Borough President James S. Oddo is pleased to announce that his annual Menorah Lighting ceremony will take place on Wednesday, December 5th in Borough Hall, Room 125. He will also host a Christmas Tree Lighting on Monday, December 10th outside on Borough Hall Plaza (facing the Ferry terminal). Both events will begin at 6:30pm.

At the Christmas event, carols will be performed by local musical talents. Santa will join Borough President Oddo to light the Christmas tree and give out books to children who attend. The event is sponsored by Allstate, the Gavel Grill, the National Lighthouse Museum, and the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce.

The Menorah Lighting ceremony will feature musical performances from various community groups. The event, which celebrates the Festival of Lights, is sponsored by the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island.
 
“We invite all Staten Islanders to join us to celebrate the spirit of the season at our annual holiday lightings,” said BP Oddo.
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Both events are open to the public.

Borough President James S. Oddo, District Attorney Michael E. McMahon, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and Uber are pleased to announce the continuation of their joint effort to combat drunk driving. On Thanksgiving Eve, Staten Islanders can use the code “SAFERIDESI18” to claim two free rides (up to $15 each). The promotion will run from 8pm on Wednesday, November 21st to 5am on Thursday, November 22nd. Both rides must start and end in Staten Island. The rides are being sponsored by Uber.
 
Thanksgiving Eve, which has also been called “Blackout Wednesday,” is one of the busiest drinking nights of the year. It also represents the beginning of the holiday season when there is a known increase in instances of impaired driving. BP Oddo, DA McMahon, MADD, and Uber are urging people to seek safe transportation options as they get together and celebrate the holidays.
 
The free rides are part of the “SI Safe Ride” initiative, which launched last year. Nearly 3,000 Staten Islanders participated in the initial promotion, which allowed users to get free rides on Thanksgiving Eve in an effort to combat drunk driving. Subsequent promotions took place on days when drunk driving incidences typically spike, including during the Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
 
“After our successes with this program throughout the past year, I’m pleased to be able to continue this initiative,” said BP Oddo. “If you plan on drinking this Thanksgiving Eve, please enjoy the night responsibly and leave your car at home. Thank you to DA McMahon, MADD, and Uber for helping us give Staten Islanders a safe transportation option on Thanksgiving Eve.”
 
“Far too often on Staten Island people make the irresponsible and possibly deadly choice to drive after a night of drinking; I see it because we prosecute them every day. After the unmitigated success of last year’s SI Safe Ride initiative where thousands of Staten Islanders made the smart choice and left the keys at home on Thanksgiving Eve, Super Bowl Sunday, and Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day, Borough President Oddo and I are thrilled to once again offer this initiative to Staten Islanders. We encourage everyone heading out this Thanksgiving Eve to take advantage of this promotion, enjoy a great night responsibly, and avoid meeting one of my prosecutors after a night in jail,” said DA McMahon.
 
“We are proud to support the Borough President’s efforts to raise awareness about the risk of driving under the influence and to help ensure Staten Island residents have a reliable ride home while out celebrating,” said Brian Hughes, General Manager, Uber NY. “As the Holiday season approaches, the need for more safe transportation options is more pronounced than ever, and Uber always strives to arm people with more options when hitting the road.”
 
“The holiday season is a special time for joy and togetherness, but it’s also the one of the most dangerous times of the year on the road because of the increased frequency of drunk driving,” said Richard Mallow, Executive Director of MADD NY. “We applaud the Borough President, District Attorney and Uber for raising awareness about DUIs and for providing a safe, reliable ride for Staten Island residents."
 
In 2003, Oddo and McMahon, then City Council Members, sponsored “Operation Arrive Alive,” a similar, though low-tech initiative that relied on bartenders to call a cab for patrons who requested one.  The 2018 version is different in that it allows patrons themselves to summon an Uber in the way they are accustomed to.  
 
Each trip has a maximum value of $15. If a ride costs more than $15, riders will receive that much as a credit and will be responsible for the remaining money due.    
 
Uber has been proven to help reduce drunk driving across America. For example, DUI arrests in Seattle decreased by more than 10% after Uber started serving riders and drivers in the city, according to a recent study.  A recent independent study conducted by Temple University found cities where Uber operates have 3.6%-5.6% fewer drunk driving deaths than cities without access to ridesharing.

A report by Uber and MADD concludes that when empowered with more transportation options like Uber, people are making responsible choices that result in fewer alcohol-related crashes. 

​On Thursday, November 1st, BP Oddo hosted a Staten Island Ferry Town Hall at Curtis High School. The event gave commuters the opportunity to voice their concerns about Ferry service directly to City agencies.
 
Topics discussed included better coordination with connecting bus and SIR service, aggressive panhandling, and construction in and around the terminals.
 
“I’m pleased to see commuters participating in a forum like this to improve this vital service,” said BP Oddo. “We will work to get you answers on these questions.”
 
Agencies in attendance included the Department of Transportation, the Department of Social Services, the Parks Department, the Department of Consumer Affairs, NYPD, and the MTA.

On Wednesday, October 31st, Borough President James S. Oddo and Council Member Joe Borelli hosted “Halloween Hoopla,” a Halloween festival for children and their families.

For the annual event, Bloomingdale Park was transformed into “Boo!mingdale Park.” The event featured a hay maze, pony rides, inflatable attractions, sidewalk chalk and a bubble zone, photo spots, a costume parade, and trick-or-treating. The children were also treated by a musical performance by “Music With Patrick” and animal presentations from the Staten Island Zoo.

“This was a wonderful celebration that kids of all ages were able to enjoy. Special thanks to all of those who helped us make the day so special for these families,” said BP Oddo.
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Thousands attended the free event.

​Borough President James S. Oddo is pleased to announce that he will host another round of free thyroid cancer screenings at Borough Hall. The screenings will take place on Thursday, November 8th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Conference Room 125. The screenings are sponsored by HeartScan Services.
 
The rate of diagnosis of thyroid cancer has increased in recent years due to improvements to technology. In many cases, physicians cannot feel a nodule, but cancer can be detected through ultrasound screenings. The survival rate of thyroid cancer is very high when the cancer is found in early stages.
 
“I understand the how important it is for Staten Islanders to engage in preventative measures and take charge of their health, which is why I am happy to once again partner with HeartScan for these thyroid cancer screenings,” said Borough President Oddo. “I encourage all Staten Islanders to take advantage of these free screenings. The earlier cancer is found, the easier it is to treat.”
 
An appointment must be made to be screened. Contact Renee Sarno at 718-816-2133 to reserve your appointment. 

Borough President James S. Oddo is pleased to join with NYC Health + Hospitals to provide free flu shots on Thursday, November 1st from 1pm to 4pm. The drive will take place at Borough Hall in Room 125.
 
Seasonal influenza, commonly called “flu,” is a contagious illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the respiratory tract (the nose, throat, and lungs) and can cause severe illness and life-threatening complications.
 
Some of the complications caused by flu include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children may get sinus problems and ear infections. The flu can cause mild to severe illness for days, and in some cases can lead to more serious health problems and even death. It is estimated that every year in the United States, about 5% to 20% of the population gets flu, and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications. Each year, more than 2,000 New Yorkers die from flu-related illness.
 
Those at high risk for serious flu complications include pregnant women, children under five years of age, adults over 65, nursing home residents and people with other serious health conditions.
 
“As the weather begins to get colder, it is important to get vaccinated against the flu in order to protect your health and the health of those around you,” said BP Oddo. “I am happy to partner with Health + Hospitals for another year to bring Staten Islanders free flu shots.”
 
No appointment is necessary to receive a flu shot. Those presenting for a flu shot need to sign a consent form and show photo ID.
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Borough President James S. Oddo will host a Staten Island Ferry Town Hall on Thursday, November 1st at 6:30 PM. This event will take place in the Curtis High School Auditorium.

The Town Hall will give Staten Island commuters an opportunity to voice their concerns regarding the Ferry itself as well as both the St. George and Whitehall terminals. Representatives from various city agencies, including the Department of Transportation, the Department of Consumer Affairs, and the NYPD, will respond to commuters’ comments.

“We at Borough Hall know how vital the Ferry is to our community, so I am happy to be hosting this Staten Island Ferry Town Hall,” said BP Oddo. “Please come out to let us know your concerns with service, issues in and around the two terminals, and all things Staten Island Ferry.”

“The Staten Island Ferry carries over 70,000 daily riders, and is a vital transportation link between lower Manhattan and Staten Island,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “We look forward to working with Borough President Oddo and our sister agencies to hear from riders.”
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The event is open to the public.

Borough President James S. Oddo will host “Halloween Hoopla,” a free Halloween event for children and their families, on Wednesday, October 31st from 2 to 5 PM. 

For the annual event, Bloomingdale Park will be transformed into “Boo!mingdale Park.” The event will feature a hay maze, pony rides, inflatable attractions, sidewalk chalk and a bubble zone, photo spots, music, a costume parade and trick-or-treating.  

“I am happy to once again host this special celebration that kids of all ages will enjoy,” said BP Oddo. “We welcome Staten Island families to join us at ‘Boo!mingdale Park’ for a great afternoon of Halloween fun.”
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Council Member Joe Borelli is co-sponsoring the event.