On September 11, 2001, 275 people with ties to Staten Island died. Some were simply at their desks starting their work-day, others had rushed to the burning buildings to save lives. Since then, memorials, community gatherings, and ceremonies, have helped unite people with a shared sense of loss and common purpose of growing stronger. On…
For many parents, the start of the 2020-2021 school year has been challenging, as students of all ages are forced to endure curriculum and classroom time stymied by the pandemic. There are no easy or one-size-fits-all solutions for overcoming this, but there are a number of innovative public and private resources that are available to…
With COVID-19 restrictions slowly being relaxed in New York, business owners across the Island are finally able to get back to work, generate revenue and re-connect with customers and clients. For some, it’s the first chance they’ve had to get back on their feet in six months. Paul Inchierchiera, who has owned and operated P.I….
For many, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the everyday heroism of healthcare workers. “You gotta give credit to the guys and gals that are running towards the burning building, and this is our burning building,” said Brahim Ardolic, M.D., the Executive Director of Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH). At the peak of COVID-19’s…
As the nation continues to have a conversation about race, equality and tolerance, we lost one of its key voices in Congressman John Lewis of Georgia. A fierce advocate for inclusive policies and nonviolent protest, he died on July 17th, at the age of 80, after a battle with cancer. Here on Staten Island, a…
At 35 Hyatt Street, the magnificent St. George Theatre has stood since 1929. And, while it has certainly experienced ups and downs during its decades of existence, COVID-19 has challenged its current not-for-profit operators like never before. Since 2004, a nonprofit called the St. George Theatre Restoration Inc., has re-energized what had become a relic…
Local reaction to the death of George Floyd, a black man who reportedly gasped for air and pleaded for his life while his neck was constrained by a white police officer during an arrest in Minnesota, has sparked outrage. The case has many activists drawing comparisons to Eric Garner’s 2014 death in Tompkinsville, where a…
COVID-19 triggered a tsunami-like wave of cancellations and event postponements which started in March with what would have been the City’s 259th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Since then, events small and large on Staten Island haven’t been held. Most recently, it was announced that the 50th running of the New York City Marathon, scheduled…
Like those in countless other industries, real estate transactions were ground to a halt when New York was forced to hit pause to slow the spread of Coronavirus. For Tom Crimmins, the owner of Tom Crimmins Realty, Ltd., selling homes presented challenges without face to face interaction to help drive deals. “We were unemployed, in…
Up and down New Dorp Lane things are quieter than they should be. You can still grab takeout, but the normal hum of activity is missing on the sidewalks, cafes and storefronts. But, Niles French, the Executive Director of the New Dorp Lane District, said that doesn’t mean local owners aren’t working even harder to…