Category Archives: News

Find all the local news updates here

Focus: Rich Chandler’s Fair Haven Goodbye

The picture of his childhood friend caught his eye. Among the cozy chatter of old friends and family, he left the conversation at the table staring, transfixed for a brief moment. The sudden silence in his own head overcame him, welled up a bit in his eyes as he moved toward the picture of his old friend that seemed to call to him.

Continue reading Focus: Rich Chandler’s Fair Haven Goodbye

Retro Hippie Hill Hunt Scene

It’s that time the year again when thoughts of old-time Hunt times come flooding back for many Rumson-Fair Haven area folks. There may still be a Hunt, but not this one. So, we are offering a glimpse back to the days of the Haskell Hunt from a non-tailgating vantage point with a reprise of the following Retro Pic(s) of the Day piece originally posted on Oct. 20, 2017 … 

The hunt for more Hunt photos ensued and the find was a treasure trove of glimpses at the happening scene up on hip, hip Hippie Hill. RFH grad and Hippie Hill frequenter Bird Jensen reminded us last year that the last weekend in October “would’ve been the weekend we’d all gather at Hippie Hill.” 

Fair Havenite Tom Bull’s description of The Hunt to “outsiders” has quickly become a classic: “I used to explain to people how it was a cross between a Grateful Dead concert and a Grey Poupon commercial.”

The elegant tailgating part shown in previous years would be the Grey Poupon commercial aspect. We will reprise that next. Hippie Hill is the Grateful Dead concert side — or so it would naturally seem.

So, here’s the Dead concert — or, perhaps, a little Lennon soirée …

It was probably the late 1970s. These peacefully assembled cool long hairs and renegades likely snuck into the Haskell Hunt through the fence and onto that infamous hill on ol Amory Haskell’s elegant estate. Call them musicians, concertgoers and peace pipe tokers, if you will.

Continue reading Retro Hippie Hill Hunt Scene

Living the Dream: A Native Fair Havenite’s Navesink Love Story

“My peace-and-quiet maker. My trusted secret keeper. My adventure sharer.
My Navesink.”

Judy Goddard
My Navesink (left) and Judy & Tom Goddard (right) at the RFH Class of ’78 reunion in 2018 with classmate Alex Christie … Photo/Elaine Van Develde

Judy Russell Goddard is in love. And the native Fair Havenite has a story to show and tell all about her lifetime love affair.

Continue reading Living the Dream: A Native Fair Havenite’s Navesink Love Story

Scene Around: RFH Marching Band, Color Guard Show Goes On

The pandemic didn’t stop the show. The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Marching Band and Color Guard marched, twirled and played on at Friday night’s first RFH Football game. And the show was winning, by all accounts, just like the team.

Continue reading Scene Around: RFH Marching Band, Color Guard Show Goes On

Retro RFH Soccer Kicks: From Snapshots to Livestream

You could say that some RFH friends and fans really get a kick out of soccer. And, it’s a special kind of kick this season — the kind that boots a little cheer into pandemic times.

The whistle was blown and they let the games begin last week. And on Thursday there are both boys’ and girls’ team games to be played in addition to a full season.

Continue reading Retro RFH Soccer Kicks: From Snapshots to Livestream

Retro RFH Band Plays the Field Time

RFH Marching Band circa 1970s
Photo/RFH Yearbook

Cheers! A reprise from 2016 in honor of a different kind of season during which, according to RFH posts, the band plays on …

It’s that time of the year. It’s football season — a pandemic season, at that. And that means it’s also time for the RFH Marching Band to play the field, too. They’ve been talking about practice on Twitter and they’re taking their marching orders well.

Continue reading Retro RFH Band Plays the Field Time

Scene Around: Fisk Chapel’s Community Spirited Dress-Up

The call came for neighbors, friends, paint brushes, scrapers, masks and soaring helping spirits. That call was heeded over the weekend at the Fisk Chapel AME Church in Fair Haven as many showed to get the church with historic roots dressed up in its Sunday best.

Continue reading Scene Around: Fisk Chapel’s Community Spirited Dress-Up

Clipped Perspective: A 60s R-FH Area Back-to-School Era

It’s a different kind of back-to-school week this pandemic-affected school year. That’s for sure. Students were back to school, part virtually and part in the classroom or outdoor class, in the Rumson-Fair Haven area this week. Those classic first day of school shots were plastered all over Facebook.

Continue reading Clipped Perspective: A 60s R-FH Area Back-to-School Era

Retro First Day of School, First Friend & The Rope

Our annual reprise about that first day of school and walking the rope in Fair Haven is dedicated to the memory of Pam Young, my first friend and Fair Haven neighbor. Pam passed away on July 7 at 60. The memories of her are forever etched in my heart. No one ever forgets their first friend, first neighbor. All the firsts with that special first are indelible. Thank you for knocking on my door that first day and asking if I could come out and play. I will never understand why that lady wouldn’t let us walk together on the rope … I also never forgot. Not a thing …

“But I don’t wanna walk on the rope next to her!” I cried from under my fresh-cut kindergarten bangs. “I wanna walk on the rope next to Pam!”

Pam was my neighbor. She was my best buddy. It was 1965.

Continue reading Retro First Day of School, First Friend & The Rope

Locals’ Summer: Fishy River Kid Reflection

315A13B5-943C-40F5-8696-48A3D4C7C875
Aperture: 2
Camera: iPhone 11
Iso: 32
« of 14 »

There’s something fragrantly fishy about quiet river time frolicking among childhood friends down by the Fair Haven Dock.

It’s a common, soothing sight to see — a gaggle of kids clamoring around a fishing net, exploring a good catch. Of course, they throw the little fish right back in as the tide rolls out. After all, it’s the bonding down by the river that counts most.

Home. The solace of the scene. This is it for them. For many. The bright sun dancing with a simple, happy time. The sound of lapping water peppered by giggles and gasps over a few fish wiggles, seaweed and shells. The sand between the toes. The home in the heart made to keep kid memories.

Take a look … Remember? (CLICK on one photo to enlarge and scroll. Enjoy!)