Suzanne Sweeney, Young Frankenstein;
• Outstanding Overall Musical Production, Suzanne Sweeney, Young Frankenstein.
Since 2005, the Basie Awards have served as a means to honor excellence in Monmouth County high school productions and performances.
The 2015 awards will be presented at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank on Wednesday night.
The three Count Basie Theatre Arts Impacts scholarships to be awarded to “high school seniors whose life, academic and career choice has been impacted by the arts” will also be announced at the ceremony: the Monmouth Medical Center/Barnabas Health Arts Impact Scholarship, the Monmouth County Freeholders’ Basie Scholarship for Continuing Education and the Moser-Taboada Arts Impact Scholarship.
For the full list of this year’s Basie Awards nominations, click here.
This Sea Bright Farmers Market butter, cheese and probiotic comes to you straight from the cow’s utters — the grass-fed cow’s.
That’s the scoop Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect got from Chris Stoner of Central Valley Farm.
“Yes, that’s my real name,” she said while explaining the makings of some special farm fresh products her farm sells at the market on Thursdays. “People always joke around with me and say, ‘What, exactly is it that you’re growing on that farm?'”
The truth, she said, is that they’re growing lots of vegetables and herbs, harvesting eggs from the chickens, and milking the grass-fed cows at least twice a day. And that organic milk is then churned into butter and turned into cheese, probiotic shakes and fruity treats.
“Yes, the butter, cheeses and shakes come right from the cow,” Stoner said. “Totally organic. Very yummy.”
The farm offers several different types of cheese, such as gouda, dill cheese cubes, ricotta, and the favorite, Jersey Cheese, is a soft, mild cheddar, she said.
We tried the farm fresh butter. It is a creamy organic dream. And it will, yes, melt in your mouth. We’re now convinced that there’s nothing better than fresh butter.
It’s not salty. “We use about a pinch of salt per four pounds, so if you like it a little saltier, you should add some on your own,” Stoner said.
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