Video of the rescue as the boat goes out a second time and brings in a deer. Below, the two deer in the channel they created as they tried to escape. (Video and photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
One deer was rescued and another drowned after they fell through the ice on the Navesink River off Red Bank Saturday afternoon.
The dramatic rescue of a doe followed an all-out effort by local fire and first aid volunteers assembled on the dock of the Oyster Point Hotel, on the Red Bank side.
With more than a foot of ice beneath their runners, the world’s two premier ice yachts had everything they needed to race on the Navesink early Saturday – except for wind.
The Rocket, the 127-year-old prized possession of Red Bank’s North Shrewsbury Ice Boat & Yacht Club, was set to race the Jack Frost, which belongs to the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club. The two yachts met last year for their first matchup in decades. And if the wind comes up before 3 p.m. Saturday, or sometime Sunday, “there will be no goodbyes” as the two teams head out onto the ice, said Red Bank’s John Oakley.
The club cannot allow the general public to access the river via its property because of liability issues, but the best viewing of a race would be from Marine Park anyway, said Oakley. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
Scotty Barnhart and the Count Basie Orchestra make a too-rare and much-appreciated return to the historic venue that bears the name of the fabled Kid from Red Bank this Sunday, with the New York Voices making themselves heard.
“I called him the Chief,” said Count Basie Orchestra conductor Bill Hughes from the stage of the Count Basie Theatre, during a 2004 salute to the late and legendary William “Count” Basie. “He was ‘Bill’ to the well-to-do; ‘Count’ to the common folk… and to the pimps and hustlers he was simply BASIE.”
The baton’s since passed to trumpeter and bandleader Scotty Barnhart, but when the Basie Orchestra returns to Red Bank this Sunday, March 1, it’ll be picking up where it left off: celebrating the legacy of the fabled “Kid from Red Bank” in a too-rare match-up with another long-running institution that bears his brand.
Scheduled as a 3 pm matinee (or “3 O’Clock Jump,” in the pioneer swing pianist’s parlance?), the March 1 concert teams the CBO with a relatively young musical organization that bridges the perceived gap between the 1930s-’40s golden age of American jazz, and the globally savvy sounds of the new millennium — New York Voices.
In one of the biggest shockers in Shore Conference Tournament history, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional stole the SCT championship with a 50-24 crusing of top-seeded Christian Brothers Academy Friday night at Monmouth U. Brendan Barry had a sensational game, racking up 27 for the dogs. Catch all the highlights and post-game reaction courtesy of Shore Sports Zone.
The Cuban sandwich, served in a retro-fun basket, comes with chips and a pickle, while the order of Crabby Fries is served in an oversized cone. (Photos by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)
By SUSAN ERICSON
In the man cave Walt Street Pub on Monmouth Street in Red Bank, women held forth on which dish is best.
“I order the boneless wings,” said barmaid Kelly Martin. “Mild, though, always mild.”
Sitting next to PieHole at the bar, Jen Disney, informed us that “the beef chimichangas are the best. We go elsewhere, but always come back here.”
Jen Rodriguez, our waitress, said her son, “who is one of the pickiest eaters ever,” gets the chicken cheese steak, but she likes the chicken burrito.
That question, and some speculation by local old-timers, threw fuel on an already-raging firestorm about the truthfulness of the NBC News helmsman and former Middletown resident, who was later suspended by the network earlier this month for misrepresenting facts about an incident in Iraq.
Brian Donohue, an nj.com writer and commentator, did some legwork on the Red Bank piece of the story. And while he and his colleagues failed to unearth any specific evidence supporting Williams’ claim, he found plenty to refute the rose-colored reminiscences of locals who said it could not have happened because stuff like that just didn’t happen in Red Bank in the 1970s.
The Kennedy Mystique: the egg-tempera CIRCUS SUMMER by Eileen Kennedy is among the items included in DREAMSCAPES AND SHAPED DREAMS — an exhibit of works by the painter and her cousin Lynne Kennedy, going up on the walls of the Oyster Point Hotel.
The river breezes may still be blowing more bitter than sweet, but as sure a sign of Spring — surer even than Punxsatawney prognosticators, or pudgy pitchers — is the sudden proliferation of art exhibitions in our area’s galleries, grand lodgings, and even greenhouses. It’s an explosion of color that begins, appropriately enough, amid the plant life of Sickles Market in Little Silver this weekend — and it continues, in the days and evenings to come, in places both safe and surprising.
The crime and arrest reports below were provided by the Red Bank Police Department for the period of February 19 to February 26, 2015. This information is unedited.
CRIMES
None reported.
ARRESTS
A 17 year old juvenile male of Red Bank was arrested on 2-22-15 in the area of Maple Ave. for Poss. of CDS, Marijuana under 50 grams by Ptl. Nicholas Maletto.
Recent arrest reports, unedited, as provided by the Middletown Township Police Department.
Michael Olski, age 49, from Atlantic Avenue in Middletown, NJ, arrested on February 12, 2015 by Patrolman Kent Thornton for Simple Assault. He was released pending a court date.
Dennis Knapp, age 44, from Highland Avenue in Leonardo, NJ, arrested on February 11, 2015 by Police Officer Stephanie Geisel for Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, Terroristic Threats, Possession of under 50 Grams of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was held on $67,500.00 bail set by Judge Richard Thompson.
Missed the deadline to pre-register for the Monmouth County Park System’s E. Murray Todd Half Marathon?No problem. The Park System will accept on-site registration starting at 7:15 am on race day — this Sunday, March 1.
With a start time of 9 am, the annual 13.1-mile race commences from the Lincroft campus of Brookdale Community College , and takes runners through residential areas of Lincroft, Holmdel and Colts Neck. Race-day registration costs $50 per runner.
Looking to give your special needs child the best camp experience possible? Head over to Thompson Park in Lincroft, between the hours of 6:30 to 8 pm on Tuesday, March 3, for a presentation entitled Camp Options for Children with Special Needs.
Hosted inside the park’s Visitors Center, the informational session features camp directors from the Monmouth County Park System’s Therapeutic Recreation, Odyssey Adventure, Sports and Fitness, Fort Monmouth, Cultural Services and Nature Camps. Parents and guardians can discover which camps best fit their child’s needs and interests; what supports are available, and how the Park System’s inclusion process works.
Arianna Deleks, an employee at Char Steakhouse, shoos a pair of ducks onto the sidewalk on Broad Street in Red Bank Thursday afternoon. Deleks said the ducks showed up two days ago and keep wandering into traffic, and she’s worried they’ll get hit by a car.
“It’s so sad that they’re here,” she said, when they should be down on the nearby Navesink, which is frozen. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
Movie-TV actress (and Rumson mom) Siobhan Fallon Hogan returns to the stage of Two River Theater this Saturday with her sold-out solo show, ‘Acting Out.’
Hers is a face you’ve likely encountered in and around her home on the Greater Red Bank Green, where she’s apt to be sighted at one of the schools her kids attend — as well as many of the staple sites of local community life.
A quick safari through the channel guide can match that face with a whole streaming smorgasbord of well-known movies and TV shows, from Seinfeld (she was Elaine’s roommate Tina), Men in Black(she was the alien farmer’s wife) and Forrest Gump (she played Dorothy the school bus driver), to Danish director Lars Von Trier’s arthouse oddity Dogville, and under-appreciated items like New in Town with Renee Zellweger. Not to forget a stint as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.
Expect to see a bit more of her. Beginning this May, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, a Rumson resident of 10 years, will be a regular presence on Wayward Pines, the Fox TV “event thriller” limited series (starring Matt Dillon, Terrence Howard and an ensemble supporting cast) from producer M. Night Shyamalan. Before that, though, Fallon Hogan returns to the stage of Red Bank’s Two River Theater — where several years back she debuted an original one-woman show entitled The Salty Sea PTA — with an all new showcase for her multi-tasking character skills.
Written by its star and entitled Acting Out!, the all-new comic solo quickly sold out its two scheduled performances on Saturday, with an encore presentation now added for Thursday, March 12. The Drama Desk at redbankgreen managed to catch up with the beyond-busy actor, mom and playwright, prior to a brief but well-deserved beach vaykay — and between a weathery year of shooting in Canada, and a run of rehearsals here on the icy banks of the Navesink.
The ordinance, championed by Mayor Pasquale Menna, below, addresses tethering of dogs and other issues. (Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank Mayor Pasquale Menna wants to put more teeth into the borough’s protection of dogs.
The mayor, whose canine companion of 14 years died last month, introduced a proposed ordinance Wednesday night that he said would make it easier to prosecute those who neglect dogs by leaving them tied up for hours, or with heavy tethers, or when the weather is “extraordinarily cold or extraordinarily warm.”
Merchants along the western stretch of Monmouth Street say paid parking would hurt business. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
A proposal to expand paid parking in central Red Bank ran into both expected and unexpected opposition Wednesday.
Expected: The ire of affected store owners.
Unexpected: Democratic Councilman Ed Zipprich joining his frequent sparring partner, Republican Councilwoman Cindy Burnham, in opposing the introduction of a measure to enable the change.
“I’m really infuriated by this pay station business,” David Prown, of Prown’s Home Improvements, told the council. “My experience tells me this is a done deal.”
Wednesday’s sunset on our beautiful, frozen Navesink River at the North Shrewsbury Ice Boat & Yacht Club in Red Bank, where a cluster of iceboats sat the ready. The Greater Red Bank Green could see up to an inch of snow by early afternoon as temperatures stay below 25 degrees Thursday, the National Weather Serviceforecasts. And the outlook is good for iceboating, with the freeze expected to linger into Sunday. (Photo by Trish Russoniello. Click to enlarge)
Press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School
Although he has only been shooting competitively for a few years, Avery Pagano has learned many things from the sport of archery — and recently, the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School sophomore was selected for the Junior Dream Team, consisting of the most promising junior and cadet Olympic-style archers in the county.
The son of two RFH faculty members — Science teacher Susan Pagano and RFH Industrial Technology teacher Dino Pagano — Avery is one of 30 athletes chosen for this year’s Compound Junior Dream Team. The JDT program was developed to “fast-track” archers between the ages of 12 and 18 who show early potential, and bring them together for training camps, coaching, and competitions.
Athletes are selected based on a number of criteria, including their participation and performance in the annual Team Selection Camp, and will experience training camps at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Graduates of the program include 2012 Olympian Miranda Leek, as well as several World Archery Youth Championships Team members and USA Archery resident athletes.
With a 37-29 win over Neptune at Brookdale Community College Wednesday night, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional advanced to Shore Conference Tournament championship game against top-seeded Christian Brothers Academy Friday night at Monmouth U. Trailing 19-17 at the half, the Bulldogs put together a big third quarter to go up, 28-22, and iced the game at the free throw line. Brendan Barry had 12 and Morgan Maguire added 10 for Rumson. Watch the highlights and post-game reaction courtesy of Shore Sports Zone.
At a packed meeting, above, the board of ed voted to reinstate teacher Basil Henning, below. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
Fair Haven’s school board reinstated a sixth-grade Spanish teacher Wednesday night, 10 days after he was placed on administrative leave over crass satirical web videos in which he appeared.
Following a recommendation by Superintendent Nelson Ribon, the board ended the administrative leave of Basil Henning, a tenured teacher whose paid removal, announced in an unusual Sunday night email to parents, was prompted by at least one parent’s complaints.
Henning is free to return to work Thursday morning, though an investigation continues, Ribon told redbankgreen following the meeting, at the Knollwood School.
Parking in front of these businesses and others on Monmouth Street and Bridge Avenue would no longer be free if an ordinance up for introduction Wednesday wins approval. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
[This article has been updated since it was originally posted to reflect the contents of proposed ordinances.]
By JOHN T. WARD
The agenda for Wednesday night’s bimonthly meeting of the Red Bank Council is a busy one, with a handful of proposed changes to borough laws.
Paul Diomede holds a freshly filleted halibut in the new Little Silver Seafood Market, which includes an area for meal related groceries. (Photos by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)
By SUSAN ERICSON
If the new owners of the former Ray’s Seafood in Little Silver look familiar, it is because they are also the owners of the still-new Sea Bright Fish Company on Ocean Avenue in Sea Bright.
Members of the Diomede family – Paul, his sons Paul and Justin, and daughter, Kim Cognata – plan to split their time between the two locations. And by April, they hope to reopen the adjoining seafood restaurant they acquired in December with the market in the Markham Place shopping center.
Press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School
On March 20 through 22, the Tower Players of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School will present their production of The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, the horror-comedy tunefest based on the laugh-a-minute 1974 comedy film Young Frankenstein, and featuring music and lyrics by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan.
Young Frankenstein tells the story of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (played by Laurence Morales), a professor at a medical school who leaves behind his fiancée Elizabeth (Eli Rallo) and travels to Transylvania to claim the estate of his grandfather – the creator of the famous Frankenstein monster. After years spent rejecting his family name, the doctor is helped by the castle’s current residents – Frau Blucher (Julia Mosby), Igor (Bailie Stypa), and Inga (Jen Andreacchi) — in bringing his own monster (Michael Shaw) to life, with hilarious results.
The RFH production features a cast of 42 students in singing, dancing, and acting roles. It is directed by RFH English teacher Suzanne Sweeney, who tailored the script for the high school-age actors and audience.
Decoys, shorebirds and wildlife art from the region’s top carvers and artists are on display and for sale during the annual Two Rivers Exhibition, coming to Forrestdale School on Saturday.
For enthusiasts of such craft, it’s the real deal — particularly if you find the guys from Duck Dynasty either too dag-nasty, or simply a bunch of quacks.
When the New Jersey Waterfowl Carvers Association hosts its annual Two Rivers Exhibition of Sporting Collectible Art in Rumson on Saturday, it will once again represent the finest one-stop collection of hand-carved decoys, shorebirds and related wildlife art created by some of the region’s best sculptors – including John Hanson, Dennis Jenny, Keith Salkeld, David Thibault, Rob Wilson – all of it on display and on sale.
It’s not Roosevelt Stadium in the 1970s, but when The Pink Floyd Experience returns to the Count Basie this Friday, they’ll illuminate “the dark side of the room” with a laser-precise tribute to four Floydian favorites.
When Pink Floyd played Jersey City’s long-gone Roosevelt Stadium in those pre-Meadowlands days of Summer 1973, they served up a live recreation of Dark Side of the Moon on a quadrophonic sound system that was specially installed for the occasion. And when Quad was briefly a thing in home entertainment centers, Floyd’s breakthrough LP was among the first albums to be rejiggered for “people with four ears.”
Here in 2015, the touring force of nature that is The Pink Floyd Experience just can’t quit the quad — and when that “celebration of the music, the themes, and the theatrical experience of a truly innovative band” makes its dependably annual appearance at the Count Basie Theatre on Friday, February 27, they’ll be bringing a Four Sides of Floyd stage show that focuses laser-like on “four complete album sides off of four beloved classic Pink Floyd albums.” It’s an enterprise backed by some $2.5 million in gear that includes spectacular lights, flying pig, collapsing Wall, and, you guessed it, quadrophonic sound.
One deer was rescued and another drowned after they fell through the ice on the Navesink River off Red Bank Saturday afternoon.
This edition of