Eileen Moon
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The Martha's Vineyard Times,
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The Two River Times,
Cheese CONNOISSEUR
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Articles by Eileen Moon
“Email 9/12 Is A Personal Response to an Unimaginable Day
Midge Guerrera, founding director of Red Bank Regional’s Performing Arts Program, recently debuted her play about 9/11 in an Amsterdam theater Midge Guerrera’s play “Email 9/12” was recently produced in Amsterdam at the Polanentheater and received a warm audience reception. COURTESY MIDGE GUERRERA By Eileen Moon In the early hours of Sept. 12, 2001, Margaret “Midge” Guerrera was awake and alone in the silence that settled over the turbulence of a terrible day.
Reflections on a Day that Changed the World
Editor’s Note: The Two River Times is publishing several articles this month as part of its coverage of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. By Eileen Moon Sept. 11, 2026, will be an official Day of Remembrance in Monmouth County, marking the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on that day in 2001. Nearly 3,000 people from 90 countries, including 750 residents of New Jersey, died on 9/11. Monmouth County was particularly hard hit: 147 people died.
Art Alliance Exhibit in Red Bank Celebrates Work of Three Ukrainian Artists
Artist Nathalie Halbout of Middletown Again Raising Funds for Wounded Veterans in Ukraine Artist Nathalie Halbout of Middletown with one of her works on display at the Art Alliance of Monmouth County exhibit in Red Bank. Halbout’s art helps raise funds for Ukrainian veterans wounded in the ongoing war with Russia.
Nativity Scenes Herald the Coming of Christmas
Creche Collection Always on Display at Fair Haven Church At the Church of the Nativity in Fair Haven, display cases in the parish hall hold more than 750 renditions of the Christian manger scene: Mary and Joseph – and supporting figures – marveling at the birth of Jesus.
What Makes a Great Newspaper? Support from Readers like You.
By Eileen Moon, Part 2 in a Series RED BANK – As it transitioned to nonprofit status, The Two River Times commissioned a 2025 audience survey from News Revenue Hub to explore what the community values most about the weekly paper and what role the newspaper plays in the lives of Two River residents. The results reflected just how deeply the community values the work The Two River Times has done over the past 35 years.
Gabriel Donio Joins The Two River Times as Executive Director
By Eileen Moon RED BANK – In May 2024, The Two River Times embarked on a new era in its 35-year history. Local businessman Domenic DiPiero donated the newspaper to a newly created 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation, positioning the weekly periodical as a nonpartisan community voice that would continue to lead the way as a primary source of local news and community happenings well into the 21st century and beyond.
Atlantic Highlands Historical Society Dedicates Garden to ‘Flower Lady’ Anne Petereit
By Eileen Moon ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – The rain Sept. 7 did nothing to dampen the dedication of a Native Species Garden at the historic Strauss Mansion in Atlantic Highlands, where dozens of local residents gathered to honor the contributions of Anne Petereit, otherwise known as the Atlantic Highlands Flower Lady, by establishing the garden in her memory.
From Origins in 9/11, Stephy’s Place Marks 10th Anniversary with Annual Mourning Walk
By Eileen Moon RED BANK – On Sunday, Sept. 7, Stephy’s Place, a support center for grief and loss, will mark 10 years of serving those recovering from the death of a loved one by hosting a Walk of Remembrance and Healing. The walk will take place at Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park in Long Branch.
NJ Clearwater Founder Bob Killian Returns for 50th Anniversary Festival
By Eileen Moon In the course of a lifetime, we witness again and again how the present swiftly becomes the past; how the triumphs and disasters of our lives slip silently into history. But not everything disappears. Not everything is left on the cutting room floor of human experience. Some things evolve and grow; some seeds planted in decades past still flower, still grow, still carry the pleasures and the prayers of the distant past into the future.
Inspiring Young Students with A Passion for Music
By Eileen Moon LITTLE SILVER – If one of the teachers at Red Bank Regional High School asks senior Sasha Perskie what she did on her summer vacation, the teen won’t need much time to pick out the highlights.
Murder and Intrigue Roil the Waters in Laury Egan’s Mystery Novel, ‘Fair Haven’
A Picturesque Town is the Setting for the Latest Book by Area Author, Photographer and Visual Artist By Eileen Moon Sometimes, a peaceful setting can be deceiving. Like one of those British mysteries set in a seemingly picture-perfect village across the pond, murder and mayhem may lurk in the most serene-appearing places. Sit for a minute on a park bench overlooking the placid Navesink River as a sailboat glides by in a gentle wind – such a pretty scene, and yet so easily capsized.
Virginia Popik: A Giving, Joyful Century of Life Honored in Atlantic Highlands
By Eileen Moon ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – When the borough hosts its annual fireworks spectacular July 3, it will also be celebrating a second, very special occasion: the birthday of Virginia Voorhees Popik, a beloved borough resident who will mark her 100th birthday that day. The town of about 5,000 residents recently issued a proclamation marking July 3 as Virginia Popik Day in recognition of her years of community service to this borough on the bay. “This honor is bestowed on Mrs.
Exhibit Explores ‘Continuing Conversation’ Between Father and Son Artists, Milton and Mike Quon
By Eileen Moon LINCROFT – Those who have lost a loved one know how their spirits endure, traveling with us beyond the pain of hard goodbyes, walking with us even when we seem to walk alone.
Remarkable Life of Geraldine Thompson Inspires Book by Brookdale Professor
‘Mrs. Thompson Saves the Day’ – and Jane Scimeca Tells the Tale By Eileen Moon During the years she was growing up in Holmdel, Brookdale Community College professor Jane Scimeca often traveled past Thompson Park, a pastoral blanket of land with a white-columned mansion overlooking Newman Springs Road.
Pysanky for Healing
The Ukrainian art of Easter egg decorating is explored in an Atlantic Highlands workshop By Eileen Moon ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – On Saturday, March 30 – the first warm day of the newly hatched spring – an adventurous group of men and women gathered at the Atlantic Highlands Arts Council to participate in a hands-on workshop titled “Pysanky for Healing,” led by professional artist Jenny Santa Maria.
Parker Center Expands to Accommodate More Patients, Services
By Eileen Moon RED BANK – Parker Family Health Center on Shrewsbury Avenue now has even more ways to help the community. On Oct. 1, the facility that provides medical care to low-income Monmouth County residents without health insurance celebrated the completion of its $5 million renovation project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by staff, volunteers, elected officials and donors who helped to make the two-year expansion project possible.
Mentor a Student and Change a Life
Lunch Break’s Alliance for Success By Eileen Moon RED BANK – A program that helps juniors and seniors at Red Bank Regional High School (RBR) transition successfully to college and careers is in need of volunteer mentors.
CNN’s Alisyn Camerota Pens ‘Love Letter to Shrewsbury’
By Eileen Moon SHREWSBURY – Shrewsbury Borough Hall was full last Friday night as old friends and former neighbors of CNN broadcast journalist Alisyn Camerota welcomed her back to her hometown. Camerota visited Shrewsbury on a book tour supporting her new memoir, “Combat Love.” It is, she said, the story of a girl who loved a band. But it is also an exploration of the meaning of home, the importance of belonging, and a testimony to the fact that even rocky roads can lead in the right direction.
Hot Dog! It’s Time for Some Dining Fine
By Eileen Moon ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – In the vast culinary universe, there is fine dining, and there is dining fine. One style lends itself to crisp linens, fine crystal and candlelight; the other, paper plates, paper napkins and a picnic table. At Dogs on First, the hot dog cart in the Atlantic Highlands marina, the emphasis is definitely on dining fine.
Veterans Welcomed as NJ Vietnam Memorial Reopens Renovated Museum
By Eileen Moon HOLMDEL – Two words hold special meaning to the generation of veterans who served in Vietnam: Welcome Home. Those words were repeated many times May 7 as the once-young men and women who served in the military during the Vietnam era gathered at the New Jersey Vietnam Memorial and Museum in Holmdel to mark the state’s annual Vietnam Remembrance Day and celebrate the museum’s reopening after a six-month renovation. State Sen.
Daughters of Ireland Form Monmouth County Chapter
By Eileen Moon On Saturday, March 23, the newly formed Monmouth County chapter of the Daughters of Ireland will be marching in the Highlands St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Like the Rumson St. Patrick’s Day parade, which took place last Sunday, the Highlands event offers the fledgling organization’s members an opportunity to spread the word about their mission as a social and philanthropic group dedicated to celebrating their Irish heritage while serving their communities.
A Life Well-Lived: Joan Ellis Writes Her Memoir
By Eileen Moon When former Two River Times film critic Joan Ellis enrolled in a memoir writing class at Project Write Now (PWN) in Red Bank a few years ago, she took a step that would ultimately lead to some life-altering, multigenerational friendships and a published book.
Community and Dedication Don’t Come Second at First Avenue Playhouse
By Eileen Moon ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – Outside the First Avenue Playhouse, this little town on the bay is alive with the pleasures of a summer Sunday. Strollers on their way for ice cream at Nicholas. Boat owners motoring toward the marina, tugging their vessels behind them. Bicyclists leaning in as they pedal in the sunshine toward the next leg of the Henry Hudson Trail.
Monmouth County Jewish Heritage Museum Features Exhibit on Sigmund Eisner
By Eileen Moon FREEHOLD – The building that is now home to the Galleria retail and restaurant complex holds a significant place in the history of Red Bank. In the early years of the 20th century, Sigmund Eisner established the Sigmund Eisner Company, a small business that ultimately became the largest manufacturer of military uniforms in the United States. But Eisner’s achievements went far beyond business.
Plan a Wedding on the Water
By Eileen Moon What better way to set sail on the sea of matrimony than to climb aboard a wooden ship and say your vows on the water? In Atlantic Highlands, Classic Boat Rides often hosts weddings and receptions aboard its paddle wheeler, the Navesink Queen, which can comfortably accommodate about 100 people for a “boutique” wedding celebration that can be custom-designed to include a DJ, a live band or the boat’s state-of-the-art Bluetooth sound system. Owned by Capt.
Sometimes, All You Need is Love - Lasagna Love
By Eileen Moon Life can be complicated. You’re going along just fine when an unforeseen plot twist puts you in the breakdown lane on the turnpike of life. Maybe it’s a big thing: a lost job, an illness, a divorce. Maybe it’s a smaller thing: a move to a new neighborhood, a looming deadline at work, an elderly parent who needs your help. You can handle it. You always do. But you sure could use a little TLC.
Ring-a-Ling! It’s Red Kettle Season
By Eileen Moon The bells will be ringing around the Two River area this Friday as the Salvation Army begins its annual Red Kettle campaign, continuing a tradition that’s been going on for well over a hundred years. Established by Englishman William Booth, a Methodist minister, in 1865, the Salvation Army is founded on the principle of Christianity through service.
Murphy’s Mental Health Services Plan Imperils Local Program
By Eileen Moon RED BANK – At a time when young people are struggling with mental health issues at unprecedented rates, a state plan to eliminate school-based mental health services and replace them with regional alternatives is eliciting outrage from educators, students and elected officials locally and around the state.
Ukrainian Family Shares Horrors of War With Students
By Eileen Moon LITTLE SILVER – Democracy is a fragile thing. It is our responsibility as citizens to protect it. That was the takeaway for seniors at Red Bank Regional High School last Tuesday after a talk on the war in Ukraine, through the eyes of three people whose lives have been forever changed by it.
Local Red Cross Volunteers Are Helping Hurricane Ian Survivors
By Eileen Moon When scary things happen in life, the creator of the beloved children’s television show, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” once advised, look for the helpers. There are always helpers, Fred Rogers told his listeners young and old. And when Hurricane Ian struck the Gulf Coast of Florida with a blow that wiped out hundreds of neighborhoods Sept. 28, the helpers came running.
Local Coffee Shops Not Too Worried About New Starbucks
By Eileen Moon ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – If the coming of autumn makes you think of pumpkin spice, you have Starbucks to thank for sweetening the season with its signature latte. The Seattle-based king of coffee chains introduced the beverage “with real pumpkin in the sauce” some 19 years ago, returning to star on its menu each year as the autumn leaves start to fall.
9/11 Memorial: A Family’s Sweet Way to Honor Their Grandfather
By Eileen Moon SHREWSBURY – Twenty-one years after 9/11, those whose lives were altered forever that day live in the bittersweet, passing on a legacy of love and heartbreak, pride and persistence to their children and their children’s children. For Jeff Hemschoot and his wife Gretchen, the memory of Jeff’s father Mark, who died at the World Trade Center, is one their children honor and remember.
Summer at the Jersey Shore, Outdoor Dining at Its Best
By Eileen Moon As the sun comes out to play and pandemic restrictions ease, many of us are ready to dig out those sandals and flip-flops and head into the great outdoors. Those of us lucky enough to live here know that summer is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Forget all those jokes about New Jersey. Forget “The Sopranos” and the cast of “Jersey Shore.” We know better. Here in Monmouth County, we have a front row seat, enjoying views unlucky inlanders have to travel to find.
Red Bank Couple Returns After Ukraine Rescue Mission
By Eileen Moon RED BANK – After weeks of travel, work and worry, Red Bank residents David and Natasha Halbout are back at home, having succeeded in their efforts to rescue Natasha’s disabled sister Alla, 60, and her brother-in-law Vladimir, 81, from their apartment in Kyiv, Ukraine. They also managed to bring their niece Maiia Dvorina, 31, back with them to Red Bank after her precarious journey from Kyiv to Prague, Czech Republic.
Red Bank Couple Launch Grassroots Rescue Mission to Ukraine
Nathalie and David Halbout By Eileen Moon Red Bank residents David and Nathalie Halbout once had dreams of retiring to Nathalie’s native city of Kyiv. Since Feb. 24, when Russia launched its attack on Ukraine, that dream has receded into the background as the French-Ukrainian couple marshal every possible resource at their disposal to bring Nathalie’s family safely out of Kyiv and deliver medical and military supplies for those remaining in Ukraine.
A Great Day for the Irish - And Anyone Who Wishes They Were
File Photo By Eileen Moon After two years of absent or subdued celebrations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the bagpipes will be calling once again as Two River towns make an enthusiastic return to their traditional St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. During the next two weekends, bagpipers, step dancers, drummers and flag twirlers will be marching along with the floats and fire trucks in Rumson, Middletown, Highlands and Keyport, as well as a little further afield in Asbury Park and Freehold.
Children’s Store Comes Home to Roost in Atlantic Highlands
Little Chicken children’s clothing and toy store in Atlantic Highlands offers more than just fashions. Photo courtesy Little Chicken By Eileen Moon If you’ve been feeling cooped up over the past few years, a visit to Little Chicken may be just the boost you need. The children’s clothing and toy store at 35 First Ave.
Norman Seldin: You Don’t Know Him
Musician Norman Seldin, who now works at Jacob’s Piano in Shrewsbury, a Steinway dealer, has published his musical autobiography, “You Don’t Know Me: Norman Seldin.” By Eileen Moon In his 2021 musical autobiography, “You Don’t Know Me,” musician, composer, entrepreneur and Two River native Norman Seldin chronicles a life saved by his Steinway piano.
Holiday Express Returns to Brighten Lives
Holiday Express brings a traveling party with music, food and treats to groups in need of some holiday cheer. Courtesy Holiday Express By Eileen Moon If you need a little cheer this year, Holiday Express has your ticket. The acclaimed band of professional musicians and other volunteers will be delivering a busload of fun to the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 21 and 22.
A Tradition Continues, On a Different Continent
A traditional Christmas cake can be decorated in many whimsical ways after being covered with a layer of marzipan and white royal icing. Claire Bates By Eileen Moon It was just after 4 p.m. when I unscrewed the top on the bottle of Jameson whiskey. It wasn’t deep winter yet, but summer was surely past, the leaves had turned. The sun sat lower in the sky, and all that meant one thing: Time to make the Christmas cake. I’d never made one before.
Loved and Lost: Mirba Vega emigrated from Cuba, drove a school bus wearing high heels
This story is part of Loved and Lost, a statewide media collaboration working to celebrate the life of every New Jersey resident who died of COVID-19. To learn more and submit a loved one's name to be profiled, visit lovedandlostnj.com. Mirba Vega was a small woman with a big heart, a determined woman brave enough to leave her native land of Cuba to settle in New Jersey with her husband, Antonio, and three kids — Sandra, Alexis and Alexander.
Loved and Lost: Suzanne Murphy, no shrinking violet, was the loudest, friendliest in a room
This story is part of Loved and Lost, a statewide media collaboration working to celebrate the life of every New Jersey resident who died of COVID-19. To learn more and submit a loved one's name to be profiled, visit lovedandlostnj.com. Nobody would ever describe Suzanne Murphy as a shrinking violet. Instead, she was the kind of person whose presence lit up a room, who made friends out of strangers and turned those same friends swiftly into family.
Loved and Lost: Michael Bell, mechanic and National Guardsman, made his kids feel special
This story is part of Loved and Lost, a statewide media collaboration working to celebrate the life of every New Jersey resident who died of COVID-19. To learn more and submit a loved one's name to be profiled, visit lovedandlostnj.com. The last picture that Patty Montgomery took with her father, Michael Bell, says everything about the joy he took in his family and the sense of fun that never deserted him.
Loved and Lost: Patrick Ricciardi loved parties, a full house, and helping those in need
This story is part of Loved and Lost, a statewide media collaboration working to celebrate the life of every New Jersey resident who died of COVID-19. To learn more and submit a loved one's name to be profiled, visit lovedandlostnj.com. Born in Newark in 1953, Patrick Ricciardi was an only child who grew up to embrace a large and loving tribe of family and friends.
A Comeback Story For The Atlantic Highlands Cinema
The borough’s 100-year-old movie theater is getting a new lease on life – and a new name – when residents Tony and Susanne Zertuche reopen it in July as The Atlantic Moviehouse. Eileen Moon By Eileen Moon ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – It was a plot twist that turned the tale of a small-town movie theater shuttered by the pandemic from a tragedy to a feel-good family feature.
Loved and Lost: Nicholas Cannizzaro drove miles to provide for his family
This story is part of Loved and Lost, a statewide media collaboration working to celebrate the life of every New Jersey resident who died of COVID-19. To learn more and submit a loved one's name to be profiled, visit lovedandlostnj.com. Nicholas Cannizzaro was a believer in the American Dream because he had lived it. The 81-year-old Wayne resident, who died on April 19, 2020, worked hard all his life.
A Wisconsin Original
Tradition and innovation add up to success for Nasonville Dairy. Located in Marshfield, WI, Nasonville Dairy stands tall in the heart of America’s Dairyland. This is a success story rooted in the enduring dedication of the Heiman family, traditional cheesemakers who have risen to the challenges of the global marketplace.
Loved and Lost: Athletes to movie stars, David Kwang-Ming Lee put guests first at the Plaza
This story is part of Loved and Lost, a statewide media collaboration working to celebrate the life of every New Jersey resident who died of COVID-19. To learn more and submit a loved one's name to be profiled, visit lovedandlostnj.com. Because they know that he would want them to, David Kwang-Ming Lee’s wife, Larissa and children Kyra, Aleksei, Anna, Vladimir, and Dmitri, will gather again with family and friends to celebrate the Russian Orthodox Easter when the pandemic is over.
Geraldo Rivera Reflects on Trump, Community of Local News
By Eileen Moon For more than 30 years, Fox News correspondent and former Two River Times owner Geraldo Rivera enjoyed a friendship with former President Donald Trump rooted in their shared identities as native New Yorkers, accustomed to the glare of publicity and known for speaking up and speaking out through decades of conflict and controversy. But, Rivera told The Two River Times last Tuesday, the relationship between the two men has ruptured in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election.
Loved and Lost: Morton Solomon focused on family over career, helped others solve problems
This story is part of Loved and Lost, a statewide media collaboration working to celebrate the life of every New Jersey resident who died of COVID-19. To learn more and submit a loved one's name to be profiled, visit lovedandlostnj.com. The first time Susan Solomon set eyes on her future husband, Morton Solomon was chatting with another woman. Recently divorced and with a 10-year-old daughter at home, Susan was at a Friday night service for Jewish singles when he caught her eye.
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