Tag Archives: Fair Haven

Elections, Schools Scene

The BOE Votes: Mancuso Loses FH Bid for Third Term

By Elaine Van Develde

Fair Haven Board of Education President Mark Mancuso has lost his bid for re-election, leaving contenders Bennett Coleman, Michelle Buckley and Charlie Jakub filling the three seats up for grabs on the nine-member board.

Mancuso first came to the board by filling an unexpired term five years ago. He will be finishing the end of his second full term on the dais by the year’s end.

The highest vote-getter in the election, which brought out 3,299 voters, was Coleman, with 847. Buckley garnered 655 votes and Jakub 632, according to the unofficial tallies of the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office.

Five vied for the three seats. In addition to Mancuso, Marisa Coar did not win her bid for election. She won 615 votes, or roughly 19 percent, while Mancuso had the least amount of votes cast on his ballot — 540, or about 16 percent.

There were 10 write-ins.

Rumson

The race for three board seats in the Rumson School District was uncontested.

Three ran for three seats.

With a total of 1,595 votes cast, John Connors got the highest number of votes, 533, or more than 33 percent. Charles ”Chuck” Jones III won 532, or just more than 33 percent. And Margaret Simons got 514 votes, or 32 percent, the vote tallies of the Clerk’s Office said.

There were 16 write-ins.

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School

With three seats up for grabs, only two incumbent candidates ran uncontested to fill them.

Lourdes Lucas and Sarah Maris (both representing Fair Haven) won new terms with 874 and 869 votes, respectively.

Teresa Liccardi, M.D., Rumson representative, did not seeking re-election.

So, there will be an empty seat to be filled.

There were 55 write-ins for that seat.

 

Elections, News

Fair Haven Votes: GOP Incumbents Keep Seats

By Elaine Van Develde

Republican incumbents kept their seats on Fair Haven Borough Council by a comfortable margin, with 2,339 votes cast, or more than half the estimated 4,000 registered voters in the borough.

With newcomer Democrat Shervyn von Hoerl vying for one of the two three-year governing body terms up for grabs, a win for him would have put a long-unprecedented two Democrats on the dais.

He did not succeed. The challenger, von Hoerl ended up with 621 votes, or nearly 27 percent of the vote.

The high vote-getter in the race was Councilman Eric Jaeger, with 876, or more than 37 percent.

Jaeger’s running mate Robert Marchese won his third term to council with 834 votes, or roughly 36 percent.

There were eight write-ins.

Fair Haven’s form of government is a Borough Council form. In this form of municipal government, there are six council members with three-year terms and a mayor with a four-year term.

While the mayor presides over meetings, he does not vote, unless to break a tie.

The mayor does, however, have veto power.

 

Local Life

R-FH Area Halloween Rules

Happy Halloween, R-FH area people!

Here are the rules for ghosting and ghouling tonight …

• Trick-or-treaters under 18 and not supervised by an adult must be off the roads by 8 p.m.;

• Never, ever go trick-or-treating alone;

• Exercise caution around strangers both on the street and at homes;

• Do not go inside homes;

• Do not eat candy until you get it home and it is inspected by parents;

• Wear a highly-visible or reflective costume, walk on sidewalks and walkways and carry a flashlight and cell phone.

The main message: Stay safe, stay out of trouble and have fun!

Happy Halloween!

Local Life

Rumson-Fair Haven Halloween Parading Pics for Purchase

Gallery

There was no tricking and a lot of treating going on Sunday when Rumson and Fair Haven both hosted annual Halloween festivities.

You’ve probably already seen the slideshow that tells the story, in photos set to music, of how it all started with a parade in Fair Haven that culminated with costume prizes, some socializing and snacks at the firehouse. Then, in Rumson kids of all ages paraded a short route from the front to the back of Forrestdale School where some costume judging and prizes ensued along with some carnival-type fun and games.

Here, we have made available any of the photos for purchase. Just click on the “buy photo” tag and follow the instructions.

*Note: Photos for purchase are for personal use only. They are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any other publication. Thanks and enjoy!

Local Life

Focus: Halloween Haunts

Gallery

Call them Halloween house haunts of the Rumson-Fair Haven area. They’re those subtle little decorations that pop out to give passersby a bit of a “Boo!”

Perusing the area, there were a few that just seemed to summon the spirit of the season.

Take a look. We will be adding new haunting discoveries to this photo collage until Halloween. Do you know of a ghoulishly good lawn scare? Let us know and we’ll stop by to take a pic.

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life

Rumson-Fair Haven Halloween Parading

There was no tricking and a lot of treating going on Sunday when Rumson and Fair Haven both hosted their annual Halloween festivities.

It all started with a parade in Fair Haven that culminated with costume prizes, some socializing and snacks at the firehouse. Then, in Rumson kids of all ages paraded a short route from the front to the back of Forrestdale School where some costume judging and prizes ensued along with some carnival-type fun and games.

Take a look at Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect’s slideshow for a peek-a-BOO into the day. Enjoy!

We will be posting the photos in a separate gallery for purchase if you’d like your own copies.  

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life

This Weekend: R-FH Area Halloween Fun

The Halloween spirit is in the air and festivities to conjure it up into a hearty haunt abound this weekend.

There are parades, parties, costume contests, a haunted theater a regional run, and an egg hunt — yes, an egg hunt.

It all starts on Friday night with …

• Brookdale Community College’s Haunted Theater:

Adult tours are held Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7 to 10:30 p.m. at the college’s Performing Arts Center.

General admission is $12, senior admission is $10 (age 62 and up, college staff and alumni), high school students pay $8, and Brookdale students are admitted for $5 (two-ticket limit).

Saturday …

• Fair Haven’s Halloween Egg Hunt starts at 5:30 p.m. at Fair Haven Fields near the concession stand.

It’s a play on the Easter Egg Hunt with a Halloween twist. The fields will be peppered with black and orange candy-filled eggs. Be there 15 minutes early and bring a bag for eggs.

The hunt is free.

• After the hunt, borough boy scout troops are hosting their Haunted Hike at 6:15 p.m.

The hike will take participants through the Fair Haven Fields Nature Area. Admission is a canned food item for donation.

Sunday …

 

• The regional 22nd Annual Trick or Trot 5K Race and Pet Walk, hosted by the Jersey Shore Running Club (JSRC) and the Deal Fire Company No. 2, will take place at 11 a.m. at the Deal Casino in Deal.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the homeless animals at the Monmouth County SPCA and the Deal Fire Company. Over the past 21 years, the Trick or Trot has attracted nearly 50,000 participants and raised more than $25,000 for its beneficiaries. Formerly held in Long Branch, the large, regional run is now in Deal.

Race-day registration in person begins at the Deal Casino at 9:30 a.m. The Trick or Trot Kids Dash starts at 10:30 a.m., followed by the 5K Race at 11 a.m., with the Pet Walk at 11:05 a.m.

The People and Pet Costume Parades will take place at 11:45 a.m., followed by awards and prizes! Deal Fire Company will host a post-race party on site with hot dogs, beverages and music.

Registration costs for the 5K and Pet Walk are $25. Registration for the Kids Dashes is $15. Long-sleeved t-shirts are provided to all who pre-register.

Fair Haven Halloween Parade 2014 Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Fair Haven Halloween Parade 2014
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

• The Fair Haven Halloween Parade/Costume Contest lines up at Knollwood School on Hance Road at 1:30 p.m. and makes its way down Hance and River roads and to the Fair Haven Firehouse at 2 p.m.

Prizes will be given out at the firehouse.

Children of all ages are welcome.

Rumson Halloween 2014 Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Rumson Halloween 2014
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

• The Rumson Halloween Parade and Party runs at Forrestdale School from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

Line-up is at the school’s main entrance at 3:15 p.m. There will be a costume contest and prizes, thematic games and activities, hot dogs and beverages and a trick-or-treat.

 

Local Life

Focus: Falling for the Rumson-Fair Haven Riverfront

Video

Few words are needed, if any, when taking in the view of the river from the banks of the Navesink in Rumson and Fair Haven.

Soaked in the sun of a warm fall day, the scene just doesn’t get any more comforting. It seems to smile back and embrace. And it never gets old.

Get a glimpse. Take it in.

— Elaine Van Develde

Fair Haven Police and Fire Files, Local Life

Hail to the Chief: Darryl Breckenridge’s Retirement Dinner

By Elaine Van Develde

He lived his dream.

And for now former Fair Haven Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge, retirement doesn’t mean he’s awakening to any harsh reality — just vivid gratitude.

While he’s been officially off the job since Oct. 1, the chief’s surreal 38-year career culminated in a lucid award-strewn farewell retirement dinner last Thursday.

Roughly 200 state, county and local dignitaries, police and chiefs from several nearby towns, family and friends gathered at Raven and the Peach in Breckenridge’s hometown Fair Haven to celebrate his accomplishments, honor him with certificates and awards — even the key to Fair Haven — party with him and just plain thank him for his service.

“I just love this man!” a teary eyed Eileen O’Neill, widow of former Chief Bobby O’Neill said as she hugged and held the face of the man she knew as the kid her husband took on ride-alongs and mentored .

There were other mentors, too  … former chiefs Ricky Towler, Lou DeVito. Then there was, of course, the chief who started it all for a 5-year-old Breckenridge when he stopped at his house to offer his mom a job as a crossing guard  — Carl Jakubecy.

Then there was his mom, Dorothy — the woman Breckenridge credits with giving him the “character” to succeed and realize his dream.

“To have a dream at five years old and to actually see that dream come to fruition … Just being a patrolman and being fortunate enough to rise through the ranks of chief of police in the town where I wanted to do so is truly amazing … It’s more amazing when you go back and look at at our country in the 1960s … there was so much turmoil in the world, so much unrest within our country, there were riots on the street and hatred … there was so much uncertainty  …”

Breckenridge’s children, Tyler, D.J. and Whitney, stood before their dad, certain of his success and their pride in him. “There aren’t enough words to describe how proud we are of our dad,” Whitney said.

The sentiment was echoed by D.J., who is now Fair Haven’s Recreation director.

He talked about the respect and pride his father, passing down that “character” his grandmother taught, was grateful, not only for the success, but also for the community in which he was raised. That community, Fair Haven, has always been family to him as well, D.J., a little choked up, said.

“I know that it’s very important for him to have all these Fair Haven residents here in addition to everyone else,” he said. “Because Fair Haven, for my dad, was always family and it always will be …”

Yes. Protecting and serving his hometown family was Darryl Breckenridge’s dream.  He’s still living it in its second act. Although now, as he told the crowd, “I can let my hair down … Well, I can let down what hair I have.

“For me to have a dream of that magnitude and to be able to realize it … It’s really amazing. It happened because we are in this country. We have the best country in the world. God bless America. God bless you all.”

 

Congrats, Darryl, from your Fair Haven family!

Don’t forget to click on the lower right icon of the slideshow to enlarge. We had a few photo tech issues. So, in addition to the somewhat compromised quality of some of the photos, we also apologize for the fact that somehow the entire police department ended up looking like something out of a Halloween movie — all white eyes. Who knew? Officers of the Corn? Sorry!

 

 

Local Life, News

So Long to Church Street’s Church in Fair Haven

By Elaine Van Develde (photos and story)

The namesake of Church Street in Fair Haven will soon be gone.

The steeple of the longstanding Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion at the corner of the aptly coined Church Street and River Road is still standing, but most of the house of worship has been demolished.

As part of a Planning Board-approved subdivision plan, the demolition of the six-year-shuttered church on a .54-acre parcel, the last renovation of which  was deemed a “do-it-yourself project by a very adventurous (group of) builder(s)” in the late 1960s by Rumson builder Kolarsick attorney Brooks Von Arx, began on Tuesday.

As of 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, only the front quarter of the church remained.

Von Arx had said that razing the church was warranted to make way for the unanimously board-approved three-home subdivision because the structure was found to be in disrepair and lacked the architectural integrity or historic background to warrant preservation.

Along with the church, a two-story dwelling and former nursery school on the site were demolished.

The with no historic or architectural integrity to warrant preservation, will now be razed, as will a former nursery school, sanctuary and two-story rectory dwelling that sit on the site.

A church has sat at the location since the late 1800s, thus the namesake street.

For more information on the issue, click here.