Rumson-Fair Haven Patch's Top 10 Stories for the Month of November

10. Feeding The 'Sea Bright Rising' Vision

It’s food for rebuilding Sea Bright and its residents’ spirits and Chris Wood wants to make sure no stomachs are left grumbling.

Weeks after Sandy spun her wrath on Sea Bright, the Fair Haven resident and owner of Woody’s Ocean Grille’s initial makeshift vision to feed residents and business owners faced with the daunting rebuilding of structure and spirit has grown.

9. Recovery: Feeding Troops in Sea Bright

"In all my 39 years as a fireman, I've never seen anything as bad as what  Hurricane Sandy did here," said Sea Bright Fire Department Captain Dave Estelle, also a retired Deal policeman, as he chatted in front of the firehouse with other volunteers readying to feed the troops dinner.

To the right of Estelle, where there used to be a public beach parking lot, there was an encampment: rows of U.S. Army National Guard tents, refrigeration trucks, hummers, soldiers and civilian volunteers scurrying around, sorting through supplies and on alert to help.

8. About 65 Percent Of Monmouth County Still In The Dark

JCP&L reported about 183,415 of the 280,822 customers in Monmouth County remained in the dark as of about 11 a.m. Saturday, according to its outage map.

Power outage numbers, meanwhile, continued to drop slightly across the state Saturday.

The scene at the foot of the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge, on the Rumson side, is a surreal one post-Hurricane Sandy.

U.S. Army National Guard personnel are stationed at the entrance to the bridge, camouflage gear, hummer vehicle and all. No one may cross the bridge into Sea Bright. A lit sign sends the message, in addition to police and other emergency services vehicles.

6. The FH Power Update: More Lights On

The latest from Fair Haven Mayor Ben Lucarelli is that power should be restored to 95 percent of the borough by Saturday.

Now, more signs of light are being seen throughout the borough, Forman Street being the latest Patch heard about after last night’s connection of parts of River Road, Hance Road and some side streets off Hance.

5. Sea Bright Rebuilding in Wake of Sandy

“We’re fine, but the business is gone. It’s all gone,” said a teary Christina Dilorio, part owner of Sea Bright’s now destroyed DIVE!

Dilorio and partner Steve Graniero just opened the bar and grill last year. It was one of the many Sea Bright businesses, not to mention homes, destroyed by the unrelenting wrath of Hurricane Sandy.

Dilorio was one of hundreds of Sea Bright business owners and residents who packed the Borden Stadium on Thursday afternoon to get a briefing on where to go from here from the borough’s May

4. Food for Alabama Power in Fair Haven

"Yes, ma'am!" said an Alabama Power worker when asked if Fair Haven was treating him and his colleagues well as they took a lunch break Sunday while wrapping up their efforts to get the borough powered up after nearly two weeks without.

He was one of many in a much welcomed cavalry of out of- and in-state power restoration crews working to complete the task so many in the slightly more than one-square-mile town's residents were anxious to see completed — lights on in the entire borough.

3. Woody's Oceanfront Sea Bright Mess Tent Gets Thumbs Up from Gov. Christie

Chris Wood grew up in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

He graduated from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School. He grew into adulthood immersed in R-FH tradition, much of which included summer fun in Sea Bright. He has a love of Sea Bright that is steeped in good memories.

2. Power Starting to Light Up Fair Haven

Yes, that was light that you may have seen flickering from parts of Fair Haven.

"As of 8:29 p.m., power has been restored to parts of Hance Road, River Road near Hance, The Gentry, Third and Forman streets and Parker Avenue," Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge announced.

1. IMAGES: Sea Bright Destruction And Recovery After Hurricane Sandy

Haunting images of the seashore community in the aftermath of the destructive superstorm

Donovan's Reef. Exclusive beach clubs. Roads. Houses.

Gone.

Patch photographer Mark Vetrini captured the images of Sea Bright on Friday, just days after Hurricane Sandy collided with the coast.