Tag Archives: Rumson

News

Pub Crawling at Murphy’s with Bon Jovi’s Drummer

It’s not every day that you end up in the middle of a pub crawl at Murphy’s in Rumson with Bon Jovi’s drummer — just this past Saturday.

It’s a usual event for the Ancient Order of Hibernians. They get on a bus and pub crawl. Murphy’s is one of their stops at the annual outing.

Some bag piping is done and there’s the usual fun and socializing for everyone.

This year, though, there was a celebrity crawler — Tico Torres.

He was just hanging out and having some fun. He blended right in, until a fellow Hibernian crawler called attention to him. He kept calling him by the wrong name (Tito), but Tico, very politely made the correction and introduced himself and hopped back on the bus with everyone after posing for a group photo (lead photo).

That busload left and another bunch of Hibernians piled in. It was a festive day at Murphy’s.

Take a look. Cheers!

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life, News

Decking the Halls: Rumson, Fair Haven Tree Lightings

It’s that time of the year in the Rumson-Fair Haven area — time for tree lightings, Santa, a holiday stroll, song, dance and some hot cocoa.

It all starts on Friday evening with festivities in Fair Haven …

Santa arrives at Memorial Park, at the corner of River and Fair Haven roads, by firetruck at 5:30 p.m. and will be visiting with kids and posing for photos.

The Christmas tree will be lit at 6 p.m. And in the midst of all of it, the classic holiday stroll will take place from 5 to 7:30 p.m. It is the classic annual local businesses’ holiday open house. All are invited to partake and enjoy some treats and, perhaps, good deals.

And on Sunday in Rumson …

The annual Christmas tree lighting is set for 5 p.m. at Victory Park.

As usual, it features Tim McLoone & the Shirleys with members of Holiday Express, the RFH Tower Singers and the Deane-Porter Third Grade Chorus.

Oh, and Santa will be there, too. And there will be the usual treats, including some hot cocoa to cap the warm tenor of the event.

 

Local Life

Rumson Garage Sale Serenade

By Elaine Van Develde

Suburban weekend garage sale perusing may be pretty common, but being serenaded by a local musical talent while doing so is not.

Yet, it happened recently at a Rumson garage sale. Longtime Fair Havenite and well-known pianist Teddie Caulfield decided to take a seat at a baby grand, tickle the ivories and entertain the folks who frequented her daughter and son-in-law’s (Daryl and Tom Ley) sale on Bellevue Avenue.

Someone in the family snuck up on her and caught the act on video. And it’s something special to hear.

Many know Caulfield from her piano playing at the Molly Pitcher for one of the area organizations and many events around the towns. In fact, she played on St. Patrick’s Day at the Knights of Columbus in Fair Haven.

Take it all in and enjoy a little show tune entertainment, courtesy of Teddie Caulfield. Thanks for the serenade, Mrs. C. See? You just never know what talent you may encounter while going about a typical suburban weekend of garage saling. Oh, and the piano? SOLD! And, yes, partly because of the demonstration treat.

Sorry, buyer, the pianist doesn’t come with the piano!

Do you know Teddie?

She is pictured above with RFH grad and actress Julia Mosby and her mom, Barbara.

Local Life

Rumson’s Charlie Puth and Chevy

Have you heard it? Seen it?

Rumson’s Charlie Puth just spread the word to the RFH Performing Arts Society (RFH Pas), via Facebook, that his Chevy (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles)commercial — using a coast-to-coast remix of his song “One Call Away,” partnering Atlantic Records and Chevy and featuring him, Brett Eldredge, Ty Dolla $ign & Sofia Reyes — is out and on YouTube.

It’s billed as a celebration of “the 2015 American Music Awards” on YouTube.

Check it out.

Puth also tells people on his Facebook page that if you pre-order his debut album, Nine Track Mind, you “get an instant download of “One Call Away” right now on iTunes http://smarturl.it/NineTrackMind.”

Puth graduated from RFH in 2010 and then from Berklee College of Music in 2013. An accomplished pianist and singer, he first gained notoriety when Ellen Degeneres discovered him via his YouTube channel and signed him to her record label eleveneleven. He is now signed with Atlantic Records.

Schools Scene

R-FH Area Schools’ ‘Beyond Measure’ Discussion


“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” It’s a major tenet Rumon-Fair Haven area parents and students learned as they gathered together recently to view and discuss the documentary Beyond Measure, the sequel to the acclaimed Race to Nowhere.

Parents and students in the Rumson, Fair Haven and Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) districts participated.

Here’s what happened …

Continue reading R-FH Area Schools’ ‘Beyond Measure’ Discussion →

News

A Rumson-Fair Haven Veterans Day

By Elaine Van Develde

Veterans. Honoring them for a moment on one day at a once-annual small-town gathering on Veterans Day is not enough, Fair Haven Mayor Ben Lucarelli told the crowd gathered for a ceremony in the borough on Wednesday morning.

“It is up to us to honor the lives that we lost — to honor all those who have served our country,” he said. “We honor them through events like this. But we should honor them in everyday life as well.”

Noting the presence of young school children in attendance, as part of the program, the mayor continued, saying that it is “important to note that it is up to the parents to make sure that our children realize the immense sacrifice they’ve (veterans)made.

“It is because of them that we are able to enjoy the freedom and liberties we are afforded. Ceremony is a small token of gratitude to these men and women.”

The mayor’s sentiment was echoed by featured speaker U.S. Marine Corps Major Joshua Zager, a 1989 Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School Graduate who served in Marine Fighter Attack squadrons 251, aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt and flew 43 combat missions over Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom.

“People are always thanking me for my service,” Major Zager said, turning his thanks to those serving their own towns at home. “It was my pleasure.

“I’ve stood the watch many times … Right now I’d like to thank our policemen and volunteer firefighters. They’re standing watch right now so that tonight we can sleep safely in our beds.”

That theme of hometown gratitude was emulated in Rumson.

There, First Sgt. James Duffney, 177 Fighter Wing in the NJ Air National Guard, gave thanks as well. “He thanked all those veterans present for their service and remembered all those from Rumson who have passed on,” Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl told Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect, after missing his speech by a minute.

Yes, thank you. Thank you to the veterans who died serving our country. Thank you to those who served, came home, raised their families in the area, lived their lives out serving their communities, or just being a good neighbor. Thank you to those now serving. Thank you to the police and firemen protecting and serving their communities every single day.

Thank you.

Take a look at the above slideshow for a glimpse into Veterans Day in  Rumson and Fair Haven. Don’t forget to click on the lower right icon to enlarge.

— Photos and slideshow/Elaine Van Develde

 

Local Life

Veterans Day Ceremonies in Rumson, Fair Haven

Wednesday is the day for honoring veterans — the 11th month, 11th day, 11th hour. That’s how the tradition goes.

Both Rumson and Fair Haven are hosting Veterans Day ceremonies at that same significant time in the respective towns.

With both ceremonies begin at 11 a.m.  Fair Haven’s is at the usual Memorial Park at the corner of Fair Haven and River roads.

In addition to the featured speaker — veteran, 1989 Rumson-Fair Haven graduate and lifetime Fair Havenite Joshua Zager — there will be music by the students of Knollwood School.

The ceremony in Rumson, at the same time, is being held at Victory Park.

Borough offices in both towns will be closed.

 

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

Rumson Votes: Ekdal is Mayor Again, Uncontested Council

By Elaine Van Develde

Familiar challenger Michael Steinhorn tried again, but did not succeed in ousting longtime Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl.

With 864 votes cast in the mayoral race, Ekdahl ended up with 565 of them, or more than 65 percent.

Steinhorn, a Democrat who has long attempted to break the longtime Republican stronghold on the governing body, garnered 294 votes, or 34 percent.

There were five write-in candidate votes.

Ekdahl will begin his fourth four-year term as mayor in January.

Incumbent Republican Borough Councilmen Marc Rubin and John Conklin won uncontested three-year seats on the dais, garnering 623 and 629 votes, respectively. A total of 1,276 votes were cast for the council race.

There were 24 write-ins.

Rumson is run with a Borough Council, or Mayor and Council form of government.

As with Fair Haven, the governing body has six council members and a presiding mayor. The mayor runs the meetings, but does not vote unless there is a tie.

He has veto power.

 

Police and Fire, Rumson Police and Fire Files

Rumson Police Investigate Halloween Burglaries & Attempted Break-ins

As they investigate Halloween night burglaries and attempted break-ins, Rumson police are putting residents on alert and offering cautionary advice.

Homes on Buttonwood and Conover lanes were burglarized; and signs of attempted forced entry to residences on Navesink and Bellevue avenues were reported, according to a release.

At the homes on Navesink and Bellevue, glass doors were reported broken with a rock, police said. No entry was obtained in either of those instances.

The perpetrators are still at large.

In the meantime, “we ask that residents utilize their alarms and keep the outside of their homes well lit,” the release said. “Notify the dispatch desk at 732-842-0500 or dial 911 in an emergency to report suspicious persons or vehicles 24 hours a day.”

Schools Scene

Rumson Students Get Awareness Check on School Violence

In an effort to commemorate the state-designated School Violence Awareness Week, the Rumson School District recently hosted some special events to educate students on how to avoid violence.

Deane-Porter students participated in what was dubbed Peace Week, from Oct. 19 to 23, during which they engaged in activities design to promote peace, kindness and compassion within the school community.

Continue reading Rumson Students Get Awareness Check on School Violence →