On Monday, May 22nd, Borough President James S. Oddo recognized the important and heroic works of the Emergency Medical Services community with a special ceremony in their honor during National EMS Week at the Excelsior Grand.
 
The 25th Annual Emergency Services Recognition Ceremony honored several EMTs, paramedics, instructors and students in the emergency services community. This event is unique to Staten Island.
 
"The EMS community is there for our community in times of need,” noted BP Oddo. “I want to thank you for being there for us when life is on the line. We get to celebrate you this week, but every day, there are Staten Islanders who genuinely appreciate you.”
 
2017 EMS AWARD WINNERS:

Emergency Medical Technician of the Year Awards
Melissa O’Brien – FDNY, Station 22
Joseph Parisi – FDNY, Station 23
Jake Perlman – Hatzolah of Staten Island
Havel Pearlman – Hatzolah of Staten Island
Hunter Dawkins – North Shore Rescue Squad
Samantha DiSilvestro – Primary Care Ambulance
Shannon Wilkey – Priority One Ambulance
Issa Mohsen – Richmond County Ambulance
Svetlana Smirichinskaya – Richmond County Ambulance
CarrieAnn Dixon – Richmond University Medical Center
Edgardo Gutierrez – Richmond University Medical Center
Joseph Cosentino – Northwell Health (SIUH)
Ashley Gilas – Northwell Health (SIUH)
Jacqueline Mauro – Volunteer Heart Ambulance
Lauren Lefkowitz – Volunteer Heart Ambulance
 
Paramedic of the Year Awards
Ryan Zatoren – FDNY, Station 22
John Paul Mansour – FDNY, Station 23
Troy Salerno – Primary Care Ambulance
Jared Johnson – Priority One Ambulance
Menachem Levitansky – Richmond County Ambulance
David Palacios – Richmond County Ambulance
Robert Bonome – Richmond University Medical Center
James Ferravecchio – Richmond University Medical Center
Antonio Jimenez – Northwell Health (SIUH)
Nicole Memoli – Northwell Health (SIUH)
 
Frank W. Geib Memorial EMT Student of the Year Award
Danielle Farley – Staten Island Emergency Medical Training Center
Nicole Druda – Training Institute for Medical Emergencies and Rescue
 
EMT Instructor of the Year Award
William G. McDonald, EMTP – Staten Island Emergency Medical Training Center
Daron Roth – Training Institute for Medical Emergencies and Rescue

​On Sunday, May 21st , BP Oddo hosted Kids Day at the Carousel in Willowbrook Park. Kids and their families got to ride the Carousel for all Children for free. In addition, the event featured inflatable attractions, chalk art, crafts, photo spots and music.
 
The Staten Island Zoo presented animals from their educational unit, and the NYPL hosted story time for the younger children. Additional sponsors included Barnes & Noble and Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC. Over a thousand people attended the event.
 
“It’s great to see families out enjoying a day in the park together,” noted BP Oddo.

​On Wednesday, May 17th, Borough President James S. Oddo and members of the Petrides family and scholarship committee presented the Michael J. Petrides Student Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science to Wesley Dai, a student at Staten Island Academy.
 
The annual award is given to a graduating high school senior who excels in math and science. Each Staten Island high school is asked to submit a single nominee, from which the honoree and runner-up are selected. The award is named for Michael J. Petrides, a legendary Staten Island educator, who died in 1994.
 
A leader in the classroom, Wesley Dai has achieved the highest academic average of any student at Staten Island Academy in the last 10 years. He received a perfect score of 2400 on his SAT as well as perfect scores of 800 on both the Math II and Chemistry SAT Subject Tests. This year, Wesley was selected as a candidate for the U.S. Department of Education’s prestigious Presidential Scholar’s Program. In addition, he was named a semifinalist for the National Merit Scholarship Program and an AP Scholar with Honor. Wesley serves as the president of his school’s Science Club and recently competed in the New York Metro Science Olympiad, where he finished in fifth place. Last summer, he co-authored a study based on research he did during an internship at The Spine and Pain Instiute of New York. The study was recently published in Pain Physician Journal, the official publication of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. Along with his academic achievements, Wesley is a competitive swimmer. He will be attending Yale in the fall.
 
“The Petrides Award has been given to several extraordinary students over the years, and I’m happy to continue that tradition,” noted Borough President Oddo. “I’m impressed and encouraged by all of our nominees, who are the best and brightest in our community.”
 
Hanlin Miao of Monsignor Farrell High School was named first runner up.
 
2017 Petrides Award Nominees
NatalieDeana Badillo, St. Joseph Hill Academy
Carlo Baria, CSI High School for International Studies
Kafayat Bello, Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School
Jessica Caushi, New Dorp High School
Jason Contino, Michael J. Petrides School
Wesley Dai, Staten Island Academy
Kristen Fontana, Notre Dame Academy
Samantha Gavin, Moore Catholic High School
Emily Higgins, Susan E. Wagner High School
Dona Kiriella, Port Richmond High School
Patrick Lilley, St. Peter’s Boys High School
Kristopher Lopez, Ralph R. McKee Career & Technical High School
Hanlin Miao, Monsignor Farrell High School
Nardine Nasr, Tottenville High School
Justin Peterkin, Curtis High School
Julia Selleck, St. John Villa Academy
Chloe Trang, Staten Island Technical High School

On Friday, May 12th, BP Oddo joined with the Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) to launch the Drug Prevention Portal, a new website that tracks data in the battle against the opioid epidemic. The website includes information on Naloxone saves, overdose deaths, Emergency Department visits and hospital admissions. In addition, it provides resources for the families of those suffering from addiction, including contact information for treatment providers and information on where to get Naloxone kits.
 
The idea for the Drug Prevention Portal came from the BP’s Policy team, who found a similar dashboard that compiles data in Rhode Island. Working in conjunction with the PPS, they adapted it for Staten Island’s specific needs.
 
“Late in 2016 my Policy staff presented to me exciting information about the Rhode Island Dashboard that has been such a useful tool in that State as they battle their own opioid epidemic,” said BP Oddo. “We agreed that we simply have to bring something similar to Staten Island. We immediately asked our partners at the SI PPS, who have the experience, access to data, and technical capability to undertake such a project, to consider building our own local dashboard. It is exciting to see it released to the public. Let me be clear, this is not data collection for the sake of data collection; rather this dashboard will be a real time resource for those who need assistance, as well as policymakers as we continue to look for new ways to fight this deadly epidemic.”
 
“By creating this web service for our partners, providers and the community, we have been able to provide an invaluable resource for improving the health and wellness of its users. The site centers on tackling the drug epidemic by bringing together useful data sources, key research and other tools for users to access in an easy to use and convenient online platform. We are very excited to hear about the user experience of the site from our various partners, and hope to continuously improve and build upon this new addition to our arsenal in the fight against substance abuse,” said Celina Ramsey, Director of Health Literacy, Diversity & Outreach at SI PPS.
 
Check out the portal here: www.sidrugprevention.org 

On Wednesday, May 10th, Borough President James S. Oddo announced “Own the 18,” a new anti-litter program. “Own the 18” will encourage 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).
 
During the weekend of June 18 (June 16-18), BP Oddo is asking Staten Island property and business owners to commit to taking a few moments to clean in front of their properties. Those who participate can post before and after photos on social media with the hashtag #ownthe18 to be reposted by the office’s social media accounts.
 
“This is our latest initiative to push back against a litter problem that continues to be out of control,” noted BP Oddo. “We are picking one weekend, June 16-18, and asking all property owners to actively clean up the sidewalk and 18 inches into the street. This should be happening every day, but the reality is that it isn’t. We are hoping that by having a call to arms for one weekend, we can educate property owners about the 18 inch law and enlist more Staten Islanders in this battle. Our litter problem is a self-inflicted one that Staten Islanders are doing to other Staten Islanders. We can’t blame historic inequities or anyone else for it. I know the majority of Staten Islanders are not engaging in it, but we need the majority to help us with the solution. Ultimately, we have a legal and moral obligation to clean in front of our properties. We are not looking to lead with the summons book, but we want to challenge as many Staten Islanders as possible to join us on the weekend of June 16, 17, and 18 and beyond.”

“Like Borough President Oddo and many other Staten Islanders, I am sickened by the amount of litter I see dumped on our beautiful borough every day,” said Council Member Steven Matteo. “I have worked with the Borough President, this administration and my City Council colleagues to secure significant resources to tackle this problem, including a dedicated Staten Island Clean Team that has removed thousands of pounds of litter and large debris at hundreds of locations across the borough– but we need more help. My hope is this initiative becomes more than a singular event to raise awareness about littering, but rather a call to action for Staten Islanders to take their trash-strewn streets back, to take some real pride in their communities and to make ‘Own the 18’ a mantra to live by every single day.”
 
“New Yorkers want and deserve a clean and safe city and this unique event being organized by Staten Island Borough President Oddo is an important step in making that goal a reality. When the Mayor was out here last month, we took a walking tour with Borough President Oddo and 18 inch violations were apparent. It’s every property owners’ responsibility to keep that area clean and this innovative event will both remind and encourage Staten Islanders to pitch in,” said Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia.
 
Click here to sign up to "Own the 18."

​BP Oddo will host “Kids Day at the Carousel,” a free event for children and their families, on Sunday, May 21st from 11AM to 5 PM. 

Rides on the Carousel for all Children will be sponsored by the Borough President. In addition to free carousel rides, the event will feature inflatable attractions, chalk art, crafts, photo spots and music. The Staten Island Zoo will present animals from their educational unit from 12-3pm. The New York Public Library will host story time at 1:30pm.

​“We are excited to host this fun new event at the Carousel this spring,” said BP Oddo. “We invite all Staten Island families to come out to Willowbrook Park for a fun day that kids of all ages will enjoy.”

The event is co-sponsored by Barnes & Noble, Big Brother Big Sisters of New York City, the New York Public Library and the Staten Island Zoo.

On Monday, May 8th, Borough President James S. Oddo joined with Anthony Ferreri, former President and CEO of Staten Island University Hospital in addition to other executive-level positions with Northwell Health Systems, to announce that Mr. Ferreri has accepted a position at Borough Hall as Special Advisor for Strategic Initiatives.
 
As part of his new position, Mr. Ferreri will oversee major health and wellness initiatives for the office, including the Seaview Health and Wellness Campus and the opioid crisis. He will also draw on his administrative background to advise the Borough President on economic development issues.
 
"I’ve known Tony for a very long time,” noted BP Oddo. “He’s someone I consider a friend and a confidant. He’s someone who has given me wise council long before he joined our team. I respect his experience and trust his judgement. Tony's given a lifetime of service to this borough, and he's still got a lot to give. I’m going to be tapping into his expertise on lots of different fronts. We have another warrior for this borough, who is now a part of our team, and we’re excited about it." "Both Borough President Oddo and I have a tremendous passion for this community,” said Mr. Ferreri. “We love Staten Island. I care about what happens to my home, and I think we can do more for the people of Staten Island. We need to plan ahead and make development that’s strategic, while also having the right infrastructure to support our economic growth. I want to help Borough President Oddo continue all the great things he’s already started to make Staten Island a better place to live. I am honored to be part of this team and grateful for the opportunity."
​
Mr. Ferreri will receive $1 a year, essentially donating his time to help Staten Island.

​On Friday, May 5th, Borough President Oddo joined with Broadway Stages to announce the filming of a new Netflix series and major motion picture at the former Arthur Kill Correctional Facility. Ocean’s 8, a sequel and all-female spinoff of the Ocean’s trilogy, will be filming at the former prison on Saturday, May 6. The Ocean’s 8 cast features several A-list celebrities, including Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, and more. The new Netflix series, Seven Seconds, a crime drama based on the Russian film The Major, will be filming at the facility on Friday, May 5.
 
Broadway Stages, the largest full-service TV and film production company on the East Coast, is currently working with the State to purchase the Arthur Kill Correctional Facility, which was shut down by Governor Cuomo in 2011 as part of his prison closing program. The film production company plans on turning part of the prison into additional soundstages, while keeping other areas intact to give films and TV shows an authentic prison backdrop. The facility has already been used by hit shows, including Blindspot, Quantico, Blacklist, Blacklist Redemption, The Americans and more.
 
“The fact that major film and TV productions like Ocean’s 8 are filming on the Arthur Kill property, before the site is even acquired by Broadway Stages, demonstrates how popular this location will be as a future film studio,” said BP Oddo. “The facility is located on the West Shore waterfront of Staten Island, in an area that I call the ‘Jobs Coast,’ which is ideally suited for commercial activity. Every time a director calls ‘Action’ it will mean jobs and economic activity for Staten Island. In addition to the permanent jobs associated with the studio, I am told every major film and TV production will generate over two hundred jobs in a multitude of trades. When our future Staten Island film studio is officially open for business, I anticipate a steady stream of production here. The advance word is positive and exciting, and the activity that has been taking place before it is even open is encouraging.”
 
“We owe tremendous thanks to Borough President James Oddo, local elected officials and residents for their continued support of this venture. We are very excited to become a part of the Staten Island community, bringing jobs and major economic stimulation to this great borough,” said Gina Argento, President and CEO of Broadway Stages. “One reason we have been able to grow so quickly is because of the relationships we build in the local communities we operate in. It’s something we’re incredibly proud of and look forward to building those relationships in Staten Island.
 
Once Broadway Stages owns the property, it plans on calling the facility the Staten Island Stages. The company plans to create over 1,500 local jobs in the first year and make a $20M investment through its first five years.