Blog Archives

Dyslexia Awareness Forum on Monday, Dec. 12

11/29/2016

Borough President James Oddo and Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon (Brooklyn) will co-sponsor a Dyslexia Awareness Forum on Monday, December 12th at 7pm at Wagner College, Spiro Hall 2.

Speakers at the event include Dr. Amy Margolis, an Assistant Professor of Medical Psychology with an appointment in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Columbia University and Dr. Carolyn H. Strom, a Visiting Assistant Professor at NYU who studies reading and literacy development in young children and adolescents.

In addition to these speakers, a panel of Staten Islanders whose lives have been affected by dyslexia will discuss life with dyslexia and the need for a solid educational approach to address the needs of dyslexic children. Two educational videos on dyslexia will also be shown.

More than 9,000 students on Staten Island suffer from dyslexia, which affects the ability to read, write and process letters and words.

“I am committed to advocating for these families and fighting for more educational programming that addresses the specific needs of children with dyslexia,” noted BP Oddo. “We hope this event will allow families to hear from experts as well as those who have dyslexia in an effort to broaden awareness and bring resources to those who need it. I want to thank Assemblywoman Simon for partnering with us to help bring this event to Staten Island and encourage parents to attend.”

“With a clear focus on dyslexia awareness, we will be able to effectively and accurately diagnose and treat this specific learning disability that affects so many,” noted Assemblywoman Simon. “Our young learners deserve to grow in an environment that is fully equipped with the tools necessary to meet their individual learning needs. I’m pleased we have received so much support from our colleagues and organizations throughout New York to make this a successful event.”

To RSVP for the event, call Diane Marciuliano at (718) 816-2246.

Borough Hall Christmas Tree Lighting to take place December 1st

11/22/2016

Borough President James S. Oddo is pleased to announce that his annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony will take place on Thursday, December 1st at 6pm at Borough Hall Plaza (facing the Ferry terminal).

The St. George Theatre will perform Christmas carols at the event. Staten Island Shakespearean Theatre will perform an excerpt from “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol.” Santa will join Borough President Oddo to light the Christmas tree and give out books to children who attend.

“The holidays are a time for all of us to come together and celebrate the spirit of the season,” noted BP Oddo. “We invite all Staten Islanders to join us as at Borough Hall as we light our Christmas tree and kick off the holiday season.”

The event is sponsored by the New York Wheel, Empire Outlets, BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse) and the Gavel Grill.

Thanksgiving turkeys distributed to local charitable organizations

11/20/2016

This year, the BP’s office co-sponsored two drives to distribute turkeys to organizations serving the less fortunate in our community with Kevin Mannix of Mannix Shop Rite stores.

The first took place on Saturday, November 20th in conjunction with the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation and the second took place on Tuesday, November 22nd. Through these drives, we distributed 1,800 turkeys to organizations serving those in need.

“I am so pleased to partner with Mannix Shop Rite Stores and the Atlas Foundation again this year,” noted BP Oddo. “Through these drives, thousands of Staten Islanders in need have a turkey dinner this Thanksgiving.”

The drives were sponsored by Mannix Shop Rite Stores, Matrix Development Group, Fairway Markets, Western Beef and Met Foods.

BP Oddo announces AED donation project

11/16/2016

On Wednesday, November 16th, BP Oddo joined with Ray Laursen, owner of Country Pro Shop & Award Center to announce The Heart Project. The program will donate 20 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) that were purchased by the BP’s office to small businesses throughout Staten Island. BP Oddo kicked off the program by donating an AED to Laursen to be used in his store.

To apply for a free AED, a business must have fewer than 25 employees and agree to get them trained in CPR/AED.

Each year in the U.S., there are approximately 424,000 cardiac arrests outside of a hospital, and on average, just 5.2% of victims survive. Immediate CPR and early defibrillation with an AED can more than double a victim’s chance of survival. In fact, early defibrillation, along with CPR, is the only way to restore the victim’s heart rhythm to normal in a lot of cases of cardiac arrest. For every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, however, the chances of survival decrease by 7–10%.

BP Oddo has spent his entire career advocating the use of AEDs and CPR. In fact, his 2005 law, Local Law 20, was the first law in New York City mandating AEDs in many public buildings.

“This has been a labor of love for me,” said BP Oddo. “This machine is the difference between life and death. We want to make AEDs as common in buildings as fire extinguishers.”

For more information, visit statenislandusa.com/AED

Lois and Richard Nicotra honored with Maniscalco Award for Community Service

11/16/2016

On Wednesday, November 16th, BP Oddo awarded Lois and Richard Nicotra with the Maniscalco Award at a ceremony in Borough Hall. The ceremony was followed by a reception in the main hall with fare by the Port Richmond High School Culinary Arts Program and music by the Tottenville High School Saxophone Quartet.

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.

Partners in both life and business, Lois and Richard Nicotra met as undergraduates at St. John’s University before opening their first Everything Yogurt store in Manhattan in 1976. The franchise eventually expanded to 250 stores internationally before they sold it in 2003. They currently own and manage more than 1 million square feet of commercial space and acres of manicured grounds, making them Staten Island’s largest private real estate developers. Nicotra Group properties include a Hilton Garden Inn, a Hampton Inn & Suites, Nicotra’s Ballroom, Above Weddings & Rooftop, several restaurants, performance spaces and office buildings – all located in a 415 acre natural woodland preserve in their Corporate Park of Staten Island. Recognized for environmentally-friendly development, and recipients of the prestigious Arbor Day Award, they founded their nonprofit Bloomfield Conservancy which preserves wetlands and surrounding areas through daily maintenance and public art.

In 2011, the Nicotras established the COMMONS café, a quick-service eatery that donates 100% of its profits to charity. The café has awarded nearly $500,000 in grants to Staten Island nonprofits and scholarships for Nicotra employees’ children. The philanthropic couple has also hosted benefits for victims of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy and Typhoon Haiyan, raising over $600,000 for those in need. For 20 years, the Nicotras have hosted the Daughters of St. Paul Christmas concerts at which the nuns perform, raising more than $2 million for this small order of self-supporting nuns. Their dedication to Staten Island continues with their next venture, Pienza Pizza, Pasta & Porchetta—a new eatery that will double the grants and scholarships awarded to their native borough.

Unveiling Lois and Richard Nicotra's name #statenisland

A video posted by Staten Island USA (@statenislusa) on Nov 16, 2016 at 5:34pm PST

“I think it’s more important than ever to highlight good people in our community,” BP Oddo said at the ceremony. “Rich and Lois have a keen sense of right and wrong. They constantly do the right thing. What they really should be credited for is not the brick and mortar, but the human infrastructure they’ve built. We are privileged to have them as Staten Islanders.”

“It is surreal to think that our names are engraved in Borough Hall and that we’re included with such esteemed former recipients of the Albert V. Maniscalco Community Service Award,” said Lois Nicotra. “Rich and I love our borough of Staten Island and, just like Borough President Oddo, we try each day to make it better. We thank you for recognizing our efforts.”

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, Frank Powers, Susie Hyun Sook Beidel, Brian J. Laline, Reverend Hattie Smith-Davis, and Joseph V. Madory, Lou Caravone, Jose 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. S. Chitoor Govindaraj, Kathryn Krause Rooney, the Siller Family, George and Maria Esposito, the Mannix Family, the Dr. Theodore Atlas Foundation and William A. Morris Jr.

56 police officers receive awards for saving lives

11/15/2016

On Tuesday, November 15th, BP Oddo joined with Lois and Richard Nicotra to host an award ceremony recognizing 56 NYPD officers who have used Naloxone to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and save the lives of numerous Staten Islanders.

The Borough President joined with NYPD Assistant Chief Edward Delatorre, District Attorney Michael McMahon and the Nicotras to give out awards—called the NYPD Blue Angel Award—to the officers. Some officers have made multiple saves—including one officer who revived 13 people using Naloxone.

“This is a chance for us to say thank you for being partners with us in the fight against this epidemic,” BP Oddo told the offiers. “Your actions have given people their lives back and given them the chance to reclaim their lives. Thank you for your bravery and for what you do every day for this community and for the entire City of New York.”

Since 2014, NYPD officers have saved 82 lives by using Naloxone.

Veterans Community Outreach Specialist to work out of satellite offices at Borough Hall and CSI

11/14/2016

Borough President James S. Oddo is pleased to announce that Matthew Basile, a Community Outreach Specialist from the NYC Department of Veteran’ Services, will be working out of Borough Hall to assist veterans several days a week. He will also be working in a space at the College of Staten Island, assisting both student-veterans and veterans who do not attend the college.

As a Community Outreach Specialist, Mr. Basile’s job entails interacting with Staten Island’s veterans and their families in order to connect them with employment services, educational benefits, financial services and business opportunities.

A Navy veteran, Mr. Basile made multiple deployments across Eastern Europe and the Middle East. After he finished his active service, he owned a small business that catered to military personnel in the Virginia Beach Area. In this capacity, Mr. Basile was awarded numerous government contracts that made him proficient in working with both the veteran community and the federal government’s procurement system. Later, he attended the College of Staten Island, where he served as a student veteran mentor, assisting college students with their veteran benefits and academic career.

“Veterans Day is a great reminder of all that our veterans have done for us, but it’s also important to continue to care for our veterans year-round,” said BP Oddo. “Having Matthew Basile on Staten Island will make it easier for local veterans to navigate the veteran benefits system and get help if they need it. We are happy to have Matt at Borough Hall and encourage all veterans to visit him here or at CSI. Thank you to the administration and everyone at the Department of Veterans Services for working with us to address the needs of Staten Island’s veterans.”

"The creation of this satellite office signals the next era of outreach to the veterans of Staten Island," said Brigadier General Loree Sutton (Ret.) Commissioner of the NYC Department of Veterans Services. "Through our collaboration with the Staten Island Borough President’s Office, veterans and their families will have better access to services through our Veterans Outreach Specialist. I want to thank Mayor De Blasio for his vision and Borough President Oddo for his staunch advocacy for Staten Island's veterans and for his support in making this possible."

Mr. Basile’s office is located in Borough Hall, Room G-15 and at CSI Campus Center, Room 216. Those interested in meeting with him can set up an appointment by calling (646) 799-2743 or emailing mbasile@veterans.nyc.gov.