The North Shore Local | THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

R YOUKLY E WE PER PA

VOL. 1, NO. 21 — THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

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THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

SI Then: The Goethals Bridge

By Dan Guarino

After the First World War, the U.S. was on the move. With the new prosperity, wanderlust and mass-produced automobiles, the Goethals Bridge was built to accommodate interstate travel. The bridge opened on June 29, 1928, the same day as the Outerbridge Crossing. Both were designed by John Alexander Low Waddell. This was the first successful bi-state development project by the then-new Port Authority. It sported two 10-foot-wide lanes in each direction. The new bridge was named after Major General George W. Goethals. Construction supervisor of the Panama Canal and

the first consulting engineer of the NY/NJ Port Authority, he died just three months before the bridge’s opening, which also would have been his 70th birthday. The same month saw the establishment of the Port Authority Police. Its 40 original officers, known as Bridgemen, were deployed to patrol and protect both the Outerbridge and the Goethals bridges. The Goethals did not recoup its original construction costs until 1964, when the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was completed. This year, 3,566,101 EZpass equipped vehicles crossed over it between January and March. It was finally closed this month when the first of two new parallel bridges opened to replace it. The second will open in 2018. Built higher and wider, they will accommodate more traffic and larger ships passing under them. Until it is finally dismantled, the original Goethals is truly now only a bridge to the past.

The North Shore Local

FREE MAMMOGRAPHIES Borough President James Oddo is encouraging all eligible Staten Island women to take advantage of the free mobile mammography screenings his office is hosting on Tuesday, July 26. The mobile mammography van will be at the Forest Avenue Shopping Plaza in Port Richmond from 9p.m. to 4:30p.m. There will also be a van at Bricktown Commons in Charleston from 9p.m. to 12p.m. and at Hylan Plaza Parking Lot in New Dorp from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The screenings will be availa-

ble to eligible women ages 40 and older who have not had a mammogram in the past year. All insurance plans will be accepted, and co-pays and deductibles will be waived. The mammograms will be free to uninsured women. An appointment must be made to get screened. To make an appointment at the Forest Avenue location, call 718816-2133 or 877-628-0909. To make an appointment at the Bricktown Commons or Hylan Plaza locations, call 800-5646868.

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DIDN’T GET THE LOCAL DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR? Don’t fret, you can pick one up at any of the following locations MANOR/CLOVE ROAD TLC Physical Therapy – 1100 Clove Road JCC – 1466 Manor Road The Roadhouse – 1400 Clove Road Manor Restaurant – 917 Manor Road A & C Superette – 884 Manor Road C-Town – 778 Manor Road VICTORY BLVD NEWSRACK – 1785 Victory Blvd. Little Victory Theater – 4089 Victory Blvd. Mobile Gas – 2525 Victory Blvd. Victory Blvd Bagels and Buns – 2491 Victory Blvd. Joseph Ashley Salon – 2451 Victory Blvd. GTS Auto Parts – 956 Jewett Avenue Citibank – 1910 Victory Blvd. Staten Island Diner – 1877 Victory Blvd. Castleton Corners Pub – 1815 Victory Blvd. Met Food – 1795 Victory Blvd. Northfield Bank – 1731 Victory Blvd. The Veranda Cafe at Silver Lake Golf Course – 915 Victory Blvd. FOREST AVE NEWSRACK – 1226 Forest Ave. Planet Fitness – 2040 Forest Ave. BCB Bank – 1500 Forest Ave.

Santander – 1460 Forest Ave. Northfield Bank – 1481 Forest Ave. Richmond County Savings Bank – 1351 Forest Ave. Stop & Shop – 1351 Forest Ave Forest Ave. Cherubini McInerney – 1289 Forest Ave. NEWSRACK – 1226 Forest Ave. Investors Bank – 1200 Forest Ave. Eggers Ice Cream Parlor – 1194 Forest Ave. Brighton Car Wash – 823 Forest Ave. YMCA – 651 Broadway Forest Footcare – 827 Forest Ave. Santander – 800 Forest Ave. Pastosa – 764 Forest Ave. Victory State Bank – 755 Forest Ave. NEWSRACK – 650 FOREST AVE Northfield Bank – 519 Forest Ave. Kings Arms Diner – 500 Forest Ave. Starbucks – 480 Forest Ave. Santander – 475 Forest Ave. NEWSRACK – 450 Forest Ave. Citibank – 445 Forest Ave. Beans & Leaves – 422 Forest Ave. HO’BRAH – 412 Forest Ave.

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Capital One – 386 Forest Ave. Liberty Tavern – 382 Forest Ave. Jody’s – 372 Forest Ave. BROADWAY Johnny’s Auto Body – 267 Broadway YMCA – 651 Broadway HENDERSON AVE Vinny’s Deli – 500 Henderson Ave. Union Hall – 502 Henderson Ave. CASTLETON AVE Wicked Stitches – 840 Castleton Ave. Dick’s Deli – 857 Castleton Ave. ST. GEORGE NEWSRACK – Ferry Passenger Drop-Off Court House – 23 Central Ave. St. George Theater – 35 Hyatt Street St. George Library – 5 Central Ave. Ruddy and Deans – 44 Richmond Terrace RICHMOND TERRACE Staten Island Children’s Museum – 1000 Richmond Terrace

The North Shore Local

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

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THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

The North Shore Local

Town Hall: Still Living With Sandy By Dan Guarino

Hurricane Sandy was no passing storm. Four and a half years later, Staten Island survivors are still mopping up the mess. Much of it has been laid at the feet of the City’s Build it Back program. The storm, reaching from the Caribbean all the way up into Canada, slammed into New York on October 29, 2012. Staten Island was hit by a 16foot tidal surge, leaving more than 4,500 homes severely damaged, and killing 24 Staten Islanders. When it comes to rebuilding, even now, as New Dorp Beach homeowner Nicole Chati told NY1 News, “We’re still living the Tuesday after the storm. We want to come home.” On Wednesday, June 14, many echoed that thought at a town hall meeting the cable news channel hosted at the College of Staten Island. The topic was NYC’s Build it Back program. Created under Mayor Bloomberg, the federally fund-

ed program’s mission was to repair, elevate, entirely rebuild or in some cases reimburse or buyout homeowners affected by the storm. An audience of 100 people attended the live event. A majority indicated they had dealings with the BiB program. When asked if they would describe their experience as positive, none raised their hands. Reporter Grace Rauh moderated Wednesday’s panel which included Borough President James Oddo, Dan Zarrilli of the Mayor’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency, and Lisa Bova-Hiatt from the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery, and representatives from the Rockaways and Brooklyn. Zarilli acknowledged, “Every home we’re talking about is somebody’s life, someone’s family. And no one’s happy with how long this has taken. No one’s happy with how much this is costing us.” “But we have recognized progress,” he said. “95% of program

participants have been served with a check or a housing start.” Oddo agreed that, “There’s light at the end of the tunnel. And for the first time, it’s not a train.” “But here’s the simple truth, mistakes were made early, mistakes were made often. They were repeated and compounded. It was less than a month after the storm that we began to see things we did not like.” BiB did not find its footing till 2015, he said. Residents from Staten Island also had their say. “It seems like they are actively trying to push people out of the program, so they don’t have to doing anything,” one man said. “It’s true, I got pushed out of the program,” another man stated. “We just want our house brought back the way it was before the storm. Now I’m in the state buyout program. Did I want to do that? Absolutley not.” One frustrated Staten Island man drew applause when he

said, “I’d like to ask you, where is all the accountability in all of this?” Why, he wanted to know, were Build it Back director Amy Petersen and Mayor Bill de Blasio not “on the chopping block?” When asked who was to blame for the BiB mess, the audience responded with a few hands for Mayor Bloomberg and also the federal government. A majority of hands went up for de Blasio and Petersen. As one man, who had spent his life savings to get back into his house put it, “I was made a lot of promises. Every time someone from Build it Back came into my house, promises were broken.” Or as one woman noted, “I think when it was started it was started with the right intentions. It has become nothing but a nightmare. And all the victims of Sandy have to continue to relive this storm 4 ½ years later.”

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Congressman Dan Donovan 265 New Dorp Lane, 2nd Floor Staten Island, NY 10306 Phone: 718-351-1062 Fax: 718-980-0768 Borough President James Oddo 10 Richmond Terrace Borough Hall, Room 120 Staten Island, New York 10301 718-816-2000 Assemblyman Matthew Titone 853 Forest Avenue Staten Island, NY 10310 718-442-9932 Assemblyman Michael Cusick 1911 Richmond Avenue Staten Island, NY 10314 718-370-1384 State Senator Diane Savino 36 Richmond Terr., Suite 112 Staten Island, NY 10301 718-727-9406 State Senator Andrew Lanza 3845 Richmond Ave., Suite 2A Staten Island, NY 10312 718-984-4073 City Councilwoman Debi Rose 130 Stuyvesant Place 6th Floor, Room 602 Staten Island, New York 10301 718-556-7370 District Attorney Michael E. McMahon 130 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island, NY, 10301 718-876-6300

Grace Acquafredda Co-Publisher Kevin Boyle Co-Publisher Dan Guarino Editor Mark Cannon Columnist/Sales Fred Marino Sales The North Shore Local 212 Cromwell Avenue Staten Island, NY 10305 718-979-6700

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StatenLocal.com Email: News@StatenLocal.com, mail@StatenLocal.com THE NORTH SHORE LOCAL is published every Thursday by North Shore Local LLC, 212 Cromwell Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10305. Ad space reservations by Monday, 12 noon, preceding date of publication. Editorial submission must be made by Monday, 3 P.M., preceding date of publication. All letters to THE NORTH SHORE LOCAL should be brief and are subject to editing. Writers should include a full address and home / office telephone number. Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without permission of THE NORTH SHORE LOCAL. The publisher will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must be reported to THE NORTH SHORE LOCAL within three days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication. THE NORTH SHORE LOCAL assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold THE NORTH SHORE LOCAL and its employees harmless from all costs, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement. © 2017 The North Shore Local LLC.

The North Shore Local

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

Petty Cache ***** Attention all North Shore boys and girls who like to hoist a few. Historic Schaffer's Tavern is NOT CLOSING anytime soon. It seems many patrons believed the doors were already closed, but the North Shore Local is happy to report bartenders Bill Ruppert, Kevin Flood and Brian Noone will be there to serve you at least through the summer months. ***** This sound may ring a bell to some. After being silent for more than 30 years, the clock tower bell at St. Peter’s Church will be operational at last. The work is set to be completed in the next couple of weeks. ***** Mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus were found in Rossville and are the first insects to be discovered with the disease this year. Although there have been no known cases of Staten Islanders infected so far this year, please be vigilant in protecting yourself and your families. Remove all standing water, wear insect repellent and install window screens. ***** Please come out and support our Snug Harbor All-Star teams this tournament season. Saturday, June 24 at 5p.m., Snug Harbor will host the 12 year old boys against the South Shore Nationals. Sunday, June 25 at 7p.m. the 10 year old girls will be playing at Great Kills Little League and on Tuesday, June 27 at 8p.m., the 10 year old boys will be at South Shore Little League. The 11 year old boys will play Great Kills at Mid Island on Thursday, July 6 at 8p.m. ***** The New York State Senate on Tuesday passed legislation sponsored by Senator Diane Savino to add Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to the list of qualifying conditions treatable with medical marijuana in New York State. ***** DA Michael McMahon announced that Daniel Nieto has been found guilty of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, a B violent felony, and Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a D violent felony, for abus-

ing a 7-year-old girl after entering her bedroom during the early morning hours. Nieto, 34, was convicted following a twoweek jury trial in Richmond County State Supreme Court. He faces a maximum of 25 years in prison on the count of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree and a maximum of 7 years on the count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree when he is sentenced on July 11, 2017. ***** The group behind the $20 million + Pool project is still working with the city on identifying a site to host its plus-shaped, water filtering, floating swimming pool that filters the river water that it floats in. It conducted a site feasibility study for 11 sites and St. George was one of them. ***** Although we found this a tad insulting, we are nonetheless passing it along. Collins Avenue Entertainment is looking to cast North shore kids and families with “authentic New York accents” and “big personalities” who won’t “shut up.” for a docu-follow. If interested, email Rachel Macy at collinsavecasting@ gmail.com. ***** Congratulations to Hammer & Mozie Bodiford, Kathy Murphy, Lou Motola, Thomas Joyce, Josephine Ferrandino, Doc Campbell and Tony Whalen for correctly guessing that Chuck and son of Chuck were on the Victory side of Clove Lakes Park. Go to page 11 and see if you know where Chuck is this week. And a big thank you to all our readers who sent in suggestions for naming son of Chuck. It was a very difficult decision but Chuck took his good friend Trish Guglielmo’s suggestion -- “Chip” off the ole Chuck. ***** There will be a fundraiser for Mike Penrose, who is making a run for North Shore City Council, at Ho’Brah A Taco Joint on June 28 from 8-11pm. There will be food, drinks and open bar with a minimum donation of $100. Anyone interested can RSVP to mikepenrose2017@gmail.com. ***** The names of 66 first responders from Staten Island who died from September 11th related illnesses have been added to the City’s memorial. Those listed include firefighters, police officers, sanitation

workers, and civilians who died as a result of doing recovery work at the site. The borough president's office has been meeting with families of first responders and the agencies they worked for to compile the list of names. A memorial ceremony for the first responder victims will be held every year. ***** The Summer Sunset Concert series, sponsored by BP Oddo and Council Members Debi Rose, Steven Matteo and Joe Borelli, kicks off Thursday, June 29 at Fort Wadsworth and will feature Charlie Romo and the Barry Levitt Trio. For more information and for a schedule of events go to StatenIslandUSA. com/sunset.html. ***** Congratulations to Westerleigh resident Manju Sunny Thomas, a court attorney in Brooklyn and a former supervisor at the Administration for Children's Services on Staten Island, who is the first woman of Indian descent to be installed as president of the Staten Island Women's Bar Association ***** We’ll believe it when we see it. To alleviate the impact on commuters affected by the Penn Station summer track project, Governor Cuomo pledged to complete major construction on bridges and tunnels, including the Verrazano bridge by July 8. ***** From Burritos to Burgers. The Mulligan’s Public House has replaced the Victory Cantina at 1736 Victory Blvd. in Castleton Corners and is now open for business. ***** Today, Thursday, June 22 from 10a.m. to 3p.m., the Mobile Legal Help Center is providing free foreclosure legal services to New Yorkers in need. Private meeting rooms

Page 5 and technology inside the vehicle enable it to function as a full-service office offering FREE legal services related to foreclosure. An appointment is required. Call 212-659-6140 ***** Senator Lanza joined his colleagues in the New York State Senate to pass three bills honoring the state’s brave first responders and those who lost their lives from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The first bill would rename the Queens Midtown Tunnel the “New York State First Responders Tunnel” in honor of the sacrifices first responders made on 9/11 and the service they continue to perform every day. The second bill designates the month of September as Firefighter, Police Officer, and Emergency Medical Technician Appreciation Month in New York to celebrate their efforts and sacrifices to vigilantly serve their communities, both on 9/11 and every day. They also approved a measure that would commemorate all the victims of September 11, by creating a commemorative license plate. Portions of the collected charges would be used for the purpose of providing scholarship money for the families of 9/11 victims. ***** Applying for US citizenship? You may be able to obtain free legal assistance. Go to www.NaturalizeNY. org or call (800) 566-7636. ***** Assemblyman Michael Cusick welcomed Northern Ireland Finance Minister Mairtin O'Muilleoir and the delegates of the New Belfast Conference to tour Staten Island last week as they continued to strengthen their New York and Belfast relationship. Flagship Brewery hosted the enjoyable and productive afternoon.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

The North Shore Local

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The North Shore Local

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

Page 7

Loose Cannon

SOBER LOOK AT THE DRINKING LIFE

By Mark Cannon

I’m always on the lookout for Cannon Fodder. Someone or something I can write a column about. Usually, around Thursday morning, a queasy feeling begins in my gut. What the hell can I write about this week? I can almost hear my so-called friends screaming, “Anything but you — please!” but I shrug off their jealous barbs. If success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration, I need to start sweating. After all, how many columns can you squeeze out of one trip to Europe? As my faithful readers know, I was thrown into this gig unexpectedly by an old college buddy — the wretched Kevin Boyle. Lacking basic journalism skills, I have attempted to write this weekly column seeking to either entertain or inform. It hasn’t been easy. The writing part, once I get going, isn’t too bad. I’m certainly no Pete Hamill, but outside of being unsure of where to use a comma or, God forbid a semi-colon, I actually en-

joy the process. Some readers may disagree, but so far, I haven’t received much negative backlash. Except of course, the aforementioned “friends,” who complain that I use this platform as place to write my autobiography. Speaking of Pete Hamill, I just finished his memoir, A Drinking Life, which I can heartily recommend. Hamill, is an Irish-Catholic, reformed, drunken pugilist — which is where our similarities end. He is also a world-renowned novelist and famed newspaper columnist who holds the distinction of being the only person to be editor of both The Daily News and The New York Post. He has rubbed elbows and partied with the most famous people in the world. He is a long-time darling of the political left, which includes my boss and editor, Kevin Boyle. Boyle no doubt, sees a bit of Hamill in himself, both being lefty writers, from large, middle-class, Irish-Catholic, Brooklyn families. Hamill tells a story that is both heartbreaking and exhilarating. At times it seems almost unbelievable. Not that I doubt its authenticity. In fact, his description of the devastation that alcohol wrought on his life rang completely true. His story is amazing, not only for what he was able to accomplish, but more so, that he was able to stay out of jail while

doing it. In fact, he did spend many weeks in a Mexican jail after a drunken night of revelry, which ended with him assaulting a cop. He eventually jumped bail, absconding from the country. The first born of Irish immigrants, Hamill grew up with an alcoholic father and a doting mother. Despite hating his dad’s drinking, he found himself following suit, starting in his early teens. His story reveals how drinking cost him a full scholarship to Regis High School and later prevented him from finishing college. Yet, while lacking any background in journalism, he was able to land a reporter’s job at the New York Post. His career soon took off while his drinking grew progressively worse. The carnage he created, in both his family and his work,

is well documented. The honesty in which he reveals how he was unable to see the nexus between his drinking and the wreckage of his personal life, hit me like a ton of bricks. Even as his physical and mental condition deteriorated, he was still unable to grasp the cause. Drinking had played such a large part in his life, that to him, it was almost like breathing. He could not connect the dots. He began to misspell simple words and could not recall conversations. Finally, at thirty-seven years of age, sitting in a night club next to a table full of mobsters, he realized he had to stop. He took his last drink that night and began the long, difficult journey to sobriety. This is a terrific book. And you don’t have to be Irish, or a former drinker, to enjoy it.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

The North Shore Local

Killing More Than Pain: Opioids

By Dan Guarino

The U.S. and New York have had drug epidemics before. But none like the opioid epidemic, experts say. What are opioids? The National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health (NHI), says they include “pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), codeine, morphine, and many others.” They also include the illegal drug heroin and synthetically produced opioids such as fentanyl. In recent years America has seen a spike in opioid use, and opioid overdoses, that far outstrips the pace of previous drugs. Health officials, law enforcement and elected officeholders have already noted its

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swift progress and damaging effect on Staten Island. The Local spoke with Janie Simmons, of the National Development and Research Institute, to learn more about the problem. NDRI has a large focus on drug use and interventions and has been around for over 30 years. Simmons has worked for them for the past 25. She makes it clear that many the old stereotypes about drug use simply do not apply here. While from 2016 to 2017 the NY Medical Examiner’s Office reported Low-income New Yorkers accounted for 18% of opioid overdose deaths, 30% came from Middle-income users. High and Very High-Income accounted for 52% of reported deaths. Simmons says most users “are working class white males.

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They often start out with an injury, are given opioids for it and get hooked.” “Certainly the overprescribing of painkillers and the way they have been marketed is huge.” “Now several states are suing pharmaceuticals for marketing them as safer than they are. Some companies have already had to pay millions of dollars in settlements. But although “states are realizing the danger of over-prescription and are stopping it; these people are already hooked.” “There’s also structural factors fueling the epidemic. There is a creeping inequality in our society. And sense of hopelessness, especially where there are no jobs. Young people are starting early. It takes away a lot of the physical and emotional pain.” And opioid addiction “happens very quickly. Very quickly the body needs them.They are also very readily available and inexpensive.” “There are prescription narcotics, and there are also synthetic opioids and heroin. Unlike other drugs that come from poppies, these can be assembled in a lab.” “Producers have realized they can save a great deal of money by shifting to synthetics. They just haven’t figured out yet how not to kill their clients.” In 2009, there were 491 overdose deaths in the city. By 2016 that number jumped to more than 1,075, far outstripping murders (311) and automobile fatalities (220) combined, with nearly two to three overdoses per day. With prescription drugs becoming harder to get, Simmons says, people are going to street heroin. “It’s much cheaper and easier to access than diverted prescription narcotics. It could be as much as $60 a pill. You can now get a bag of heroin for as little as

$10. As the price goes down, the more overdose cases rise.” Another problem is the stigma surrounding opioid users, which goes back to the persistent stereotypes. “It’s very similar to how HIVAIDs was before. People weren’t allowed to talk about it, or provide studies or fund treatment for certain groups.” Now, Simmons says, “Our system focuses on punishment rather than public health. We have a broken system.” “We don’t have enough people providing medications that reduce the craving for the drugs. There is also less training and fewer available doctors. Many don’t want to deal with drug use. And there is no funding.” “We spend more money incarcerating people than we do on reducing dependence,” she says. What can be done? “We’re trying to mobilize communities and educate them about drugs, addiction and about effective treatments.” She points to NDRI’s www. GetNaloxoneNow.org website as a source of new information about recognizing and working with opioids, interactive training for lay people and professionals and connections to resources. Naloxone is a safe, effective anti-overdose drug, often available free to the public or with a co-pay at pharmacies. Simmons notes people often see opioid addiction as a personal failure. She says many of the comments she has read are “pretty hateful.” “But we need to look at this as we would cancer, or diabetes. Like people should just say ‘No’, as if that would cure them?” Like those other diseases before it, Simmons feels, this is not a strategy that is likely to win. Not with an epidemic like this.

The North Shore Local

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

Page 9

CSI Returns To St. George

Photo by Dan Guarino By Dan Guarino

With the ceremonial cutting of a ribbon on Tuesday, June 20, the College of Staten Island returned to its roots in St. George. CSI President William Fritz, surrounded by Borough VP Ed Burke, representatives from CUNY, CSI’s Board of Directors, other elected officials and school mascot Danny the Dolphin, welcomed more than 100 people to its 16,000-square foot addition at 120 Stuyvesant Street. The new facility sports ten fully equipped smart class rooms, a state of the art computer library, administrative offices and student lounge/study area with open computers. The new branch will be very ac-

cessible by public transportation. Fritz notes that this will make it easier for many prospective students to attend college. VP Burke said, “St. George is the hub of government, the judiciary, culture, commerce, new development and now education.” Fritz and others also noted that the opening was a homecoming for CSI. In 1956 the then-Staten Island Community College started in the very same building. Later it merged with Richmond College to form the College of Staten Island. CSI is currently partnering with Wagner College and St. John’s University in the 30,000 Degrees initiative to increase the number of college educated Staten Islanders in the next ten years.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

The North Shore Local

Free Sounds This Summer The Midland Beach Plaza, on Father Capodanno Boulevard, between Midland and Lincoln Avenues, will feature both Lina Fiscardi and NFINITY on July 6.

The BP’s office notes that shows will be cancelled for safety reasons in case of extreme weather, such as if NYC issues heat or air quality advisories for those dates. For

Charlie Romo And the Barry Levitt Trio By Dan Guarino

The air will be filled with music as a new free concert series rolls out for the summer. “There is nothing better than live music,” said Ken Dashow of Q104.3FM, talking about SI’s new Sunset Summer Concert Series. “You want to enjoy some great music, go see a band that’s local. Support local music.” Borough President James Oddo added, “Good music should be enjoyed. We are go-

ing to provide some really good music for Staten Island with our summer music series.” The series is sponsored by Oddo, and City Councilmembers Debi Rose, Steve Matteo and Joe Borelli. Each show starts each Thursday night at 7 p.m. Spanning generations and genres, the Sunset Series counts in with Charlie Romo and the Barry Levitt Trio on June 29, at Fort Wadsworth, 210 New York Avenue.

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Vito Picone and the Elegants

On July 13, come to Conference House Park, 298 Satterlee, for RadioActive and Ultravylet. Freepass and Rock Farm will be at Silver Lake Park on Forest Avenue at Haven Esplanade on July 20. On July 27 stop by Westerleigh Park at Maine and Neal Dow Avenues for Cherry Bomb. ny and the Rhythm Rascals. London Fogg and Airtite will be playing Bloomingdale Park, Ramona Avenue and Lenevar Avenue, on August 3. At the Sheep Meadow at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, 1000 Richmond Terrace, JazzOut4tet and Love Me Do will play on August 10. Johnny B. and the Blues Blazers and Joan Caddell & the Midnight Choir will be at Historic Richmond Town, 441 Clarke Avenue, August 17. Staten Island’s original hit group, Vito Picone and the Elegants, do the Midland Beach Plaza’s Stars of the Boardwalk Concert on Saturday, August 19, at 7 p.m. On Thursday, August 24, Cause & the Effects and Friends will be playing Wolfe’s Pond Park at Cornelia Avenue and Chester Avenue.

more information on concerts, cancellations or postponements, call 718-816-2133. Look out for the real fireworks on Saturday and Sunday, July 22 and 23. The 2017 Staten Island Back To The Beach Celebration is coming to the Midland Beach Promenade. Billed as “Staten Island’s Biggest Event”, it is free and open to all. It will feature vendors, live music, rides and games for the kids, food and the annual amazing fireworks display, which will be held on Saturday night, July 22. Back to the Beach is presented by BP Oddo and the Bini Fund. The Carl V. Bini Memorial Fund, created to honor the Staten Islander and FDNY veteran lost on 9/11, supports the community through scholarships, emergency grants and special needs assistance, especially in times of crisis. For more information or to apply to become a vendor, go to www.binifund.org/back-tothe-beach. In the meantime, get yourself ready for some amazing Island sights and sounds this summer!

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Thursday, June 22 Summer Fun for the Wee Ones: 10-11:45 a.m. Greenbelt Nature Center, 700 Rockland Avenue. Fun-filled child and caregiver adventure with stories, nature exploration, and sprinklers (weather-permitting). Ages 2-4. Registration required. Call 718-351-3450 or email naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org. Tot's Time Plus 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Staten Island Children's Museum, 1000 Richmond Terrace Pre-schoolers create artwork, sing along and listen to stories. For info call: 718-273-2060. Every Thursday. The Story Museum 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Historic Richmond Town, 441 Clarke Avenue Stories, crafts, music, dancing and singing. For info call: 718351-1611. Every Thursday. Paint Day 1:30–4:30 p.m. Staten Island Children's Museum, 1000 Richmond Terrace Experiment with paints and other media! For info call: 718273-2060. Every Thursday. Friday, June 23 Tours of the Conference House 1-4 p.m. Conference House, 298 Satterlee Street Historic Revolutionary War meeting house. Free. For info call: 718-984-6046. Every Friday. Saturday, June 24 Meditation Class 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, 338 Lighthouse Avenue. For info call: 718-987-3500. Every Saturday. Thoughtcrimes and Misdemeanors 1-5 p.m. CPG Gallery, 814 Richmond Terrace, entrance on Tysen Street. Creative Photographers Guild exhibition with works from photographer Paul Nueckel and others. Gallery hours: Saturday/ Sunday 1-5 p.m. Through July 2.

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017 Create Your Own Peace Flags in the Wind 1–5 p.m. The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, 338 Lighthouse Avenue. Meet SI artist Joseph Lawrence Vasile and create your own peace flags. For info call: 718-987-3500. Leave No Trace 1-3 p.m. Clay Pit Ponds Interpretive Center, 2351 Veterans Road West. Learn about how to camp and hike without disturbing our natural world. Ages 10 + Tours of the Conference House 1-4 p.m. Conference House, 298 Satterlee Street Historic Revolutionary War meeting house. Free. For info call: 718-984-6046. Every Saturday. Art Studio 1-4 p.m. Staten Island Children's Museum, 1000 Richmond Terrace. For info call: 718-273-2060. Every Saturday/ Sunday. Staten Island Shakespearean Theatre Presents: Lysistrata 2 p.m. Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Front Steps of Building A. Timely ancient comedy about battles and the battle of the sexes. Free performance. For info call: 718-727-1135

house. Free. For info call: 718984-6046. Every Friday, Sunday. Staten Island Shakespearean Theatre Presents: Lysistrata 2 p.m. Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Front Steps of Building A. A timely ancient comedy about battles and the battle of the sexes. Free performance. For info call: 718-727-1135 Tuesday, June 27 Tot Time Tuesdays 10–11:30 a.m. Clay Pit Ponds Interpretive Center, 2351 Veteran’s Road West. Learn about a new plant or animal every week by making crafts, playing games and socializing with other toddlers! Parent or caregiver required to stay. Ages 1-4 (Flexible). For info call 718- 605-3970. Tot's Time Plus 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Staten Island Children's Museum, 1000 Richmond Terrace Pre-schoolers create artwork, sing along and listen to stories. For info call: 718-273-2060. Every Tuesday.

Page 11 Open Run: Silver Lake Park 7-8 p.m. Silver Lake Park Road. Community walk/run free and open to all -strollers and children, all welcome. Every Tuesday year-round. Wednesday, June 28 Clay Day 1:30–4:30 p.m. Staten Island Children's Museum, 1000 Richmond Terrace Satisfy a "knead". Work with air-dry clay. For info call: 718273-2060 Evening Group Hike or Trail Run 6–8 p.m. Greenbelt Nature Center, 700 Rockland Avenue. Bring a flashlight or headlamp. For info call 718-351-3450. Every Wednesday. Staten Island Centering Prayer Group 7:30-9 p.m. St Joseph's Retreat House, 850 Hyland Boulevard. Join for peaceful prayer. Meets the second/fourth Wednesday of each month. For info call 718-315-3748.

WHERE’S CHUCK?

Tai Chi 3:30– 5 p.m. The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, 338 Lighthouse Avenue. For info call: 718-987-3500. Every Saturday. Sunday, June 25 The DNA of Water: Art Exhibition 10-5 p.m. Snug Harbor Cultural Center, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Main Hall- Building C. Water as a border, passageway, gateway and path to present, past and future. Gallery hours Wednesday-Sunday. Through September 3. For info call 718-425-3504 Art Studio 1-4 p.m. Staten Island Children's Museum, 1000 Richmond Terrace. For info call: 718-273-2060. Every Sunday.

Chuck loves finding wonderful new places on the North Shore. Today is the Grand Opening of this new establishment and Chuck Tours of the Conference House wants to be the first one in 1-4 p.m. Conference House, when the doors open. Where 298 Satterlee Street on the North Shore was this Historic Revolutionary War

photo taken of Chuck? Submit your answer to mail@ statenlocal.com and we will mention your name in our Petty Cache column! Or better yet, take a selfie in this exact location and send it to mail@statenlocal.com.

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Page 12

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

MELANOMA

Ask The Doc

By Peter Galvin, MD

Melanoma is a significant public health concern. Every year 75,000 people are diagnosed with it and 10,000 die from it. The cause of melanoma is known, namely DNA damage caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVA) from the sun or other sources like tanning beds. Damage from UVA is cumulative, meaning that it often takes years of exposure to cause skin cancer. Prevention is easy – avoidance of both direct and indirect sunlight and the use of sunscreens. In 2012 the FDA determined that sunscreens that blocked UVA could be marketed as reducing the risk of skin cancer, provided that the sun protection factor

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(SPF) was 15 or higher. Sunscreens with an SPF of lower than 15 may prevent a sunburn but do not prevent skin cancer development. Most sunscreens marketed in the USA contain oxybenzone or avobenzone. Since 1999 the FDA has approved only one additional UVA blocker – ecamsule. Recently the FDA failed to approve 8 new sunscreen ingredients, stating that more data was required. In Europe sunscreens are regulated as cosmetics. Last year the FDA approved 41 new prescription products, but when it comes to overthe-counter (OTC) products the FDA moves much slower. OTC products are usually approved under the standard of “generally recognized as safe and effective.” Also

OTC products require economic analysis plus approval by the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House Office of Management and Budget. All this governmental red tape means that new OTC products get to the market much more slowly than prescription products, which seems almost counter-intuitive. Topical products like sunscreens are rarely if ever harmful and one would think that a product deemed “generally safe and effective” should be approved quickly, particularly if it is an improvement over what is currently available. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Many of the new sunscreen products awaiting government approval are improvements over current products. The problem with current sunscreens is that they require frequent re-ap-

plication. They wash off the skin easily with sweat or immersion in water. Plus sunscreens with SPF lower that 15 are still sold and many buyers are not aware that they offer no protection against skin cancer. The days of suntan lotions (remember the Coppertone ad?) and a “healthy” tan are gone forever and skin cancer rates including melanoma are skyrocketing. The government needs to get off its duff and approve new products, remove the red tape or change the regulation of OTC skin products to the European model. Meanwhile stay in the shade and apply and re-apply your sunscreen. As skin damage is cumulative this is especially important for children. Lastly, be aware that darker skin tone does not protect a person’s skin from sun damage and skin cancer.

SUMMER AT GREENBELT

Summer is just around the corner, and the Greenbelt Nature Center is blooming with programs for kids and grown-ups to learn from and enjoy. Here’s a preview of what’s in store through July. Summer 2017 Into The Outdoors starts at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 7, with songster Patrick Raftery leading a free, family-friendly, forest-focused summer sing along. It’s for ages 1 - 6. There’s even an optional post-performance cool-down under the lawn sprinklers. Discover Reed’s Basket Willow Swamp and Chapin Woods with a fast paced, long distance hike at High Rock Park. Bring snacks, water, sunscreen and insect repellent. Registration is required. Meet at Greenbelt’s Early Childhood Educators at the Carousel on Wednesday, July 12, at 10 a.m. Enjoy a nature activity, and learn about upcoming programs throughout the summer and fall with a special preview. Suitable for ages 2 to 5, with a

chaperone. The program is free. Registration is recommended. Later on, at 8 p.m. come out for Frog Watch! Starting from the Nevada Avenue parking lot at High Rock Park, visitors will hike to Walker Pond to listen and look for frogs. Bring a headlamp or flashlight. It’s for ages 8 and up, free and registration is required. Celebrate Sensational Slime! On Thursday, July 13, starting at 11 a.m. Observe earthworms, snails, bullfrogs and other slimy creatures that live in the Greenbelt. Then make your own slime to take home! Great for ages 4 to 8. Admission is $5 for non-members, and $3 Greenbelt Conservancy members. Registration is required. On Sunday, July 16, there is the free Colors from Nature at High Rock Park at 11 a.m. Creators of all ages will get to use natural, plant-derived pigments to create a nature-inspired watercolor painting. Registration required. Be a Forest Steward, and help by cutting back overgrown and

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invasive vegetation, watering plants, spreading wood chips, and more. The program is for adults and teens, 13 and up, comfortable with strenuous outdoor activity. Community service credit available. The group will meet at the Greenbelt Nature Center on Wednesdays, July 19 and 26, and August 2 and 16, at 1:30 p.m. Yep, registration is required. Summer Beading? The Greenbelt Center will break out the summer crafts on Friday, July 21, at 11 a.m. Ages 8+ will get to make a colorful bead animal to take home. Registration and pre-payment, $6 for non-members, $4 Greenbelt Conservancy members, are required Sharks at High Rock Park? Come out Sharks Among Us on Sunday, July 23, 11 a.m. Meet at the Nevada Avenue parking lot. The park staff notes, “These fearsome creatures of the deep are often misrepresented and misunderstood. Let’s help change their image by breaking down fact from fiction, and dis-

cover more about these fascinating apex predators. Learn about the sharks that visit our local waters, their behaviors, and summertime shark safety.” While registration is recommended, you do not need to bring your own shark. Finally, the month crosses the finish line with Turtle Time on Sunday, July 30, 11 a.m. at High Rock Park. Guests ages 5 and up will get to visit with some of the park’s classroom pets and discuss turtle fact and fiction. Then they’ll get to hike out to look for turtles that live outdoors. Registration recommended. The program is free. But if all that’s not enough summer adventure and nature exploration for you, Greenbelt says they have a whole lot more already planned for August! Greenbelt Nature Center is located at 700 Rockland Avenue. High Rock Park is at 200 Nevada Avenue. For registration or info call 718-351-3450 or email naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

This Week in History June 22 Jeffrey Ford was born. Colin Schaming was born. Ali Scalici was born. Barbara Villani was born. Jennifer McGurk was born. 1944 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the G.I. Bill of Rights. 2011 - Legendary Boston crime boss, James "Whitey" Bulger is found and arrested by federal authorities in Santa Monica, Calif June 23 Julia Nix was born. Sean O’Sullivan was born. Thomas Corson was born. Megan Roskowinski was born.

Little Bighorn in Montana. 1950 - Communist North Korean troops invaded South Korea, beginning the Korean War. June 26 Robert Burmeister was born. 2000 - The first map of the human genome, which required decoding more than 3 billion biochemical "letters" of human DNA, is completed. June 27 Jeanne McGinley was born. Stephanie Martin was born.

2003 - The national do-not-call registry, formed to combat unwanted telemarketing calls and adminis1992 - Mobster John Gotti was sen- tered by the Federal Trade Commistenced to life in prison. sion, enrolled almost three-quarters of a million phone numbers on its June 24 first day. Taryn Linker was born. Lillian McIsaac was born. June 28 Brian Gill was born. Louis DeSantis was born. Kathleen McVey was born. Courtenay Blumenberg was born. Marissa Guastavino was born. Patty VanderNeut was born. 1997 - The U.S. Air Force released Juliana Zaloom was born. The Roswell Report, closing the case Ally O’Rourke was born. on the 1947 Roswell, N.M. incident concerning UFOs and alien bodies. 1894 - Labor Day became a federal holiday by an act of Congress. 1997 - Boxer Mike Tyson bit Evander June 25 1876 - Lt. Col. George A. Custer and Holyfield's ear during their heavyall his men were killed by Sioux and weight title fight, earning a 16-month Cheyanne Indians at the Battle of suspension.

MUSINGS OF A MILLENNIAL

By Sarah Boyle

Today, we think we know the Internet. I say “think” because, yes, I believe I have mastered Google, and Yahoo, AOL (a thing of my past), and I have a pretty good grasp on social media tools. Recently, however, I realized how little I really do know. I thought I knew the Internet, but I could not tell you how it developed, where it took its first monumental steps, or anything about its infrastructure. I understand how the Internet can be applied today, but I know nothing of how the “tubes” within it allow for these developments. The Internet is often thought of as a “cloud,” an imaginary intangible world, and the answers it returns are not often questioned. Have you ever wondered about the inner-workings of the Internet? How it all came together, or how we can connect to places thousands of

miles away within an instant? It seems as though it has all just always been there, without a way to pinpoint its beginning. A series of wires, fibers, and routers. Is the Internet just a bunch of interconnected “tubes,” and why don’t frequent users question its abilities? Internet users (particularly Generation X) know if we have a question: Google it! But that is where our search ends. We fail to ever question how Google came about, or why it is able to find our answers. We often acknowledge the router in our vision, with various connected wires, and stop there. Growing up in an essentially virtual world has changed learning methods as well as social interactions. Books seem to be becoming a thing of the past, although I personally still prefer paperbacks to the popular Nooks and Kindles.

Continued on page 17

Page 13

Facts You Probably Don’t Need  In Portugal, it's against the law to pee in the ocean.

 In Germany, it is illegal to run out of gas on an autobahn (highway).

 In Australia, it's illegal to name any animal you plan to eat.

 In Turkey, it is illegal for a man above 80 years old. to become a pilot.

 In Samoa, it's a crime to forget your own wife's birthday.

 All toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads. If you find one and you're not sure what to call it, go with 'frog' and you'll always be correct.

 In England, there is still a law on the books requiring all men older than 14 years old to carry out 2 hours of longbow practice every day.  In San Salvador, drunk drivers can be sentenced to death by firing squad.  In Thailand, it is illegal to leave your house without your underwear on.

 The Golden Gate Bridge was almost painted bumblebee stripes. The plan was to paint it black and yellow to increase its visibility in the fog, but when the steel beams arrived they'd been primed with international Orange, and the architect decided it looked better that way.

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Page 14

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

The North Shore Local

Council Corner:

NEWS YOU MIGHT USE FROM COUNCILWOMAN DEBI ROSE Councilwoman Debi Rose frequently updates her constituents through Facebook and newsletters. Here is a recent post. ***** I was recently asked what one thing would make Staten Island better, and the answer was simple: planning, planning, planning! The opening of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in 1964 ushered in an era of haphazard growth, more than doubling our population in the last 50 years. What has this given us? Painfully long commutes, crowded schools and hospitals, and disillusionment. As your councilmember, I am working to change this every day. Smart planning with additional mass transit options would go a long way toward improving our quality of life. As Deputy Majority Leader,

I have made a lot of progress in the last year I want to share with you, as well as some of the challenges that lie ahead. ***** It’s been decades since anyone has taken a comprehensive look at bus service across our borough. With your help, the MTA is doing just that: taking a shore-to-shore look at bus service, using GPS data from the buses, ridership statistics and, most importantly, your input. The MTA has held three forums on Staten Island. I hope all of my constituents who commute were able to attend. If you were not able to attend one of the forums, I still encourage you to send me your feedback, which I will use in my own discussions with the MTA. To take my short survey, visit surveymonkey.com/r/R5WXMCX. ***** RUMC is moving forward

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with plans to triple the size of its emergency department. For more on this 39,000-square-foot facility, visit rumcsi.org. In addition, I helped secure funds for surgical tables and intensive care beds at RUMC. Together, these ensure that we are preparing for our future. ***** Our city is home to nearly a quarter million men and women who have put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms—that’s the equivalent of half the population of Staten Island. In the past two years, we have quadrupled funding for the Mayor’s Office of Veterans’ Affairs, and in that time, we have helped more than 1,800 previously homeless veterans find permanent housing and placed nearly 2,300 veterans and their spouses in jobs. Last year I cosponsored a bill that creat-

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ed a Department of Veterans Services, to expand upon the work done by the Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs. For more information, visit nyc. gov/veterans. ***** Our budget will make a real difference in the lives of our children. This June, my colleagues and I crafted a budget that invests in the next generation of New Yorkers. As Deputy Majority Leader and a member of the Council’s Budget Negotiating Team, I fought hard to secure several items, including: -Year-round youth employment program -Nearly $1 million for technology in our classrooms -New track and field at the College of Staten Island -All public libraries open six days a week -Additional after-school programs -Breakfast in the classroom

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THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

J Words For $600 or burst with disdain when my guy, who was on a roll, suddenly swung and missed on an easy one. At least I thought it was a piece of cake at the time. Ok, you wanna play? Got your hand on the buzzer? The category was “J” Words – words that begin with the letter J. My guy says, Alex give me J Words for $600. “One theory derives this word from the name of a Mexican town where many used, dilapidated American cars were sent.” And the answer is? (Don’t forget --- in the form of a question!). If you said “What is Juarez?” like my guy you lose 6 million pesos. The answer, of course, is jalopy. And if you’re over the age of 40

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you probably got that one right. In fact, you’ve probably owned a jalopy or two. My guy’s answer really spoke to his youth than lack of knowledge. I spoke to him after the show aired and he said he still never heard of a jalopy and was just grateful he didn’t blurt out “jalapeno.” A few weeks back I mentioned a couple of cars of mine that could qualify for the Jalopy Hall Of Disaster. My lemons brought back some memories for readers from the good old days – the days when your greatest hope wasn’t to play in the Major Leagues or become President. Your greatest hope was your car or your friend’s car would start. One guy told me his friend had a car that would only turn right. They'd have to figure out a course to get where they were going only making right turns. When I relayed this tale to another friend she asked if the car could only make right turns or was it the driver? She added she still doesn’t like left turns herself. One family owned a Delta 88.

“It was like a Delta 12” by the time we were through with it, a buddy said. They had to replace door panels and the hood and didn’t care that the colors didn’t match. “By the end, we were calling it The Quilt.” Another guy owned a car with no reverse gear. Everything was cool except when it came to parallel parking. And, of course, there were plenty of people who told me they painted their car with house paint. You could see the brush strokes. It was a classy era. Everybody had a car story. A now long-married couple told me about the time they went to a concert and came out to find their car gone from the big parking lot. They called the cops to report it stolen and described the dented yellow Pinto with a green door and said it had a bad clutch and you had to push it to get started. The cop said, your car’s not stolen. Keep looking. Kinda funny that my young Jeopardy friend lost $600 on jalopy – that was way more than we spent on some of ours.

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Photo for illustrative purposes only. Persons appearing are models.

A young acquaintance of mine appeared on the TV show Jeopardy! last week. I had no idea how much crap was in his head. No big deal that he knew Marie-Antoinette was beheaded but how’d he know the guy who dropped the blade? I can’t remember the guy’s name but I think he yelled “I am no surrender monkey!” as he let the guillotine go. You watch Jeopardy! mostly to feel superior the odd time you know an answer before the contestant buzzes in or best of all, your own Daily Double, is when you know the answer and nobody on the show does. You say pffff or ha, these idiots. But I did not take great joy

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THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

A DIFFERENT KIND OF MAKEOVER By Artie Wallace

Most people think of refinishing something as sanding, staining and things along those lines. Here is a sample of a different kind of makeover. Credit for this project goes to my partner, Susanne Max. To not give away all her secrets, I am just going to run you through the basics.

Ingredients: 1 pound beef, cooked and drained 1 pound (16 oz) spiral pasta, cooked and drained and rinsed with cold water 1 oz or 1 packet taco seasoning 1 green or red pepper, diced small 1 small yellow onion, diced Continued on page 20 small 1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 3 cups shredded iceberg let-

Here are a few steps on taking an ordinary dresser and making it into something great for a kid's room. First: Remove all hardware (handles, knobs etc) and save it (I will get back to this later). Second: Prep all surfaces. To do this, I recommend first

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Taco Pasta Salad tuce 1 can black olives, sliced 1- 1/2 cups French dressing 3/4 oz bag Nacho Doritos, crushed or taco shells, crushed Instructions: Brown the beef with the taco seasoning. In a very large bowl, mix together the beef, noodles, green or red pepper, onion, tomatoes, olives, lettuce, and cheese. Mix in the French dressing until everything is well coated. Then top with the chips.

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The North Shore Local MUSINGS OF Continued from Page 13 There seems to be no reason to learn any longer because why take time out of our busy schedules to learn, when we could just “Google it.”? As a student I have realized this has become a scary reality. Let’s face it, if we need homework answers Chegg and Google are at our fingertips. Past exams can easily be found online to study from, and I know I probably could not tell you how to properly write a bibliography, as easybib.com has become one of my most frequently used tools. Libraries are no longer used for re-

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017 search, as books and journals are readily available online, and calculators do the work for us without our brains even having to think twice about the outcome. As a regular user of technology and the Internet’s advantages, and a member of the generation that neglects to question it, I do not deny the ubiquitous use of technology in society today. It has taken over school, social, and home life. However, what I am beginning to wonder is if all this submersion into virtual worlds is moving people toward one of anti-intellectualism?

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THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

The North Shore Local

LOCAL COLOR: READERS SEND IN THEIR PIX We know the North Shore has some wonderfully talented photographers (and a good number of people who get lucky with a great shot once in a while!). Here are some shots that readers shared with us this week. Send your photos (limit 2 per week) to mail@statenlocal.com and we’ll do our best to print them, space permitting. Snap away! Danny Ingellis

Christopher Dantoni

Sean Peterson

Sean Peterson

Sandy Kane

Gregory Holuka

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The North Shore Local

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

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NY Cosmos Host Clippers for Xaverian Night at MCU! It was a night of Clippers and Cosmos - the New York Cosmos, that is. On Friday, June 16th, MCU Park and the New York Cosmos hosted Xaverian night as part of their match with Puerto Rico FC. The evening started with a welcome from the Xaverian Jazz Combo. These young musicians – joined by some alumni players who just couldn’t resist the gig - welcomed all attendees at the park with jazz standards; all, of course, with a bit of Clipper

flare! The Xaverian flavor continued with a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem before the match began. One of Xaverian’s newest alums, West Brighton resident Timothy Gangemi ’17, remarked, “First impressions are very important, and being able to give people such an amazing first impression of Xaverian as they walked into the park was really cool.”The highlight of the evening came during halftime, when Xaverian’s JV Girls Soccer team was honored for winning the CHSAA City Championship, the first Girls title in school history. The team posted an undefeated season, recording seven shutouts while outscoring their opponents by a total of 50 goals. This

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historic team will next be seen competing on the Tier 1 Varsity Level against the top schools in the city. Head Coach Erin Kennedy, a Great Kills resident, quipped, “To have the girls back together again, looking and feeling like a team while being recognized by a professional soccer organization AND our Xaverian community, was a fantastic way to end the 2016-2017 school year.” One of the members of the JV squad, Tompkinsville’s Isabella Ferraro ’20, said it best: “Gath-

ering together with the soccer team for the New York Cosmos match was a great opportunity to get together and celebrate our championship one last time before we to go back to work next season!” The team also included Islanders Juliette Giustiniani (Todt Hill), Olivia Sweeney (West Brighton), Ava DeGratto (New Springville), Casey Hicks (Woodrow), Kasey Noss (West Brighton), Kaitlin Malloy (Rossville), Giana Romano (Eltingville) and Madelyn Mullen (West Brighton)

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THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017 THE DIYER Continued from Page 16

In Memoriam Death Notices Joan C. Tormey

June 15, 2017 Arrangements under the direction of Harmon Funeral Home, Staten Island, NY 10310 /718-442-5056 Rosemarie C DeBatto

Arrangements under the direction of Harmon Funeral Home, Staten Island, NY 10310 /718-442-5056 Naya Griffin

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Home, Staten Island, NY 10310/ cleaning all surfaces with a good degreaser cleaner. Then 718-981-6622 wipe all surfaces down with mineral spirits. This will reRudolph Martino Arrangements under the di- move any buildup that may rection of Scamardella Funeral be on surfaces (including nicHome, Staten Island, NY 10310/ otine from smoke) and help 718-981-6622 neutralize any finish coats. Third: Pick the paint colors Mary Daniels Arrangements under the di- you want to use, for best rerection of Scamardella Funeral sults be sure to use an enamel Home, Staten Island, NY 10310/ paint or oil based paint. Use 718-981-6622 multiple colors to give it more of a kid's room feel. Pauline Goodrich Fourth: Apply paint in light Arrangements under the di- coats and allow to dry thorrection of Scamardella Funeral Home, Staten Island, NY 10310/ oughly between coats. Remove the draws and place on a drop 718-981-6622 cloth with the face facing up Marcos Delgado and apply even coat of paint Arrangements under the di- over the surface. Placing the rection of Scamardella Funeral dresser frame on a drop cloth Home, Staten Island, NY 10310/ do the same. When painting 718-981-6622 the sides and face, be sure to The North Shore Local can not allow the paint to run. Fifth: Getting back to the only accept obituary information sent through a funeral hardware. If the old hardware home or cemetery. It cannot as- fits your design, by all means, sume responsibility for any in- use it. If not, be sure to take correct information provided to an old handle with you when it or printed here. shopping for new ones and

The North Shore Local use it to make sure the screw holes line up. Keep in mind, a draw pull can be replaced with two knobs, so get creative with your hardware. Sixth: Decorating can be difficult. For the average DIYer I recommend shopping online for decals to help you decorate to your liking. It is advisable that the average DIYer stay away from fabric coating, layering designs, textured finishes, etc. If not done right it can ruin all your hard work. Leave those finishes to the more advanced refinishers. Though not as decorative as a finish you can find decals on most any topic you want.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

Staten Island Appreciation

Page 21

LEAVE THE GUN, TAKE THE CANNOLI

By Gabrielle Pachon

“Gab, we’re going to Uncle John’s tonight, can you run to the bakery to pick up some pastries?” This is a common request in my house and it’s something I never thought anything of. Growing up on Staten Island means that you don’t need to travel far to find a bakery, especially Italian bakeries. It’s where we buy bread for dinner, cookies to snack on, and dessert for company. Then, I moved to Virginia for college, specifically Williamsburg, VA, which is known for people wandering around in colonial garb and pancake houses that close by 3:00 p.m. People there also consider IHOP a diner there. This of course, leads me to having to explain to people that a diner is open 24 hours and must serve disco fries. Blank stares ensue.

My first realization that bakeries like Amici’s, Alfonso’s, and Royal Crown don’t exist in Williamsburg, VA was on March 19th, Saint Joseph’s Day. I was googling bakeries so that I could buy a St. Joseph’s pastry (or as my mother says San Giuseppe) — you know the ones, they’re zeppoli pastries filled with either custard or cannoli filling and have a cherry on top. I went to three different “bakeries” and every single one of the employees I spoke to looked at me like I was actually speaking Italian to them (I was not). As much as I was disappointed in my lack of pastries on that day, I was able to move forward with my life. I assumed that Williamsburg is an anomaly. It’s a small town steeped in Anglo-Saxon history, complete with historically inaccurate houses from

America’s colonial period. But then my friend asked me what a seven-layer cookie is. Now it was my turn for a blank stare – how could this be? Most of my friends are from the Northern Virginia/ Washington D.C. area and I assumed that when they went home, they bought their bread and cookies from bakeries just like me. They do not. My friend from Virginia came to visit last week and I took her to a bakery every single day, as per her request. Her social media profiles were almost solely glass cases filled with colorful cookies, cakes, and pastries. She seemed like a new woman, the world as she knew it had changed. Now, I’m being a little overdramatic, but my friend actually was in awe. It also

made my role as tour guide that week a little easier now that I knew cookies were all I needed to impress my guest. It actually saved me quite a bit of money by not having to go to fancy brunch places on the Upper West Side. But I also learned something about Staten Island. We have a unique culture here, built mostly by immigrants like my great-grandfather. They came here with very little but have given so much through their culture and traditions. Because of them, we have Italian bakeries and places like Pastosa’s for our Italian delicacy needs. My friend now thinks cannolis are synonymous with Staten Island, and I for one can think of worse things to be known for. Gabrielle Pachon is a student at the College of William & Mary, Class of 2018.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

GOLF NOTES By Tom Flannagan

Congratulations to Jesse Clemente on winning the 2017 Steve F. Zuntag Classic golf championship. This had to be one of the more exciting final rounds in the 49th edition of the Classic. The 21-year-old Allegheny College grad and star of many local junior golf events as well as MGA tournaments, flashed the talents we knew he had in the final 18 holes of the tournament once referred to as the SIGA Classic. The tournament was re-named in memory of the late Steve Zuntag, the guy who ran the tournament since 1969. Jesse, just one of the three Clemente family members participating in the Classic, hinted that he was rounding into tournament form by qualifying for the MGA Public Links tournament at Marine Park on June 7. He was never far from the lead in the first two rounds of the 54-hole tournament chasing former champions Mike Marotta and Rod Stilwell. He splashed through the usual Classic “deluge” along with the field of 84 and perhaps enjoyed the rest when play was halted for 3 hours in the second round at South Shore on Saturday. The final round at his home course of Silver Lake seemed to spark memories of his best play there. The young Clemente

by Tom Flannagan turned up the jets and fired a 4-under-par 66 for a 212 tournament total. That was good enough to beat Stilwell by three and another promising young competitor in Mike Young Jr. by four strokes. It was a great Father’s Day gift for Dad, Joe Clemente, who is not only a strong supporter of his sons Jesse and Michael, but a major sponsor of the New York City Amateur through his affiliation with UTZ Refreshment Company. The winner, posting a final round 66 at the Lake course, brought us back to the 1984 Classic final round at South Shore when Ed Sorge Jr. posted a 6-under par 66 at the Huguenot course for a tournament total of 220. That round was also delayed by torrential rains that have plagued this tournament for years. How about John Baeszler winning the Men’s Net Division? He just recently got the permission of his medical staff to play golf following some coronary surgery. Baeszler not only survived the 54-holes of heat, humidity and the usual downpours, but had to go extra holes on Saturday in a playoff for the senior net title which he lost to Gary Benedict. “The Baez” bounced back to win the net title in the Men’s Net Division defeating Benedict. Let’s check those meds!

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Youth Takes Over Again

CLASSIC OBSERVATIONS: The Classic may be considered the second major event in local golf competition following the Staten Island Amateur Championship. However, we’ve discovered that most of the elder players, as in the senior net division, are as much interested in the reunion of old friends and guys from other clubs. Well, you can’t include the likes of Mike Marotta and Rod Stilwell in the same category. They may be seniors, but they play to win only and they have the game to do it. Both have a closet full of titles and Marotta just added another Senior Gross title last Saturday. Being the oldest player in the field, we thoroughly enjoyed the company in both rounds of the Senior Net division. After years of writing about golfers with whom we’ve never played, we were granted the pleasure of knowing them close-up. Tom Longobardi has been active in the game with both the “Early Birds” at South Shore as well as the “Esquire Club” made our trip around LaTourette a pleasure. A fine player and shot-maker, Longobardi was the strongest and made it to a playoff. Jim O’Halloran and Rich Wismer, filled out the opening round foursome. Both are fellow Silver Lake members with whom we’ve played before. They may share entirely different approaches to the game, but helped make it a pleasant day. Our second round we were paired with Vin DeCrescento, the Esquire Club president as well as a former Classic winner, who hits the ball a long way and capable of scoring low. I was not only impressed with his shot-making, but his excellent eyesight in keeping track of our ball! Ken Slizewski, also from the Esquire

Club impressed with a variety of shots as well as a great sense of humor. Last but not least was South Shore veteran Brian Decker. A guy who has been playing since he was in grammar school and could not care less about his scoring. “I’m not going back to that tee. I’ll take an X,” were his words on the seventh hole when his ball found the woods. My cart-mate, Brian, was great company throughout the round as well as through the drenching rain where we shared stories of yore. Chip shots: * Sweet-swinging John Crane found the bottom of the cup for a hole-in-one and a few sheckles on the sixth hole at South Shore. * Hats off to all those players that did the work on the setting up and scoring etc. at all three courses for the tournament. That’s the “always-reliable” group headed up by SIGA President Dan Pizutto, Matt Zuntag, Chris Nalley, Jim Fareri Jr., Vin DeCrescento, Joe Tuite, John Pirrone, Rod Stilwell and Vic Stora. * Several local players made the cut for the Met Publinks at Marine Park. They include Steve Schwab Jr., Paul Ulanich Sr., Brent Fredericksen, Jesse Clemente, Mike Marotta and newly-wed Billy Byrnes. They will play in the championship on July 6 at Ballyowen. Yep. Sorry ladies, but Jennifer took Bill Byrnes off the market at a Florida wedding after a long planning stage. *There is still time to get a late entry in for the Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame 7th Golf Outing and Reunion at South Shore next Thursday. Call John Woodman at 718-816-7249 or his cell 347612-1379. If you can’t reach this busy man, shoot him an email at jwoodman1@si.rr. com

The North Shore Local

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

Talking Baseball

By Joe Nugent

Talking about baseball is one of my favorite things to do. And when I find a person who loves baseball as much as I do, the conversations can lead to some interesting discussions and arguments. Larry Leidy is a North Shore icon. The owner of the Shore Inn knows his baseball, has strong opinions about MLB players, past and present, and he absolutely is "all in" when the topic is the greats who have played right here on Staten Island. "Lightning Larry" does have a major baseball flaw. The man thinks A-Rod is one of the greatest of all-time. Okay, Lightning, everybody is entitled to one swing and a miss (I happen to think Alex was on the Roids since high school), but since you have often asked for my opinion on who are the best I've seen around the neighborhood, let's get in on the record. I'm 68 years old, played in the Mid-Island Little League and Babe Ruth League, Monsignor Farrell HS, Wagner College, Tappen Post in the American Legion and with Cedric's in the T-M Majors until 1978. Covered Island sports with the Advance for 20 years and Time Warner Cable for 23 years. And here is what I think. Before my time, Bobby Thomson and Hank Majeski were the greatest Staten Island players. Thomson probably still ranks No. 1 on the all-time list because he was so much more than the guy who hit the "shot heard round the world" in 1951. Thomson was

an All-Star player with elite ability. Look up his lifetime stats. They will convince you I'm right. Jason Marquis is a clear No. 2. A superstar star at age 12 (pitching South Shore to the Little League World Series), unhittable at Tottenville High School, first-round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves, and a solid major-league rotation starter for 14 years, Marquis certainly deserves his special place in Island baseball history. Here is the list of the other "special" Island pitchers. Danny McDermott (Curtis), Jack Hurley (Port Richmond), Jack Donovan (St. Peter's), Fran Hirschey (St. Peter's), Cliff Brantley (Port Richmond and the Philadelphia Phils) and more recently Mark Mondi who pitched an entire T-M Major season (when it was still an elite sandlot league) and didn't give up an earned run! Terry Crowley is the best lefthanded hitter I ever played against and second to Thomson with a Staten Island stick. Behind Crowley comes Jeff Szczecinski, David Honor, Chris DiDonna and Artie Schmitt, the only lefthanded hitter I ever saw hit a ball over the leftfield fence at the Berry Houses. When you talk right-handed hitters, there is an army of feared sluggers. Charlie Bilezikjan, Donnie Rizzo, Dudley Scimeca, Jimmy Stefanski, Kevin Ruffler, Tom Tierney Jr. and John Semerad could all "rake," but the man on top of my list is Eddie Balletto.

A catcher out of New Dorp HS, Eddie matured as a hitter later in life and his tape-measure home runs in the 1970s are legendary. I was playing leftfield at the Berry Houses when Balletto hit a ball over the light tower and over the railroad tracks. It looked like a golf ball as it sailed out of sight. The pitcher was Bobby Nugent (of 1964 Mid-Island Little League fame) and the catcher was Howie Ruppert. After the titanic blast, Ruppert walked out to the mound, handed my brother the new ball and said "Congratulations Nuge, you just served up the longest home run in baseball history." I will swear on a stack of bibles, as will all of my Cedric's teammates, that Balletto's home run that day went 500 feet! Frank Fernandez (Curtis and the Yankees) and Sonny Ruberto (Curtis and the Cardinals) are generally considered the best catchers the Island has every produced, but Tommy Gregorio and the already mentioned Stefanski and Ruffler, were elite receivers. Infielders often get overlooked in "all-time" discussions, but how about this list. Jack Tracy, Phil DeFrancisco, Bill Cali, Mike Siani, Bobby Jones, Lou DiChiaro, Artie and John Toal, Rico Bellini, Steve Mirasola and Mike Mauro. But when I'm asked who had the best hands I ever saw my answer is Johnny Currado. At 5-6, he was Freddie Patek before there was a Patek playing for the Kansas City Royals. Johnny was a star at 12 (the Mid-Island team that won it all in 1964), then just got better at Port Richmond and NYU. The scouts who wouldn't give him a shot because of his size completely missed the boat. Pretty soon Zack Granite is going to be in the major leagues. I first saw him when he was 13 years old playing in the South Shore Babe Ruth League. After developing his unique talents at Tottenville and Seton Hall, Zack is ready

Page 23 to take his place among the best the Island has ever produced and become a Minnesota Twin. So that's it, Lightning. The men I go to baseball war with. Give me this roster in their primes and let the winning begin. Nugent's Nuggets: **Very strange US Open. The golf course (Erin Hills) was a dud, Mickelson didn't show, three great players (McElroy, Day and Dustin Johnson) didn't make the cut, but Justin Thomas (63 in round three) and Brooks Kopeka (16-under par) made history with sensational play. Didn't make much sense. **I don't care how many players are dinged up. Four straight losses to the awful A's is unacceptable. Yanks need to right the ship - now! **This is the plain simple truth. This NBA draft means NOTHING! No matter who drafts who tonight, the Golden State Warriors aren't losing to anybody next year. And the Knicks still have Carmelo, so they still stink! **God Bless you, Connor McGregor, I will be rooting hard, but my brain says you are about to get crushed. **Odell Beckham wants to be a New York Giant for life. He has a funny way of showing it. **Looks like the return of Cepedes, Matz and Lugo wasn't the answer to the Mets' biggest problem which is the rest of that putrid roster. **Bruce Buneo, Seniors golfing buddy, came up big for me at Peeble Creek. Thanks Bruce, owe you one. **Yesterday was a real big day in the Nugent house. Jake Bruen, our special angel, graduated from Middle School and Kourtney Marie Nugent, winner of the Pay It Forward Award for second graders at Our Lady of Good Council, celebrated her 8th birthday. Proud of you both! **It's All-Star time for Little League softball and baseball teams. Please, players and parents, make a pleasant experience for your children.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017

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