News

BP Oddo announces dates for summer beach concerts featuring Vito Picone & The Elegants, local bands

7/26/2021

Borough President James Oddo, along with The Bini Foundation, is excited to announce that two big summer concerts are coming to Staten Island next month. The borough will be welcoming Vito Picone and the Elegants on Saturday, August 14th at 6:30p.m. at Turtle Circle in Midland Beach. Local musicians Lina Fiscardi and The Expressions will be joining this concert as the band’s special guests.

To kick off the weekend, another concert is set for Friday, August 13th at 7p.m. featuring the rock music of Black Ties, Sherwood Project, Spinning Bad and Grounded For Life. This performance will also be held at Turtle Circle in Midland Beach.

“We are thrilled to bring back Vito Pitcone and the Elegants to Staten Island for a summer concert I know Staten Islanders will be looking forward to,” said Borough President Oddo. “We are also excited to welcome some of the most talented youth bands from the borough to perform a rock and roll show the day before to celebrate summer all weekend. Let’s continue the summer of recovery with some of the best music around.”

For both concerts, parking will be available in Midland Beach Parking Lot 8, and several food trucks will also be on site to purchase food and beverages. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring their own chairs and socially distance. All concerts will adhere to CDC guidelines.

BP Oddo partners with mental health app developers to help teens, young adults cope with stress, anxiety

7/22/2021

BP Oddo encourages youth to use these free mental health resources in response to a dramatic uptick in suicidal ideation and attempts since COVID began

Borough President James Oddo has announced a new partnership with several mental health apps from the United States and United Kingdom to offer free resources to young teens and adults in response to the effects that have stemmed from the COVID pandemic. The last 18 months have been challenging and a lot of the anxiety, fear and sadness that came with it might not be going away all by itself. These resources, available now, can help alleviate stress and encourage all to focus on their self care. The tools vary from meditation, play lists, exercises and more to help manage stress and quell anxiety.

The partners of this initiative include Sanvello, Calm Harm, and Cosmic Kids. Additional resources are also listed on Borough Hall’s webpage here: https://www.statenislandusa.com/mentalhealthapps.html.

"It's no secret that, collectively, our mental health has suffered during COVID. The pandemic's isolation, grief and lasting effects have wreaked havoc on the mental health of all, but perhaps most in children and teens,” said Borough President James Oddo. “With that in mind, we have created partnerships with several mental health apps that offer tools to help young people cope with their feelings. By putting these apps literally in people's hands, we can help prevent crisis situations from developing and offer help in real time."

We invite you to give them a try via the App Store and wish you good mental health. All of the apps have several resources available for free. Specifically, Sanvello has offered premium access at no cost to Staten Islanders for three months.

In Sanvello, you’ll find:

Daily mood tracking and weekly progress assessments that deliver personalized tools and resources for how you’re feeling
Guided Journeys designed by experts to help you feel more in control and build long-term life skills
Coping tools like meditations, journal, goals, calm reminders, circle of support, and more, so you always have just what you need — anytime, anywhere
A vibrant community of peers, 4 million strong

Getting started with Sanvello is easy. Sign up at the link below, then download Sanvello from the App Store or Google Play and log in with the account you created on the sign-up page. Ready to start feeling better? https://sanvello-web.app.link/e/statenisland

Calm Harm is a free, award-winning app developed for teenage mental health charity stem4 in the United Kingdom by Dr. Nihara Krause, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, using the basic principles of an evidence-based therapy called Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT). It provides tasks to help you resist or manage the urge to self-harm. You can make it private by setting a password, and personalize the app if you so wish. You will be able to track your progress and notice changes. For additional resources at Calm Harm, visit https://stem4.org.uk/resources/

Cosmic Kids is ideal for children ages 3 to 9, offering free daily meditations, some breathing exercises, select sleep stories, select music tracks, and some guided meditations. Additionally, the creators have numerous meditation and utopia videos for free on YouTube. The “Calm kids” section also teaches young kids about calming techniques and can be used by parents working with children as young as 3 years old.

BP Oddo encourages Staten Islanders to “Own the 18” this weekend

7/12/2021

Campaign encourages property owners to remove litter from their property as well as 18 inches into the street

Borough President James Oddo announced this past Spring the resurgence of “Own the 18,” an anti-litter program. “Own the 18” educates and encourages home and business owners to remove litter from their property, as well as 18 inches into the street, as required by NYC Administrative Code: Section 16-118(2)(a).

For the months in which the 18th day falls on a weekend, Borough President Oddo is asking Staten Island property and business owners to commit to taking a few moments to clean in front of their properties. This includes this Sunday, July 18.
“For the past seven years, our office has been tackling the litter issue on Staten Island, but to no avail. The borough seems to be as filthy with litter as it has ever been. We fully understand there is a pandemic and the unfortunate impacts that came along with it. However, none of this justifies the litter we see or prevents us from each doing our small role in addressing the litter we see,” said Borough President Oddo. “While I would hope Staten Islanders would do their part every day, we are designating the 18th of the spring and summer months when each of us pledge to remove litter near our homes and maybe even a neighbor's home or a senior citizen's so that we can begin to reclaim part of our quality of life.”

Those who participate are encouraged to post before and after photos on social media with the hashtag #ownthe18 to be reposted by the office’s social media accounts.

VISIT Staten Island receives New York State Accolades for Tourism Efforts during pandemic

7/8/2021

BP Oddo’s tourism initiative recognized in a virtual ceremony for commitment to promoting borough throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

Borough President James Oddo is pleased to announce that his office’s tourism initiative, VISIT Staten Island, has received another Tourism Excellence Award for the “Most Significant COVID Response In Support Of The Consumer” from the New York State Tourism Industry Association in a virtual ceremony held this past Spring.

The 2021 New York State Tourism Excellence Awards acknowledge the work done in crisis conditions during the 2020 pandemic year. The Tourism Excellence Award was given to VISIT Staten Island for the creation of its “Stay on Staten Island” campaign, which encourages residents to explore their hometown virtually, while supporting local cultural organizations and businesses that were open and offering services throughout the pandemic. This social media campaign became a necessary resource and outlet for Staten Islanders who were looking for things to do during the stay-at-home mandate.

The award was presented to Jennifer Sammartino, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Colleen Siuzdak, Manager of Communications and External Affairs, during a virtual ceremony, recognizing VISIT Staten Island’s commitment to promoting the borough’s virtual programming, continuing the mission of the office during these unprecedented times.

There was a total of 27 honorees recognizing many counties across the state including those from Central New York, the Hudson Valley and the Finger Lakes. Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden received the same award for their outreach to the public through their “Snug Harbor At Home” series which included virtual tours and explorations and at-home educational activities all ranging from art and dance to science and history.

“Working collaboratively in New York State’s tourism community enables you to network with some of the best minds, most experienced individuals and trendsetting thought leaders in the global tourism industry,” said Bob Provost, President of the New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA). “The individuals, campaigns, initiatives and projects being honored are world-class. I am humbled by their achievements and service to their communities in 2020.”

The New York State Tourism Excellence Awards are juried by an impartial panel of industry experts under the auspices of the New York State Tourism Industry Association. Nominations were up 250% vs 2019 and the judges were challenged by both the volume and the caliber of the entries.

“I am proud of the work Jennifer and Colleen have done to bring Staten Island to the forefront of the tourism industry as they continue to encourage residents to explore their own hometown,” said Borough President Oddo. “The borough has so much to offer – from history, to food, to experiences, to shopping. We have it all and the whole world is starting to get the message.”

The New York State Tourism Industry Association brings together those who support the state’s $115 billion tourism industry as a way to increase economic development in the 62 counties of New York State. In 2018, these state-wide efforts welcomed 253 million visitors with direct spending totaling $72 billion. Although all partners focus on the visitor experience, these members also strive to improve the quality of life and pride of place for all New Yorkers.

About VISIT Staten Island:
VISIT Staten Island was created in 2009 to highlight Staten Island as a fun, family-friendly, and historical destination to visit. The initiative is managed by Staten Island Borough President James Oddo's Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, an office created in 2017. The VISIT Staten Island initiative was rebranded in 2018 to incentivize those travelling from Manhattan to stay on Staten Island and spend the day at one of the many cultural attractions, shops, and restaurants. The campaign, “The Unexpected Borough,” also encourages residents to explore their own backyard and take advantage of the programs and events that are found so close to home.

Mayor de Blasio, BP Oddo announce transformative plan for Goodhue

7/6/2021

Funds allocated in City Budget will complete acquisition of additional 11 acres of property to be preserved as parkland, new state-of-the-art community center and enclosed pool

After years of collaborative efforts, Borough President James Oddo and Mayor Bill de Blasio have announced an allocation of $52.9 million in the FY ‘22 city budget for the Children’s Aid Society to build a new community center and enclose its outdoor swimming pool on the grounds of Goodhue. In addition, the City funding will complete the acquisition of an additional 11 acres of Goodhue property to be preserved forever as parkland for all Staten Islanders.

With this allocation, the entire 41-acre Goodhue site (operated by the Children’s Aid Society since 1912) will serve the needs of the community, with a total of 37 acres purchased and protected as city parkland; and the rest kept by the organization for the new state-of-the-art community center and pool. The best part? Approximately 1,000 children and adults are served annually by the Children’s Aid Society on Staten Island, in addition to the almost 200 youth who participate in Goodhue’s after-school program, and 400 children who attend summer day camp.

The new community center and enclosed pool will ensure that Staten Island families can use Children’s Aid Society facilities for generations to come.

The new community center will feature classrooms, program facilities and a gymnasium which would provide space for basketball and other sports, as well as multi-purpose activities and events for various age groups.

While the Children’s Aid Society has not finalized any programs, the new center could offer such services as: after-school programs, sports clinics, foster care services, preventative services, family stabilization services and a day camp. Early childhood education and teen programs are also under consideration.

The enclosed pool allows for year-round use and expanded programming.

"It is difficult to overstate the importance of this victory. I want to thank the Mayor for his commitment and understanding of the importance of this project to the children of Staten Island. We commend the Children’s Aid Society for their community-minded restraint in not selling the Goodhue property to developers years ago. Rather they worked with government to preserve this land for the benefit of the children they serve," said BP Oddo.

"Looking ahead, my office will continue to work with the Children's Aid Society and the Mayor’s office to develop the plans for the new center and set the groundwork for helping to complete the project as quickly as possible," he said.

BP Oddo allocates $1 million to SIUH/Northwell Health for life-saving technology

6/30/2021

Funds will help with the purchase of a bi-plane imaging machine to prevent cardiological, neurological diseases

Borough President James Oddo announced yesterday that he is allocating $1 million to Staten Island University Hospital/Northwell Health for the purchase of a bi-plane imaging machine that will undoubtedly save lives in emergency situations.

Advanced neurologic and cardiac interventions are necessary to relieve a patient’s medical emergency or to stabilize them for further care. Advanced imaging is the most important tool for interventionalists to achieve successful outcomes.

“With bi-plane imaging, we have the chance for countless lives to be saved through a myriad of treatment options at Staten Island University Hospital. When it comes to stroke, time loss is brain loss. With heart attack, time loss is heart muscle loss,” said Borough President Oddo. “I want to applaud Dr. Ardolic and his team for their efforts in getting ahead of modern technology to use advanced imaging for when those emergency situations arise and for building a team of interventionalists to do this work.”

Dr. Brahim Ardolic of SIUH met with BP Oddo last week to discuss the imaging tool and explain its impact on patient care, and the importance of this purchase for Staten Island residents.

"Staten Island University Hospital’s mission is to provide the most advanced care, close to home for the people of Staten Island- but it's also a community effort,” said Dr. Brahim Ardolic. “We thank Borough President Oddo for continuing to be a champion for the health and wellness for Staten Island and for his constant support of this hospital."

Advanced biplane imaging offers high-definition 3D imaging for a wide-range of medical interventions, including neurology, cardiology and electrophysiology. Biplane technology is another critical tool to ensure that Staten Islanders don’t have to leave the borough to receive the most advanced care.

Bi-plane imaging offers:
• 3DCT HD which allows for high-definition images that reduce interreference and accurately detects vessels, devices and soft tissues
• Low-dose radiation
• Obtaining high-definition images with less radiation reducing harm and creating efficiencies
• The opportunity for personal dose settings for patients and their unique circumstances
• Advanced room controls and sensors to optimally position the device for accurate imaging and fast-reaction time movement to quickly and accurately reposition the device as needed

BP Oddo Celebrates “Readers Are Leaders” Exceptional Readers with Virtual Ceremony

6/25/2021

Staten Island Author and Magician Mike Lane performed a virtual magic show to recognize fourth grade participants in annual reading challenge, appearance made by Author Jocko Willink

Borough President James Oddo recognized this year’s “Readers Are Leaders” participants with a virtual ceremony last night featuring a magic show performed by Staten Island Author and Magician Mike Lane, and words of encouragement from Jocko Willink, author of the “Way of the Warrior Kid” series and former Navy SEAL. This ceremony was exclusive to the students who read for the 2021 challenge which took another form this year due to COVID-19. Fourth graders were able to participate apart from their school by using the Sora app, which is a free book-lending program with access to hundreds of books. For this program, a curated collection of books for the 4th grade reading level and below were picked by the office along with representatives from Sora.
“It’s so encouraging to know that these fourth graders have a love of reading that goes beyond the walls of the classroom,” said Borough President James Oddo. “While this ceremony looks different than in years past, it is important to recognize the hard work of these students who took it upon themselves to read more in addition to their school’s standard curriculum. We want to congratulate all of this year’s participants and hope you all continue to read and enjoy learning.”

This year’s “Readers are Leaders” program challenged all 4th grade students in Staten Island’s public, parochial, and private schools to participate through their school, or individually. Students were tasked with reading a minimum of 6 books in five weeks available to them on the app. Book reports were then submitted to the office through our website.

The challenge was started 25 years ago by then-Councilman Vito Fossella before being taken over by the Borough President’s Office. Since its inception in 1996, 4th graders have read more than 690,000 books for the annual challenge.

Students that participated in the challenge are listed below:
Anthony Abreu; Matthew Abreu; Chloe Alatsas; Saja Anan; Elan Adler; Ihotu Adoyi; Jason Ajello; Eshaal Ahmed; Argentina Alaimo; Addison Ameneiros; Julia Antinoro; Lilly Arroyo; Gabriella Avitto; Muhammad Ayyan; Chole Ballaro; Christopher Pavia Ballesteros; Rebecca Baxter; Stella Berdichevskiy; Alban Boljevic; Salvatore Bonura; Reagan Burke; Liliana Byron; Christopher Calabro; Liana Calabro; Alexis Caragliano; Jordyn Carmelengo; Jenna Carrescia; John Carrescia; Sabrina Casale; Abigail Casatelli; Derek Caserta; Erin Celebre; Gianna Cavaliere; Juliette Cermeli; Kaylan Chen; Matthew Cheng; Jamielyn Chin; Madison Connors; Megan Coppola; Canon Costa; Francesca Costabile; Joseph Costanza; Nicholas Costanza; Alexandra Coyle; John Coyle; Chace Curro; John Cutillo; Liza Dalis; Caroline D'Amelio; Emily Dean; Vince DelGuidice; Katherine Delaney; William Delin; Marcello DeNardo; Giulianna Desiderato; Michael D'Esposito; Luca DiFilippo; Gabriella Dimassa; Francesco DiPaola; Brendan Doda; Mia Donohue; Aldin Djencic; Nora Dragovic; Maya Draszawka; Michael Duta; Coriell Eagle; Gabriella Eidelstein; Nour Elsafty; Haniya Emaan; Megan Enriguez; Ava Famulari; Daria Fedonenko; Michael Ferdico; Alejandra Fernandez; Carley Ferrera; Gianna Fiduccia; Peter Fiduccia; Olivia Fischette; Sergio Flores; Angelina Focca; Gianna Fox; Jason Foxman; Adam Gaied; Lucia Galante; Gianna Gallart; John Garofalo; Sabrina Garcia; Grace Gargano; Julianna Geraldi; Justin Gerlach; Alexis Gilligan; Isabella Gindin; Connor Gioia; Philopateer Girgis; Benjamin Gleyzer; Patrick Golden; Ava Goldstein; Dominick Graziano; Isabella Graziano; Arthur Gumiela; Vinudi Gunasekera; Frederick Gunsch; Leah Gunther; Trofeem Gusev; Anna Harvey; Maeve Heck; Story Hope; Haoying Huang; Ariella Iospa; Isabella Iospa; Daniel Ivanov; Malachi Jacobs; Janelle Jarrett; Andrew Jichetti; Lucas Juno; Roy Kang; Jonah Kelner; Olivia Keyes; Mera Khalil; Shay Kissoondath; Emma Knight; Joshua Knutsen; Karl Kocian; Thomas Kostenbader; Michael Kritikos; Ethan Kubasak; Michael Kusack; Angelina Iorio; Nicolette Laino; Casey Landron; Alexis Lapre; Giulianna LaRosa; Dylan Lavas; Vito Lavignani; Rebekah Leung; Samuel Leung; Benson Lin; Juliette Liss; Julianna LoGiudice; Joseph Logozzo; Charlotte Lopardo; Julian Losurdo; Adrianna Maglione; Faeza Mahbub; Savanna Mahoney; Andrew Manetta; Aaron Maisel; Dandre Martin; Francesco Martino; Joseph Masella; Brendan Massa; Daniella Massaro; Billy Mastro; Kathy Matajy; Adrianna Matrone; Deborah McCoy; Shannon McGlyn; Juliet McKenna; Isabella McVeigh; Hassan Mirza; Christian Misseri; Joseph Memoly ; Arely Montalbo; Luke Monte; Riley Moreno; Sophia Morse; Joseph Mosiello; Olivia Muccigrosso; Julia Nicotra; Crystal Noby; Christian Noonan; Dean Odrechowski; Excellence Ogunsola; Shi Oquendo; Samuel Paolucci; Luke Paone; Odin Peng; Jill Perazzo; Ava Perlman; Anthony Petruzzelli; Christian Pisapia; Julia Pisicolo; Alyssa Powierski; Lily Poyerd; Joseph Procida; Nicolas Profeta; Connor Portis; Alessia Puccini; Luca Puccini; Jason Pukhov; Steven Ragucci; Fatima Ramirez; Maira Rashid; Mariam Rashed; Claire Reed; Julia Remorca; Matthew Reno; Christian Rivera; Jose Rivera; Mariandrea Romero Ramos; Ryan Robinson; Abigail Robisky; Sarah Rodriguez; Taina Rodriguez; Alyssa Rogan; Vincent Ruggiero; Anthony Ruiz; Hailey Ruiz ; Julia Ryan; Joseph Sanger Jr.; Victoria Scamardella; Domenick Scibilia; Dominic Sciortino; Rudy Seddio; Aidan Shultz; James Shultz; Vincent Sereno; Gavin Silva; Mushtaq Shahid; James Sofia; Emma Sparacio; Luciana Spezio; Ryan Spinelli; Salvatore Stuto; Anthony Stefanopoulos; Alexander Suponitskiy; Vanessa Tapia; Emily Tarantino; Matthew Tarantola; Farrah Tedeschi ; Daniel Tichie; Christina Timoshkov; Michael Tisi; Elena Tola; Haley Torija; Noelle Totino; Victoria Traina; Tyler Tran; Aiden Tsybulevskiy; Christopher Vaccaro; Daniel Vataksi; Marcus Velasquez; Medha Venkatraj; Giuliana Vitale; Deanna Volpicella; Kieran Walsh; Chloris Wan; Brandon Wang; Max Cuautle Weinstein; Russell Wong; Kenneth Wonsowicz; Olson Woo; Julian Wright; Imani Yakatally; Wendy Yan; Eavan Yang; Olivia Yang; Alice Yankelevich; Eva Yaroslavskiy; Linna Yee; Anna Elizabeth Zhezha; Luka Zic

Diane Arneth to receive Maniscalco Award

6/23/2021

Local community leader to accept award for community service during virtual ceremony on June 30th

Borough President James S. Oddo will award Diane Arneth with the 2020 Maniscalco Award via a virtual ceremony on Wednesday, June 30th. Those wishing to join in the virtual ceremony can do so on Borough Hall’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/statenislandusa or CTV Channel 37 (Fios) and Channel 1997 (Spectrum) at 7 p.m.
The Albert V. Maniscalco Community Service Award was established in 1986 in honor of the ninth borough president. Maniscalco's tenure from 1955 to 1965 saw the creation of the Greenbelt and the construction of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The award celebrates the civic-mindedness and tireless energy of individuals or organizations that work to help community members in need and to make Staten Island a better place.
“Diane has been a staple in the community for decades, and a strong asset to Borough Hall when addressing the inequities of public health all over our borough,” said Borough President Oddo. “Because of her tireless efforts, Staten Islanders have access to improved community health resources, and we applaud the advancements Diane has made on behalf of thousands of our residents. We honor you today and want Staten Island to know all the good you have done.”
A lifelong Staten Islander, Ms. Arneth has been a tireless worker for community health and social justice. A founder of the Staten Island Teen Pregnancy Network in 1981 and the Staten Island AIDS Task Force in 1988, she served for 10 years as Board Chair of the Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness and led the initial Steering Committee for the Tackling Youth Substance Abuse initiative. She is a founding member of the Staten Island Not-for-Profit Association, a trade association for local nonprofits, and served on its Board for six years, two as Board President.
Ms. Arneth has led Community Health Action of Staten Island (originally the Staten Island AIDS Task Force) for 32 years. Community Health Action (CHASI) now provides a wide array of health and social services for over 20,000 Staten Islanders annually. Under her guidance, the agency became a recognized community health leader and won the 2008 New York Times Nonprofit Award for Overall Management Excellence. In January 2015, she negotiated a successful affiliation with Brightpoint Health, a citywide provider of integrated health care for people challenged by health disparities and in 2018 was part of the Executive team at Brightpoint that executed a successful merger with Hudson River Health Care, now Sun River Health. She serves as a gubernatorial appointee to the NY State AIDS Advisory Council and a mayoral appointee to the Municipal Drug Strategy Council. In 2016, she was named a mayoral appointee to the Community Services Board which advises New York City on behavioral health issues. In October 2017, she received the Joan H. Tisch Community Health Prize for her contributions to improving urban public health. While serving as the leader of the organization, Ms. Arneth received a BSN in nursing from Hunter College and an Executive MPA from Baruch College. She lives in West Brighton with her husband Robert Brown, and counts among her numerous blessings her daughter Clare, son-in-law Joel, and grandchildren Ella and Eamon.
“I am honored and humbled to be chosen to receive the 2020 Albert V. Maniscalco Community Service Award. My partnership with Borough President Oddo and his staff over the past eight years has been one of the most rewarding in terms of real and lasting benefits for our borough. So, I share this recognition of outstanding community service standing with them,” said Ms. Arneth.
Here are the past winners of the Maniscalco Award:
Richard E. Diamond, John L.F. Sipp, Norma D’Arrigo, Allan Weissglass, Martin Stallone, Roger E. Acker, Reverend Robert I. Gannon, Michael F. Manzulli, Michael J. Petrides, Marie G. Martino, Francis H. Powers, Susie-Hyun Sook Beidel, Brian Laline, Reverend Hattie Smith-Davis, Joseph V. Madory, Lou Caravone, Joe Valentin, Nancy Passeri, retired Borough Commander Anthony Marra, Reverend Terry Troia, Senator John J. Marchi, Wendy Pellegrino, Fred Ariemma, Joanne E. Gerenser, Ph.D., Dr. Chitoor S. Govindaraj, Kathryn Krause Rooney, the Siller Family, George and Maria Esposito, the Mannix Family, the Dr. Theodore Atlas Foundation, William A. Morris Jr., Lois and Richard Nicotra, Dee Vandenburg, Monsignor Peter G. Finn and Rolling Thunder Chapter 2 New York.

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