Tag Archives: feature

Local Life

Fair Haven Deputy Fire Chief Takes Plunge from Dock

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Fair Haven Deputy Fire Chief Mike Wiehl grew up in Fair Haven. In fact, he’s a third generation Fair Havenite.

And like so many other native Fair Havenites, he spent a lot of time down by the Navesink River at the Fair Haven Dock. He played there. He saw a lot of sunsets there. He likely did a lot of contemplating and soaking up of sun and scenery there.

And, most recently, he decided to make the iconic spot one that would mark a major milestone in his life. He got engaged and married there.

The engagement was three months ago and the wedding was Monday afternoon, officiated by Mayor Ben Lucarelli. So, we congratulate and honor Mike and his bride, Gloria Clark, in our Retro Pic(s) of the Day.

As Wiehl put it in Facebook posts, “Well, today’s the day I have been waiting for. Gloria Clark and I are spending the day together and then off to the fair haven dock to get married at 4pm! … 3 months ago the woman of my dreams said yes to marrying me. I am a lucky man …”

And so goes life as part of the Fair Haven family …

Congrats and much happiness to Mike and Gloria! 

Local Life, Schools Scene

RFH Students to Compete in Rowing Nationals

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Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) student athletes are among several from the area who will be competing as part of the Navesink River Rowing Competitive Youth Crew in the U.S. Rowing Youth Nationals this weekend.

The students qualified for the competition, held in Sarasota, FL from June 12-14, after a bringing home gold, silver and bronze medals at the U.S. Rowing Mid-Atlantic Youth Championships in West Windsor on May 9 and 10.

That competition qualified the crew for three boats in the nationals.

Competing this weekend are: RFH students,Tom Johnston and Emily Unsinn, both of Fair Haven, and Emma Miller, of Rumson; Neil Hughes, of Oceanport; Max Kelly, of Middletown; Erik Bovino, of  Brielle; and Ian Bamberger, head coach.

 

Fair Haven Police and Fire Files, Police and Fire

Fair Haven PBA Kudos to a Red Bank K9

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Call him a dogged public servant who had some howling success helping a brother out.

Red Bank K9 Hunter, partner of Patrolman Stanley Balmer, was brought to the aid of the Fair Haven Police Department, providing key assistance to officers in a motor vehicle stop on Saturday night, according to a Fair Haven PBA Facebook post.

Hunter, according to Red Bank police in their own post, was called in for a vehicle search after the stop. The search, dubbed Hunter’s “first successful scent” uncovered “marijuana and a weapon.”

Red Bank police are proud and Fair Haven officers are grateful.

“Thank you to K9 Hunter and Ptl. Balmer of the Red Bank Police Dept. for assistance last night,” police said in the Facebook post.

*Fair Haven police were not available for further comment and information as of press time. Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect will update this story when more details become available.

Local Life, Schools Scene

RFH’s Charlie Volker: A Champ … Again

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As usual, the sign on the Fair Haven Fire Department’s marquee says it all — or, at least, the important part.

Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School senior football star Charlie Volker has scored another athletic accomplishment. The Princeton University-bound star athlete on Wednesday became the victor of the 100-meter dash in the state at the 47th Meet of Champions at Frank Jost Field in South Plainfield.

Volker dashed the 100 meters in 10.81 seconds. His best was 10.80.

The football running back was credited with leading RFH to its big  Central Jersey Group II win.

Check out the video on YouTube filmed by Angelo Clark, who did not know who Volker was as he crossed the finish line.

Congrats, Charlie!

Business Buzz, Local Life

Fair Haven Business Buds Gather

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It was a traditional gathering of friends in business in Fair Haven.

Wednesday marked the annual Fair Haven Business Association’s annual barbecue.

Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect paid a visit to the festivities among friends, some of whom have been in business in the borough for a long time.

Ferguson Dental Care and Boxwood Gardens Florist and Gifts hosted the meeting/party, with the good doctor (dentist), Paul Ferguson, at the grill.

Besides longtime Fair Haven business Boxwood and Ferguson Dental business leaders, folks from, ForeFront, Two River Computer, Coastal Decor and DeFalco Pools made appearances.

Check out the photo gallery above for a glimpse into the gathering. Do you know who’s who?

Schools Scene

RFH Engineers in the Making

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Have you heard of the Mini Engineering Academy?

Well, six Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) students participated in what has been dubbed a first at Neptune High School.

The following release from RFH gives the whole scoop on the event:

RFH freshmen Reed DiCenso, Aidan Eustace, Jack Rallo, Matthew Ramirez, Chris Steinhacker, and Tyler Whetzel attended evening sessions that ran from Wednesday, February 25 through Wednesday, April 22.

Sponsored by the Neptune High School JumpStart Engineering Academy and IEEE, the inaugural program covered topics including Aerospace Engineering, Designing Green Buildings, Aviation, Electrical Engineering, Power Grids, and the Fluid Dynamics of Surfboard Design.

“For a first-year program, we felt that they did a great job,” said Jack Rallo. “The program covered a lot of different aspects of the science of engineering,”

“All of the presentations and activities were great in different ways,” said Tyler Whetzel. “We were able to see which aspects of engineering we valued the most.”

Highlights of the program for the RFH group, all aspiring engineers, included working in teams to build hydrogen-powered cars; visiting and learning about the “green” elementary school located in Neptune; exploring all aspects of solar cells; and using software to measure the aerodynamic qualities of a surfboard design.

RFH Science Supervisor Sharon Bryant learned of the Mini Engineering Academy during a County Supervisors’ Meeting and asked the RFH Science Teachers to inform their students.

“I am so proud of these students for taking the time to participate in the Mini Engineering Academy — they built critical thinking skills and gained engineering experience, both of which are vital in future science,” said Bryant. “The lesson of trying new ideas – and sometimes failing — so growth and improvement can occur in future attempts is an important one for these students to carry forward in their academics and in life.

“I hope they will be able to participate in this program again next year and use their new knowledge to create, invent, and learn even more!”

Local Life, News

A Weekend Respite: Oceanic Bridge Open

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An extra push with work on the Oceanic Bridge will allow for a weekend opening from Friday evening through Monday morning, Monmouth County officials announced.

Officials said in a release that work has been ongoing around the clock since 6 a.m. on Monday.

Harms Construction, the company doing the work, have assured that the work will be complete by next Friday, June 12, on schedule.

Work on the south side of the drawbridge that spans the Navesink River from Rumson to Middletown will start again on Monday at 6 a.m. 24 hours a day in two 12-hour shifts, a release from the county said.

County officials added that the bridge is open only to marine traffic with the usual season rules and scheduling applying.

 

Oceanic Bridge background information from the county … 

“The 2,712-foot drawbridge crosses the Navesink River and serves beach, commercial and residential traffic, as well as pedestrian and bicycle travel. It is also a key route for coastal evacuations and emergency vehicles headed to hospitals or providing mutual aid. The bridge has been classified as structurally deficient.

“Built in 1939, the Oceanic Bridge has deteriorated due to decades of exposure to saltwater and from accommodating heavier vehicles and traffic volumes than for which it was designed.

“In 2012, Monmouth County completed extensive work to rehabilitate the bridge’s 100-foot, center bascule span, allowing motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians to continue use of the bridge.

“Monmouth County received notification from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) Board of Trustees in January that $600,000 in federal funding was available to perform a Concept Development Study for the replacement or rehabilitation of the Oceanic Bridge.

“Monmouth County plans to replace the Oceanic Bridge in the next ten years.”

Local Life

The R-FH Area Weekend: Hanga Loose, 5K Run, Art, Market & Gardens

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Well, Rumson-Fair Haven area friends and fans, the weekend is looking nice, according to the National Weather Service.

The sun will be out and activities will abound.

Here’s what’s going on in the area:

Friday

• Don’t forget Hanga Loose Fridays at Umberto’s in Fair Haven. It’s a time to hang out in memory of the restaurant’s beloved Silvio, a friend to all.

Stop by the River Road place’s back room, mangia and chat it up!

• Then there’s A Night of Wine Tasting benefit, the proceeds of which will go to an area favorite charity — Monmouth Day Care Center.

The event, held from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Junior League of Monmouth County’s headquarters at 55 Center Street, Rumson, will feature hors d’oeuvres and wine pairings.

Call 732-741-4313 for more information.

Saturday

• A first, the Girls on the Run 5K, kicks off the day in Fair Haven with a start time of 9 a.m. at Fair Haven Fields.

Young girls in third through eighth grades will be running the course that ends where it begins — at Fair Haven Fields.

Run on, girls!

• And, over at River Road Books, Adam Sobel, the popular vegan Cinnamon Snail food truck chef, will be doing a signing of his book Street Vegan from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m..

The signing will also feature free donuts with the purchase of the book. Now that’s a sweet event!

• An area favorite is any Art Alliance show opening at the organization’s Monmouth Street headquarters in Red Bank.

The opening reception, which runs from 6 to 8 p.m. with some snacks and beverages, kicks off the Ebba Osborne Memorial Award Exhibition. It runs through June 24.

Sunday

• The Red Bank Farmers Market is in the Galleria parking lot from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It features the usual fresh produce, organic goods, breads, coffees, desserts, crafts and more.

• And if you feel like being by the water and taking in a little history at the same time, tours of the historic Seabrook-Wilson House, otherwise known as the spooky Spy House, are running from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Bayshore Waterfront Park location on Port Monmouth Road in the Port Monmouth section of Middletown.

• For those who love gardening, Deep Cut Gardens, on Red Hill Road in Middletown, will be hosting an open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m..

It will feature lectures and demonstrations by horticultural experts and Rutgers University master gardeners.

For kids, there will be a scavenger hunt and potted plant session.

Arts & Entertainment, Schools Scene

For Art’s Sake: Showing Off Artwork at Deane-Porter

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Talented students recently shared their artwork at the Deane-Porter School Art Show.

The exhibit featured the creations of students in kindergarten, first, second, and third grades.

The featured art included: Monet-inspired landscapes, cool color penguins, symmetrical butterflies, crazy pumpkins, self-portraits as king or queen, and texture trees (kindergarten); Chinese New Year dragons, Kandinsky-inspired concentric hearts, painted and printed weaving, and snowman with percolator app (first grade); coil pots, Kachina masks, Audubon-inspired cardinals, and Faith Ringgold cityscapes (second grade); slab pottery, Greek columns, and Matisse-inspired landscapes (third grade).

Continue reading For Art’s Sake: Showing Off Artwork at Deane-Porter →

Crime, Police and Fire

Area 71-Year-Old Man Jailed on Fugitive, Contempt Warrants; $50K Bail

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The following recent contempt of court and fugitive warrant arrests were reported by Middletown police:

• Gabriel Ramos, 71, of Pine Creek Road in Hazlet, was arrested on May 22 by Patrolman John Mele on a fugitive warrant for arson issued by the Monmouth County Superior Court and on a contempt of court warrant issued by the Hazlet Municipal Court.

He was held on $50,500 bail.

• Robert Dunn, 24, of Tenth Street in the Belford section of Middletown, was arrested on May 23 by Patrolman Patrick Leonard on contempt of court warrants issued by the Middletown, Atlantic Highlands and Asbury Park municipal courts.

He was held on $5,523 bail.

Continue reading Area 71-Year-Old Man Jailed on Fugitive, Contempt Warrants; $50K Bail →

Local Life, Opinion

Retro Stoked Up Neighbors at Stokes

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By Elaine Van Develde

This little crew grew up together. And years later they ended up reliving a sixth grade tradition as adults.

They are Jenny Costello (Jones), Dwayne Reevey, now a Fair Haven police officer, and Andy Dougherty. The three lived on Parker Avenue in Fair Haven across and down the street from one another.

Their parents were all friends and they all had the Stokes experience as Fair Haven schools students. This time around, they were counselors, with Andy Dougherty pretty much running the show from the schools’ end.

Much has changed about the annual trip right after Memorial Day to learn and camp out in the state forrest, but some things never do change — like childhood friendships and memories that connect for a lifetime.

So, our Retro Pic of the Day captures just that. Call it a little time capsule.

Get in for a little trip back …

This editor not only took the trip, way back in the early 1970s, but was also CAT at Stokes. I forget what the anagram stood for, but CATs were RFH seniors who were chosen to take the trip as sort-of junior counselors.

The RFH administrators chose leaders, who had to have above a certain GPA and a expertise or talent in a specific area.

I, along with my acting compadre, Kevin Carpenter, were sent to entertain the kids. We had to spearhead the dancing (poor kids) — and, yes, there was square dancing (yikes) — sing songs around the campfire, like Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley (so uplifting) and tell stories about the Jersey Devil and scare the bejesus out of the kids.

We were a pretty well-behaved lot of semi-nerds, but we did like to have some fun that I’m confident would have gotten us banned nowadays — like raising one poor girl’s bra up on the flagpole for the morning wake-up bugle call and capsizing one another’s canoes.

Oh, there were more pranks, but the mention of them may tarnish some respectable RFH parents’ reputations, so I digress.

Did you go to Stokes? What was your favorite memory?

Crime, Police and Fire

Police: Two Arrests Involving Heroin Possession, $15K Bail

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The following recent arrests were reported by Middletown police. An arrest does not constitute a conviction. 

• Obinna Okafor, 38, of North 9th Street in Newark, was arrested on May 22 and charged with theft by Detective Keith Hirschbein.

He was released pending a court date.

• Kirsten Miller, 20, of Concord Avenue in the Leonardo section of Middletown, was arrested on May 19 and charged with shoplifting from the Foodtown store by Patrolman Savvas Roumeliotis.

She was released pending a court date.

• Bryan McKee, 25, of Pedee Place in Middletown, was arrested on May 22 by Patrolman Jesse Toma and charged with obstructing the administration of law.

He was released pending a court date.

• Jake Fritzler, 23, of North Monticello Avenue in Chicago, IL, was arrested on May 22 by Sergeant Donald Coates and charged with possession of under 50 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was released pending a court date.

Continue reading Police: Two Arrests Involving Heroin Possession, $15K Bail →