On Wednesday, July 9th, BP Oddo joined with Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña, community members, and other officials to unveil the site for the new Richard H. Hungerford building on Staten Island. The new building will be fully-accessible with several amenities for students with disabilities, including braille signage in every room, elevators on all floors and wheelchair ramps. The new building will also include hearing loops, which is a wire that circles a room, connects to a sound system and allows hearing-impaired students to connect via their hearing aids or cochlear implants.

The Hungerford School is one of Staten Island’s largest District 75 schools. The new building will be built at the Michael J. Petrides campus to ensure that students in the Hungerford School have easy access to a variety of campus facilities, including the gymnasium, athletic fields, and opportunities for inclusion.

This summer, the deed to the property was officially transferred over to the DOE, allowing the School Construction Authority to begin design and construction on the new building.

“This is wonderful news, and I am grateful for all those in DOE and SCA for making this a reality,” said Staten Island Borough President James Oddo. “I especially want to recognize and thank Kevin Moran for all his work wading through the ownership issues that allowed the transfer of the property to the City. Frankly, Kevin’s picture should be in every dictionary next to the word ‘persistence.’ There is nothing more exciting than seeing the look on students’ faces when they first enter their brand new, modern school.”   

“I am thankful to Chancellor Fariña for supporting the Staten Island Field Support Center as we worked with several City and State agencies and local elected officials to secure the Petrides Campus and make this project a reality for our District 75 community,” said Kevin Moran, Executive Director of the Staten Island Field Support Center. “The new Hungerford building reinforces the Department of Education's commitment to equity and excellence for all, and will provide its students with a supportive, high-quality learning environment.”

The design phase for the facility will begin this fall, and construction is expected to be completed for the start of the 2021-2022 school year.

On Wednesday, August 8th, BP Oddo joined with U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, Assemblyman Michael Cusick, Dr. Jordan Glaser, Director of Infectious Diseases at SIUH, as well as several Staten Island residents with Lyme disease in Clove Lakes Park to discuss the spread of tick-borne disease.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection carried by deer ticks, which can be transmitted by a bite to a human or animal host. Lyme disease begins as a rash at the location of the tick bite, and then spreads to the nervous system and joints. Early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment is crucial, as almost 100% of cases with early diagnosis are cured.

Another disease, transmitted like Lyme, is called Powassan Virus (POW). After the initial bite, the disease usually takes one week to one month to reveal itself. It cannot be transmitted human to human. People with the disease need to be hospitalized as soon as possible and immediately put on to respiratory support and IV fluids. Minor or massive brain swelling may also occur.

Lyme disease is extremely prevalent in the 5 boroughs, with 8,000+ cases over the past 15 years. According to the New York City Department of Health, there were 123 Lyme disease infections on Staten Island last year and 121 Lyme disease infections in 2015. According to Staten Island University Hospital, in 2015 there were 8 reported cases in Port Richmond; 22 reported cases in Stapleton-St.George; 22 reported cases in Willowbrook; and 69 reported cases in South Beach- Tottenville.

Schumer urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to double-down on efforts to fully implement laws passed by Congress last year that will significantly increase research, vaccine development, and treatment strategies to help stamp out tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease.

BP Oddo said, “It seems with each passing week there is another awful story about a Staten Islander impacted by Lyme disease. We proudly call ourselves the ‘Borough of Parks,’ and we encourage Staten Islanders to get out and be active, yet we know the Lyme risk continues to grow. That is why we are thankful that on this issue, like so many other local issues, we have the staunchest of allies in Senator Schumer.”

“The reality is the Feds now have the tools to begin stamping out diseases like Powassan Virus and Lyme disease, but they’re still dragging their feet, even though more and more New Yorkers are being infected with horrible tick-borne diseases,” said Senator Schumer. “The threat of tick-borne diseases is very real on Staten Island so it is imperative that we do all that we can to halt the continued spread every single summer. That’s why I am urging HHS Secretary Tom Price to quickly implement the already-passed legislation within the 21st Century Cures Act, to ensure that we are making a sufficient attempt at ridding ourselves of these chronic diseases. There is no more time to waste, and HHS must step up their game.” 
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There are currently no vaccines or specific treatments for POW. However, there are methods for prevention of tick bites, which also help prevent Lyme disease. These include: staying out of wooded or bushy areas that contain high grass, the use of insect repellent/DEET, a bath or shower within 2 hours of being in a wooded area, and full-body tick checks for both yourself and any pet that may have travelled with you.

On Monday, August 8th, BP Oddo joined with Dan Messina, President and CEO of Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC), to announce that the hospital will open a cardiac rehabilitation facility. Cardiac rehab is a medically supervised program consisting of exercise training. It is recommended for patients who have had a heart attack, bypass surgery, heart failure, and other cardiovascular disease.

The initial request to open a cardiac rehab came out of one of BP Oddo’s Heart Health Roundtables in 2016. BP Oddo then worked with those in the health and wellness community to turn this idea into a reality. To help bring cardiac rehab to RUMC, BP Oddo has allocated $250,000 of taxpayer money for this project.

“People are fortunate to get a second lease on life. We want to do be able to do everything to give them a healthy and happy life following the surgery. Cardiac rehab does that. There’s no reason that a borough of 500,000 people should not have it,” BP Oddo said. “Just about every medical or health indicator gets better with cardiac rehab. The patient improves his or her physical endurance, physical strength, balance, their ability to do just about anything.”

"Cardiac rehab patients not only live longer, they live better," noted Dr. Mitchell Fogel, Sr. Vice President, Chair of Department of Medicine and Chief Medical Officer at RUMC.

There has been no cardiac rehab facility on Staten Island for several years, forcing recovering heart patients to go to other boroughs or New Jersey for this important service. The cardiac rehab at RUMC will be up and running by early next year. 

BP Oddo has also allocated $250,000 for a new cardiac rehab center at Staten Island University Hospital, which is in the process of planning for its new facility.

On Tuesday, August 1st, Borough President James S. Oddo joined with Vincent Ignizio, CEO of Catholic Charities of Staten Island, to announce a three day Columbus Day festival at Mount Loretto. The festival will take place on Friday, October 6th from 5-11pm, Saturday, October 7th from 1-11pm, and Sunday, October 8th from 4-9pm.
 
“Festa Italiana at the Mount: The Biggest Columbus Day Celebration in Staten Island’s History” will build on the successes of both Rome Through Richmond Town and the Mount’s Italian Feast. The larger space will help accommodate even more people and will allow more vendors and cultural groups to participate.
 
Kids’ rides and games, live music, and expanded food options will be available on all three days. On Saturday, there will be cultural exhibits and educational displays, as well as a performance by the Giglio Band.
 
At the press conference, Lois and Richard Nicotra announced that they will once again be sponsoring the headlining entertainment, Louis Prima Jr. and the Witnesses, who will perform on Saturday.
 
Additional sponsors who have already signed on include Council Member Joe Borelli, Senator Diane Savino, Richmond University Medical Center, Mark Tranchina/Vanderbilt/Grand Oaks/South Fin, Project One, Rampulla Architects, Gerald Peters Gold Mine Jewelers, and Italian American Women of Staten Island. 
 
“This will be the biggest Columbus Day celebration in the history of Staten Island,” noted BP Oddo. “We had 6,000 people attend Rome Through Richmond Town, and Historic Richmond Town was a great partner, but the space there was limited. We’re partnering with Mount Loretto to make this an even bigger festival that can accommodate many more people and activities. We want more music, more culture, more education, more fun, and we intend to deliver on that front. This is a weekend for all of Staten Island to celebrate Italian-American culture and have fun.”
 
“We are so excited to host the biggest event Staten Island has ever had to celebrate Italian-American culture, Italian-Americans, our food, and everything that goes along with it,” said Ignizio.


Admission will be $5 for adults. Children under 12 will be admitted free. Parking will also be free for the event.
 
For sponsorship opportunities or more information, visit mountloretto.org

BP Oddo announced that he will again be joining with the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation to collect backpacks and school supplies for needy Staten Island families.

“Starting off the year with the necessary school supplies sets children off on a path towards academic success,” noted BP Oddo. “I’m asking Staten Islanders to give from their hearts and donate these items to help the less fortunate in our community. I want to thank the Atlas Foundation for collaborating with us again this year on this drive, which will help young students across the Island.”

Donations of brand new children’s backpacks, folders, crayons, markers, non-toxic glue sticks, notebooks, #2 pencils, construction paper, and other new school supplies will be accepted. Items can be dropped off in the box in the lobby of Borough Hall (10 Richmond Terrace) from 9am-5pm every weekday until Friday, August 25th. Volunteers from the Atlas Foundation will then distribute the items to families in need.

“The 1–2 punch is the most effective combination in boxing, and this partnership between the Dr. Atlas Foundation and the office of Borough President James Oddo is doing its part to knock out illiteracy in our schools,” said Teddy Atlas, Founder and Chairman of the Atlas Foundation. 
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For more information on the drive, call Renee Sarno at (718) 816-2133 or email RSarno@statenislandusa.com.

On Monday, July 24, BP Oddo joined with DA Mike McMahon to announce the launch of SIHOPE.org. The website contains various resources related to the opioid epidemic, ranging from information on addiction treatment services to ways to report drug activity in your neighborhood. As part of the public awareness campaign, lawn signs will encourage Staten Islanders to visit the site.
 
“Getting the word out about all of the efforts undertaken on the opioid epidemic is really important,” noted BP Oddo. “The District Attorney’s new website is making it a little easier with one central location for folks to access information.”
 
"It's a one-stop shop for those battling addiction, those with a loved one who is struggling, or those who simply want to get involved in helping end this horrible crisis," said District Attorney Michael McMahon.
 
To check out the website, click here.

On Wednesday, July 19th, BP Oddo joined with Holly Leicht, Former Regional Administrator for New York and New Jersey, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), to cohost a symposium on Sandy recovery at Baruch College.

​At the symposium, BP Oddo and other experts discussed Leicht’s recently completed report of 41 recommendations for how government can improve disaster recovery and preparedness.
 
“When the ‘recovery’ is harder on those impacted by the storm that the actual storm itself, government has failed,” said BP Oddo. “If we don't change the process, the results will not change. Holly Leicht's white paper lays out specific improvements. Just as important, it should spark a longer, candid and productive conversation about how each level of government must improve in its response to the next storm, which must then yield change.”
 
“We can’t keep making incremental change, it’s just not acceptable,” noted Leicht. “Let’s make these improvements so that we don’t find ourselves in the midst of that again.”
 
You can read the entire report here.

On Tuesday, July 18th, BP James Oddo joined with Council Member Joe Borelli and Borough Parks Commissioner Lynda Ricciardone to announce the allocation of $4 million in taxpayer money for a sensory playground at Prescott Playground in Huguenot.  BP Oddo allocated $3.9 million, and Council Member Borelli allocated $100,000 for the project.

A sensory play area provides opportunities for all children, including those with autism spectrum disorder and sensory processing disorder, to develop physical coordination, social skills, and imaginative play behaviors in a shared, peer-play setting.

Some of the examples of play structures that can be included are: sand and water play for tactile stimulation, bright and patterned shapes for visual, talk tubes and musical play panels for auditory, play equipment such as swings and roller tables for cognitive awareness of movement and behavior, and balance walkers or climbers for focus on balance and special orientation.
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“We want to see all of Staten Island enjoying our parks, and we want all of our kids with varying degrees of abilities to enjoy our parks,” said BP Oddo. “I think this is a statement on our values that we want to get this playground built.”
 
"Prescott Playground is the perfect spot for this sensory playground because it's in a quiet area," noted Parks Commissioner Ricciardone.
 
BP Oddo plans to form a working group from the special needs community to assist during the playground’s design phase.