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Borough President Vito Fossella cheered on the Staten Island FerryHawks during a rally at Borough Hall as they get ready to kick of the season.
“Last season, we started to see a lot more families with young kids and that’s what the target audience is here,” said Borough President Fossella. “We’re very excited to welcome the players here — not everyone is from Staten Island — but we want you to know you have a second home here.” A new broadcasting partnership was also announced with the College of Staten Island and Monsignor Farrell High School. Eric Shuffler, the team’s president, called the rally “pretty awesome.” “Every time I come to Staten Island, I am reminded of what a special responsibility we’ve been given with this stadium,” he said. “We really view the team and the stadium as a community asset and a community responsibility. We want to make the North Shore an exciting destination where we can drive economic opportunities.” Team manager Homer Bush, who played for the New York Yankees when they won the World Series in 1998, said they are “building a team with talent and young players who can lead.” “We held our first scrimmage yesterday,” he said. “They all played well -- good at bats, throwing strikes, making good pitches. We’re off to a wonderful start and we’re excited for the season.” Borough President Fossella ended the rally with two words: "Play ball.” Borough President Vito Fossella attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the first-of-its kind offshore wind training school on Richmond Terrace in Mariners Harbor. It is the first to be certified in New York State.
The school is located on a floating barge to allow the students to travel around the waterfront throughout the city. The students will be given a certification at the completion of the program. “This is not just another company taking root here, this is an industry that will be here for decades to come,” Borough President Fossella said. At the ribbon-cutting, he watched as NYC Comptroller Brad Lander was strapped into a For more information, visit https://tmi-waterfront.com/. Borough President Vito Fossella and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis wrote a letter to Captain Felix A. Bigby, Interim Director of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, urging him to reverse the decision to award a contract for Catholic pastoral care to a secular for-profit company.
In the days leading up to Holy Week 2023, the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center issued a “Cease and Desist Order” to the Friars of Holy Name College who have ministered to our active members of the military and veterans for almost two decades. Below is the text of the full letter: "We write to register our concern and dismay regarding the recent treatment of both the Friars of Holy Name College (FHNC) and the Catholic Archdiocese of the Military Services in the days leading up to Holy Week 2023. It is our understanding that the FHNC have ministered at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) for almost two decades and that a new contract for Catholic pastoral care has been awarded to a secular for-profit organization. It is our further understanding that in the days leading up to Holy Week 2023, the FHNC was served with a “Cease and Desist Order. Apart from the untimely and inappropriately heavy-handed legal tactic of WRNMMC, we are concerned that the Medical Center’s actions come dangerously close to denying the captive population of hospitalized patients their First Amendment rights to practice their religion in a federal facility. The Medical Center’s last-minute decision to provide Catholic services of the Celebration of Mass and the Administration of Confession by an ordained Catholic priest during the Holy Week does little to allay our concerns regarding the future of Catholic services at WRNMMC after the new, secular for-profit company contract is in place. Oftentimes in convalescence, a patient requires a mixture of medical care with spiritual care, with both being very important. Clearly, WRNMMC’s recent decisions need to be revisited to ensure that the members of our military who so unselfishly and heroically made sacrifices for our country will enjoy the very freedom of religion they fought to protect."  In an effort to lure production companies back to Staten Island, Borough President Vito Fossella is urging the State Legislature to pass Gov. Kathy Hochul's Film Production Tax Credit Proposal. Due to the uncertainty of the New York tax credit status, local film studios have suffered a drastic decline in production with many companies deciding to shoot in New Jersey which has a competitive tax credit. “Production is down almost 90% from what it was a few years ago,” said Borough President Fossella during a press conference outside of Broadway Stages in Charleston on Monday, April 3. “Here we are in the first week of April and we have had one day of production. Historically, there were about 225 days of production, and on any given day, we would have 200 people working versus zero -- just do the math. We’ve seen it's crystal clear that when there was a tax credit, this place was flourishing. Without the tax credit, this place is dead.” Among the biggest losses was the production of “Wu-Tang: An American Saga,” which spent $60M in filming its first season at Broadway Stages before filming the second and third seasons in New Jersey. “They had their production offices on Staten Island, their carpentry shops, set dressing shops, scenic shops -- everything was on Staten Island,” said Tony Argento, the founder of Broadway Stages. Borough President Fossella said filmmakers know Staten Island’s varied landscapes provide the perfect backdrops ranging from urban to rural settings. Film production also benefits small businesses with crews eating in our restaurants, shopping in our stores, and staying in our hotels. “We urge the state legislature -- and we know they have a lot on their plate -- to pass the tax credit,” he said. “This is important for New York State, and specifically for Staten Island, because of the economic activity that flows from it.”  |
