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Scene Around: A ‘Clerks’ Clerk and a FHFD First Aid Captain

Actor/producer Brian O’Halloran and Dan Kane
Photo/FHFD

Saturday was a traditional night for the stars of the Fair Haven Fire Department Auxiliary to shine with its annual dinner.

And from all accounts, all stars shone brightly. In fact, there was a little bit of all-star mingling across community and career arenas going on during the event.

Fire Department fireman and first aid squad captain, Dan Kane, rubbed elbows and, more aptly, chatted and shook hands with actor/producer Brian O’Halloran, a Middletown guy who is known for his roles in the Kevin Smith movies Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma, Chasing Amy, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Clerks II.

Clerks came out in 1994 and was shot in a convenience store in Middletown. Do you remember which store and what section of Middletown? And, in Clerks, there is a scene in which a copy of a newspaper is seen. Do you know which weekly newspaper that was?

The story about Clerks being filmed, before it met with major success at the Sundance Film Festival, was told in that same newspaper that appears in the movie. Smith, himself, worked in the store.

The budget for Clerks was less than $30,000. Once released, it brought in more than $3 million. O’Halloran’s character always had he same last name in all the Smith movies. Do you know what that was?

As for Dan Kane, do you know how many years he has been with the fire company? In capacity as a line officer has he served over the years?

And, as for the true stars of the night on Saturday, the ladies of the FHFD Auxiliary, do you know how long they’ve been hosting this dinner? Favorite food served? What did O’Halloran eat?

Talk about a star-studded night …

Thanks to Dan Kane and the FHFD for the photos!

The FHFD Auxiliary Ladies serving up some dinner
Photo/FHFD

Retro River Rats Rite

A 1976 River Rats crew Photo/courtesy Marc Edelman, Facebook

Call it a ratty reprise …

Summers in the Rumson-Fair Haven area are rife with river-oriented activities that have become tradition.

River Rats’ sailing “camp” is no exception. OK, nobody was camping per se. It was more like a little club. Still is. In fact, it’s that time of the year when kids start signing up for summer River Rats fun. In fact, it’s about that time to sign up for the Rats season.

It’s been a sort of rite of living on the Navesink passage for decades — since 1955. Kids learn how to boat and do a lot of summer fun bonding in the process.

Continue reading Retro River Rats Rite

Happy Retro Easter Times

No matter the religious belief, Easter and spring both signify rebirth. And there are many festive traditions and celebrations surrounding it all.

Over the years, we’ve seen plenty of Rumson-Fair Haven area people donning their best Easter outfits, bonnets and all, hunting for chocolate and eggs, prizes and even a few Peeps. And then there are those visits with that freakish Easter Bunny and tussles at the hunts that provoke the most classic of miserable children poses.

But, most of all, it’s a time to reflect on new beginnings giving birth from the most treasured of memories. Here are some from our friends and neighbors over the years …

Happy Easter! Happy spring! Happy blooming!

Scene Around: Former Fair Haven Police Chief Sworn in as County Undersheriff

There’s a new undersheriff in the county and it wasn’t that long ago when he was the Fair Haven police chief.

Darryl Breckenridge, a near-lifetime Fair Havenite, was sworn in by Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden as the officer who runs the law enforcement division of the Sheriff’s Office, the largest agency of its kind in the county.

Most recently, Breckenridge served as the director of the Monmouth County Police Academy. He held the position for three years following his retirement from the Fair Haven Police Department, where he served for decades.

As director of the Police Academy, Sheriff Golden said in a post that “under his leadership and the hard work of staff attained national accreditation in police training.”

With the new position, Golden said that “Breckenridge is proud to lead the largest law enforcement agency in Monmouth County and eager to maintain and enhance public safety initiatives.”

Retro RFH Egg Hunting

Easter egg hunt with RFH grads from Class of 2006
Photo/Elaine Van Develde

Well, it’s that classic Easter egg hunt time of the year. There have been many over the years and this past weekend in the R-FH area.

In Fair Haven, officials call it the quickest event of the year, usually lasting a mad rush few minutes, if not seconds. In Rumson, the hunts have lasted a bit longer, with age groups and the Victory Park scenario. Yet, there’s usually always a few stumbles and tears when grasping for that prized egg. In Sea Bright, kids are beached with a hunt.

And there are bound to be more egg hunts over the Easter weekend in many a back yard or living room, depending on family tradition. The home hunt offers a bit more time and less competition for those eggs — or whatever.

Continue reading Retro RFH Egg Hunting

Focus: Maddy Massabni’s Birthday Gifting

It was a milestone birthday meant to embrace and roll softly away with the tide, the color, the sunshine, the love, the reminder of her …

Twenty-one pink roses in hand, they walked from Maddy Massabni’s home to her favorite spot on the beach at Anchorage in Sea Bright. They were the loved ones of the Rumson teen who passed away suddenly two years ago on March 30, just three days after her 19th birthday, from toxic shock syndrome.

Maddy would have turned 21 on March 27. That’s why there were 21 pink roses, her favorite. For those who could get to the beach, there was a poem read by Maddy’s mom, Dawn, and a little celebration with hugs, tears, gratitude and a tossing of the roses into the surf Maddy so loved. Out with the tide.

Those who couldn’t be at the beach, celebrated Maddy’s 21st by creating their own home memorials, gravitating to a body of water to signify the Sea Bright spot or just displaying a single pink rose, even giving one to someone to brighten their day unknowingly with Maddy’s love.

In Maddy’s memory, a non-profit foundation dubbed Don’t Shock Me has been created to raise awareness of toxic shock and pay Maddy’s kind spirit forward. Stay tuned for more on that. In the meantime, Happy Birthday, Maddy Massabni! You are remembered.

Take a look at snippets of the celebration in photos from friends and remember … (Don’t forget to click on each to enlarge!)