Tag Archives: feature

News

Weekly Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge Travel Advisory

After a Memorial Day with no construction, Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge replacement continues Tuesday through Thursday during the usual 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. hours and a cut 3:30 p.m. on Friday and one major development in bridge traversing. The sidewalk across the bridge has been reopened.

Monmouth County officials’ travel advisory for users of the bridge roadway, sidewalk and waterway is as follows …

Continue reading Weekly Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge Travel Advisory →
Local Life

Memorial Day Remembrance: R-FH Area Vets Who Have Passed

This remembrance for Memorial Day is posted every year … 

Their faces are the faces at the core of a close-knit community.

They were neighbors, dads, and just plain friendly faces around the Rumson-Fair Haven area towns. They were also veterans.

They served. They fought for freedom in World War II and the Korean War.

They lived their lives with hometown pride, honor and respect. They were founding fathers, friends. They were cornerstones of the sense of community that is the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

The gift of their legacies bears no upscale real estate market value. They passed along a love of country and community that is priceless.

Thank you, in a Memorial Day ode, to the veterans of the area who have passed. You are cherished, honored.

Take a look at some of their faces and remember.  Thank you to those vets who are still with us.

— Elaine Van Develde

— Ray Taylor photo/Elaine Van Develde for R-FH Retro exclusively

— Photos, courtesy of families of the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

Local Life

Scene Around: RFH Senior Pre-Prom Stylin’

Yes, they were all dressed up with a couple of places to go — a pre-prom party and the actual Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Senior Prom.

The proms of these days are not your ’60s, ’70s, ’80s or ’90s proms. And that makes sense, of course. These days, the pre-prom party is a show of its own. All the prom goers, with or without dates, and their families go to a host’s house to get their prom on sans any alcohol before the main event. The prom goers are even breathalyzed to ensure a safe, fun night.

This year the pre-prom party was at a home on Rumson Road. And, from what we hear and the looks of things, a banner time was had by all. Why not? All the elements of a good gathering were there: the place, the people, the mood and, of course, the fashion.

Speaking of fashion … The guys’ dress is a whole event unto itself this era. These days they sport anything from pretty formal to smart casual and pretty preppie shorts and dress sneakers, if there is such a thing — and there is. Gone are the days of polyester pastel tuxedoes with frilly shirts. Thank the fashion gods. Though, these guys sported an awful lot of preppie pastels. Very sharp and fitting for each boy’s personal taste and personality.

The girls? Well, they were fashionably gowned out and coiffed. Looks like long has remained fashion forward. In fact, it looks like red carpet time for these girls.

It’s been rolled out and rolled up. The party’s over, but the freeze frames remain. Until next year … Prom party on!

— Photos/Jenny Costello, Joanne Formisano and Chris Rodriguez

Obituaries

Remembering 50-Year Fair Havenite Annette Allen with a Smile Back

“Annette was a selfless woman who could get along with anyone.” ~ her son, Brian Allen

I must have known her, he thought, oozing mom pride. “You may remember my mom,” he said. “She was a bigger lady with glasses always walking around town … When I show you pictures of her you will recognize her.”

Continue reading Remembering 50-Year Fair Havenite Annette Allen with a Smile Back →
News

Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge and Roadwork Travel Advisory

This week, the usual schedule of construction work on the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge replacement will stay the same, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Friday, weather permitting.

However, there are other projects in progress in Rumson in close proximity to the bridge, adding to the status quo travel advisory this week.

“New Jersey American Water will be conducting roadwork on Rumson Road tomorrow, May 17, from the hours of 10 a.m. through 7pm. Rumson Road will be closed eastbound at Fair Haven Road. All traffic will be detoured Northbound on Fair Haven Road to Ridge Road. Westbound Rumson Road will be closed at Bellevue Ave. Traffic will be detoured Northbound to Ridge Road,” Rumson police said in a released statement. “HEAVY Traffic is expected along with delays. Please avoid the area if possible.”

Pothole repair is set for Friday. This means …

  • Expect alternating traffic on Rumson Road (CR 520) between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. due to pothole repairs.
  • Flaggers will assist with traffic control.
  • Drivers should allow for extra travel time.

Construction and delivery vehicles will continue to be in the area. This means …

  • Temporary delays are possible on any contractor work day as construction and delivery vehicles enter and exit the work areas.

The eastbound sidewalk on the bridge remans closed. This means …

  • The sidewalk on the south side of the bridge will be closed until further notice.
  • Sidewalk users should cross at the pedestrian striping at the new island at Old Rumson Road to access the north side (westbound) walkway.

Construction work continues in the Shrewsbury River. This means …

  • Bridge replacement work is ongoing on both sides of the river south of the bridge.
  • The 65-foot navigational channel width is expected to remain in effect until the fall of 2023.
  • Please see the Public Notice for information on future changes to channel access.
Local Life, Opinion

A Mother’s Day Salute to R-FH Area Moms Through the Generations

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Reprise! We’ve said it every year; and we’re saying it again this year …

Happy Mother’s Day to Rumson-Fair Haven area moms of the past and present!

You put the coffee on. You called for us when dinner was ready. You held on tight when we needed a hug. You wiped our dirty little faces, sopped up tears and runny noses. You were there, front and center, at many a school open house, game, play, concert and, yes, principal’s office visit.

You welcomed the neighborhood kids as if they were your own. You wrote all those notes to get us out of gym class (because some of us were clods). You shook your heads in disbelief over our antics and yelled our full names like a loving banshee when you were mad. You had our backs. You were just plain there — the unshifting foundation of a community through the years, building a legacy.

Thank you. We remember those who are gone and salute those who carry on …

— Elaine Van Develde

Photos/courtesy of Facebook friends