Tag Archives: feature

Focus: Fair Haven Police Officers’ National Unity Tour Trek

Police officers from across the nation arrived in Washington D.C. at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on bicycles last week and Fair Haven Police Patrolmen John Waltz and Dwayne Reevey and former Chief Darryl Breckenridge were riding with them.

It was the culmination of the annual Police Unity Tour to benefit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Arriving on May 12 — after making the sponsored bicycle trek to D.C., each officer riding in honor of a fallen brother in blue — all gathered at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial for a candlelight vigil on May 13.

This year, $2,317,315 was raised to benefit the memorial fund, according to the website.

The memorial was dedicated in 1991 and has more than 20,000 names carved on it dating back to the late 1700s.

This year, Dedicated on October 15, 1991, the Memorial honors federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and protection of our nation and its people.

“We are not here because it is our duty. We are here because it is our honor,” NLEOMF President Craig Floyd said in a Facebook post.

— Elaine Van Develde

— Photos/courtesy of John Waltz, Ryan Reiff & Christina Reevey

Take a look at the photos above for a glimpse into the event. 

Retro RFH Baseball Home Run

It’s not only still baseball season at RFH, it’s Friday the 13th.

So, in the spirit of good luck, the Retro Pic(s) of the Day feature some  successful ball playing of the 1970s with a beloved coach whom many felt charmed the game — Hal Lorme.

Lorme passed away just over a year ago. He is still fondly remembered by many an RFH alumni and ball player.

In the top featured photo, Lorme is seen with ball player Tripp Dupree.

Below, he’s behind and in the scenes coaching. Recognize anyone else?

RIP, Coach Lorme. May the luck of Lorme be with today’s team!

— Elaine Van Develde

Focus: Wine Tasting, Politics & Pals in Fair Haven

2016-05-12 18.45.56

It was a night of wine, bi-partisan political perspectives and socializing when political and community leaders gathered at Raven & the Peach in Fair Haven on Thursday evening.

Billed as a simple Wine Tasting Party, hosted by and benefitting the Fair Haven Republican Committee, the evening featured casual talks about the current political landscape by former gubernatorial candidates of both parties, Bret Schundler and Michael Murphy. The talks were followed by mingling and hors d’oeuvres and, yes, wine tasting.

Take a look at the photo gallery above for a glimpse into the event. Recognize anyone? The name tags are a giveaway.

— Elaine Van Develde

 

An RFH Home Run Derby for a Good Cause

The first annual Home Run Derby fundraiser for Change A Life Uganda, hosted by the RFH baseball teams and the Global Women Empowerment student organization, raised more than $3,000. Photo/RFH
The first annual Home Run Derby fundraiser for Change A Life Uganda, hosted by the RFH baseball teams and the Global Women Empowerment student organization, raised more than $3,000.
Photo/RFH

The first annual Home Run Derby was held at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) recently and ended up raising $3,000 for Change A Life Uganda, a charitable organization dedicated to improving the lives of Ugandan children and their families through quality education, healthcare, and income-generating programs.

Continue reading An RFH Home Run Derby for a Good Cause

Focus: More House on Fair Haven’s Church Street

The street that is called Church Street in Fair Haven is looking less and less like its namesake.

Old-time residents of the street that fronted River Road with the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion have expressed some chagrin since the longtime church came down on the .54-acre parcel and a three-home subdivision by Kolarsick Builders — of one 3,000- and two 2,000-square-feet, roof-porched homes with garages and decks — was approved.

Development on the property had been stagnant since it was put on the market in October of 2010. After being shown a reported 43 times since (between 2011 and 2014) and for various uses, the subdivision was deemed the most appropriate fit the the Planning Board.

Now, several months after approval, two homes fronting Church Street are now undergoing finishing touches and the foundation is set for the third slated to front River Road.

The street had always comprised a close knit neighborhood of many who lived in much smaller versions of homes on the street in the 1960s through 1980s and ’90s. They keep in touch or remain close friends. Some still live on the street.

Those who no longer live there or close by have been asking lately what the street where they lived looks like. Here it is, old time Church Street people.

And, no, as we’ve confirmed before, there are no plans to change the name to House Street.

— Elaine Van Develde

 

RFH Grad, Longtime Fair Havenite Regina Lamberson Allison Dies at 56

Regina Lamberson Allison Photo/courtesy of John E. Day Funeral Home
Regina Lamberson Allison
Photo/courtesy of John E. Day Funeral Home

It wasn’t too long ago that Brian Allison, son of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School alumni and longtime Fair Havenite Regina Lamberson Allison was asking for help for his ailing mom via a GoFundMe page.

On Friday, after succumbing to what her son told R-FH Retro in a previous interview was a battle with health issues that began in 2013 and culminated in stage four kidney cancer, Regina passed away at Jersey Shore University Medical Center on May 6. She was 56. A service will be held from 12 to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 11 at John E. Day Funeral Home, 85 Riverside Ave., Red Bank.

“Regina and I were best friends in high school,” Mary McCuen said in a message on the John E. Day Funeral Home website. “She had a heart of gold and she made people laugh. She was kind, considerate and loved life. When meeting up again with her 2 years ago, she spoke of her sons and how much she missed her mother … ”

Regina’s mother was a crossing guard in Fair Haven years ago, where she grew up. She raised her son, Brian, who lives elsewhere but still volunteers at the Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair annually, there.

“She was a loving daughter, mother and cousin,” said Terri Drapczuk on the funeral home site. “… May she rest in peace without pain and sickness.”

From Regina’s obituary, courtesy of John E. Day Funeral Home … 

Born in Long Branch, Regina lived in Fair Haven before moving to Ocean Township twelve years ago. She was a medical billing clerk at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch. Previously, she was a carrier for the Asbury Park Press/PCF.

Regina was predeceased by her Mother Arminda Lamberson in 2007. She is survived by: two sons, Brian L. and Justin V. Allison, both of Ocean Township; one sister, Michele Lumberton, of Laurence Harbor; and her father, Leon Lamberson, of Oakhurst.

Interment is private.

The family asks that memorial donations be made in Regina’s name to the Associated Humane Societies, 2960 Shafto Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724.

RFH Grad Chef Rossi Sheds Some Sweet & Salty on ABC

Chef Rossi, the RFH girl gone self-made anti-chef/caterer, blogger and author of the recently-debuted The Raging Skillet made her own kind of special splash on network television over this past weekend in a spot on ABC news about fun kiddie snacks — and she wasn’t talking about dishing up anything healthy.

After all, she is the anti-chef. So, true to form, an unfiltered Rossi talked about some salty sweet snacks that probably had health-conscious mommies trying to feed their kids kale and broccoli disguised as chicken fingers scrambling for the remote while drooling.

It’s all about repurposing and lifting the lowbrow up a notch, as she puts it, with Rossi’s recipes. Doing things like serving peanut butter and bacon sandwiches among a platter of cascading orchids is part of her foodie purpose.

Rossi talked about those peanut butter and bacon sandwiches, a potato chip, Snickers and marshmallow casserole, chocolate-dipped pretzels,chocolate dipped chips rolled in crushed Froot Loops, pastrami reuben tacos with Michelle Charlesworth.

Click here to check it out!

Yes, there was a little blackout and, yes, she did say that about the casserole. Oh, and P.S., she said as soon as they were done everyone glommed onto the snacks like kids to an Good Humor truck with free ice cream. Well, maybe not quite like that, but close.

For more information on Chef Rossi and to order her book, click here.

Retro Salute to R-FH Area Moms

In honor of the area’s moms of the past and present, here’s a little glimpse into Mother’s Day in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

Some of these moms are gone, some are still with us and celebrating several generations of motherhood.

In one way or another, many of the faces captured here from the past and present have made life in the area all the more special, if not for anything else but being a comfortingly familiar face in a place we call home.

Happy belated Mother’s Day!

Thanks to our Facebook friends for these priceless photos!

— Elaine Van Develde

Focus: Waiting for the Sun Under the Dock

The weather has been overcast, rainy, drizzly and downright gloomy.

Waiting for the sun to return to spring has become a ritual. It’s the kind of day for rewinding to when the sun was out and casting shadows in a view from under the Fair Haven Dock.

Take a look at our wishful gallery of shadows and reflections on a sunnier day right before the rain from under the dock.

— Photos/Elaine Van Develde

Fair Havenite Set for Book Signing

By Elaine Van Develde

Fair Havenite Carolyn Cope’s life has undergone an unlikely transformation. She’s gone from corporate attorney to food blogger and author. And she has a book signing tonight at River Road Books in the borough she’s made her home for nearly the past 10 years.

What are the books? They’re entitled  We Love Kale and We Love Quinoa and feature more than 100 “healthy and delicious recipes for enjoying two of the world’s most nutritious foods,” she said the day of the signing which is slated for 7:30 p.m.

How did she end up there? One day the epiphany of wanting to live a simpler, more wholesome and, perhaps, healthier dream just hit her while sitting at her desk at work as an attorney for a large corporate firm.

“I looked up from my desk at a giant corporate law firm one day and realized I hardly had any idea how I’d gotten there,” she said. “Shortly thereafter I left and started my food blog, Umami Girl, where I share mostly healthy, mostly plant-based recipes. Food blogging has been a dream, and the books are a direct offshoot of my work on the blog. Although the blog has a wide reach, it’s wonderful to be able to put a real cookbook in someone’s hands. Thank goodness people still love books!”

And Cope will be signing hers at her “first-ever book signing” and giving a talk tonight about just how she ended up where she is after her journey “from hungry kid to corporate lawyer to food blogger and author.”

She will also be sharing some cooking tips and offering up some wine and sample finger food to complement the evening.

Join her at 7:30 p.m. at the store near the corner of River and Fair Haven roads.