Periodicals Paid at Bronx, N.Y. USPS 114-590

Volume 43 Number 6 July-August 2014 One Dollar

A Well-Organized Jenny at the Beach By KAREN NANI

Photos by RICK DeWITT Jennifer Lopez’s “Jenny from the Block” concert on June 4, 2014, at Orchard Beach drew a family-friendly crowd of around 9,000. The feared traffic jams on the roads around Orchard Beach did not materialize, and police from the 45th Precinct did a great job making sure that residents were not stranded trying to get on and off City Island (bottom right photo).

Thanks to careful police planning and “We, the City Island Civic Associa- agency coordination, Jennifer Lopez’s tion, write to you today on behalf of our “Jenny from the Block” concert on June small community of 4,500 residents lo- 4, 2014, at Orchard Beach was as well or- cated in the Bronx. The [JLo] concert was ganized as one of the Bronx-born singer’s announced last week and sold out in quick music videos (if not quite as sexy). The fashion. To our knowledge, none of our feared traffic jams and chaos on the roads elected officials or even our local Commu- around Orchard Beach did not materialize, nity Board had been consulted of this event as the attendance was less than expected beforehand. The doors to this concert open and police from the 45th Precinct did a su- at 5 p.m., which will leave residents of our Islanders Battle to Save perb job making sure that residents were working-class community forced to sit in not stranded trying to get on and off City hours of standstill traffic in order to return St. Mary’s Church By VIRGINIA DANNEGGER and KAREN NANI Island. Some Islanders even benefited from home after a hard day of work. In our opin- ioners and the City Island community to the event! ion, this is grossly unfair, and steps must be write letters to Fr. John O’Hara, Director Part of the State Farm Neighborhood taken to rectify this situation,” they wrote. of the Office of Strategic Pastoral Planning, Sessions series, the event drew a family- Police responded with a plan to address and to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, imploring friendly crowd of around 9,000 to the the concerns of Islanders. Orchard Beach them to keep St. Mary’s as a parish with a grassy promenade between the parking lot was closed at 3 p.m., and all cars where resident on-site pastor and not turn it into and the roads leading into Orchard Beach. moved out of the parking lot. Then special an “additional worship site.” A worship site Ms. Lopez’s massive stage, constructed lanes were created to separate concertgoers would mean limited weekend Masses, occa- a week before the concert, actually faced coming off Pelham Parkway and I-95 from sional weddings and funerals, and a deacon away from the water, to the disappointment City Island residents returning home. Cars or other pastoral minister to be the full-time of some boaters who dropped anchors off going to City Island were allowed to pro- pastoral presence. Orchard Beach hoping to hear the concert. ceed in a bus lane marked by traffic cones to The St. Mary’s Core Team wanted peo- The concert took three months to plan City Island Road and toward the City Island ple to voice their opinions and let the Car- and involved the New York City Parks and circle. Concertgoers were not allowed to dinal know exactly how frustrated they feel Police Departments, Highway Patrol and access Orchard Beach from the City Island (see Letters to the Editor). The five-member the Pelham Police Department. According traffic circle in order to prevent a traffic jam team of Rosetta Woods, Terri Kurtz, Ethel to Lieutenant Paul Trapani of the 45th Pre- at the circle. Lott, Dan Connelly and Bill Mueller had cinct, the sponsor, State Farm, paid for all In addition, only ticket holders were al- been working for eight months with a clus- the expenses, including fees, permits, trans- lowed to exit off the Hutchinson River Park- ter of other churches in the area under the portation and the costs of additional police way at the Orchard Beach exit, and Shore Photo by MARGIE McNULTY assumption that St. Mary’s would remain Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who celebrated coverage. Road was closed southbound to control traf- a parish but share resources with others to Mass at St. Mary’s in September 2010, Islanders began to worry when the an- fic leading into the Bartow circle. better serve the archdiocese (known as the now holds the fate of the City Island nouncement of 25,000 free tickets to the The strict enforcement of access for church in his hands. collaborative model). concert was made in May through various ticket holders only, coupled with an army of The team and Father Michael Challinor, New York radio stations. They remembered free shuttle buses taking concert goers from The crusade to save St. Mary, Star of St. Mary’s full-time pastor, were shocked by the rumor of a concert at Orchard Beach Pelham Bay Station, seems to have worked the Sea Church escalated in June with a the last-minute announcement in May that about 10 years ago that led to standstill effectively. “There were no significant traf- letter-writing campaign and a presentation St. Mary’s was moved into the consolidated traffic, illegal parking on the Parks’ green- fic backups on any of the roads leading to to the archdiocese on the importance of the model, which may result in the combina- way and large-scale littering. The memory Orchard Beach and City Island,” Officer church in the community. This followed the tion of parishes and the eventual closure of of that hoax, along with the failure to alert Vicky Alier told The Current. “We checked sudden announcement in May 2014 that St. some. the community in advance of this concert, everyone’s ticket at different checkpoints. Mary’s could be merged with another par- On June 3, the Core Team submitted the led the Civic Association to write an emer- If a group arrived by car, everyone in the ish, leading to the eventual closure of the parish’s response to the cardinal’s “Making gency letter to NYPD Commissioner Brat- vehicle had to have a ticket. Otherwise they church on City Island. All Things New” plan. The team rejected the ton and Parks Commissioner Silver on May were turned away via special lanes we had An announcement in the bulletin on recommendation to consolidate St. Mary’s 22: set up.” Sunday, June 15, urged St. Mary’s parish- Continued on page 13 Continued on page 3 Page Two The Island Current July-August 2014

briefly...

The JOHN GILDER SCHOLArship Fund will hold its fifth annual fundraiser lawn party this summer at the Morris Yacht & Beach Club on Saturday, Aug. 23, at 2 p.m. The admission fee will be $60, which includes food, beer, wine, water and desserts served from 2 to 6 p.m. There will also be raffles for items donated by local businesses. Past fundraisers have provided scholarships at Fordham University, and on June 12 three scholarships were awarded to students at Greenwich High School. The group has also sponsored a City Island Little League team for the past four years and will be fund- ing the summer travel team. The group appreciates the support that has made it possible to make a difference in the lives of deserving young people. For more information please check facebook.com/gilderscholarship or email [email protected].

2014 CITY ISLAND REUNION: Once again, by popular demand, there will be another spectacular and memorable City Island reunion, which will take place on Aug. 23, 2014, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Ambrosini Field. Come reunite and celebrate with friends and family while listening to live music from local bands, past and present. There will be lots of entertainment for kids of all ages, including volleyball, basketball and Photo by JACK JOKINEN softball. There will be a memorial board for posting photos of our beloved friends and fam- The Fifth Annual Scholarship Fundraising Lawn Party will be held at the Morris Yacht ily. A very large tent and Porta-Potties will be provided, as well as condiments, napkins, & Beach Club on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014, at 2 p.m. Last year’s event (shown above) plastic ware, and delicious cakes from Costco. Bring your own food and beverage, chairs, raised funds for several scholarships and a City Island Little League team named in tables and even pop-up tents. Admission is $15 to cover expenses; kids 14 and under get in memory of Islander John Gilder. free; and proceeds will be donated to a City Island cause, to be determined. If anyone needs any special accommodations or if you have any questions at all, please call Bob at 347-242- 4393, Lynn at 760-805-5547, or email [email protected]. See you there! EDMOND (Teddy) PRYOR ATTORNEY AT LAW other off-Island male if he could use his 1925 Williamsbridge Road 300 City Island Avenue cell phone to call a taxi. When the victim Bronx, City Island, 45 BLOTTER refused, the defendant punched him in the New York 10461 (718) 829-0222 New York 10464 Complaints reported from City Is- face. www.pryorlaw.com land to the 45th Precinct during May 6/8 – At a commercial establishment and June 2014. Unfounded complaints on City Island Avenue at 8 p.m., police ar- are not included in the list. rested an off-Island male, 36, and charged 1 – PETIT LARCENY him with assault after he allegedly struck 4 – CRIMINAL MISCHIEF another male in the face with a bottle, caus- 4 – ASSAULT* ing bruises and requiring stitches. Three 1 – BURGLARY other perpetrators involved in the incident 1 – CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF remain unapprehended. A WEAPON* 6/9 – An Island male told police that 2 – CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF a black Jeep purposely ran over the flow- MARIJUANA* ers on his property on Centre Street at 8:58 p.m. in an act of criminal mischief. Police provided details on the follow- 6/11 – Police arrested an off-Island ing incidents and arrests* for the period male, 18, on City Island Avenue at 12:10 from May 22 to June 23, 2014. p.m. and charged him with criminal pos- 5/24 – Police are investigating a bur- session of a weapon. The defendant was glary at a commercial establishment on operating a pick-up truck when he was City Island Avenue at 5:15 a.m. An un- pulled over by police. Officers detected the known perpetrator broke the front door odor of marijuana and upon investigation glass, entered the premises and removed found that the defendant possessed a black- items without permission. handled dagger. 5/27 – On Bowne Street and City Is- 6/15 – At 3:27 p.m., an off-Islander, land Avenue at 5 p.m., an Island female re- 26, was arrested and chareged with assault ported that an unknown person keyed and and criminal possession of marijuana on scratched her parked vehicle in an act of City Island Avenue. After an argument, the criminal mischief. defendant allegedly punched a female vic- 6/5 – At 11:50 p.m. on Pilot Street, an tim and pepper-sprayed three others who unknown vehicle was driven into a park- were waiting in line at a commercial estab- ing lot gate causing damage. lishment. 6/7 – An off-Island male, 22, was ar- rested and charged with assault at 8:23 p.m. on City Island Avenue at Marine “Then it is only kindness that Street. The defendant allegedly asked an- makes sense anymore” –Naomi Shihab Nye Combined Issue Nancy Dereksen, LCSW This is a reminder to our Island 140 Lockwood Ave., Suite 102, 103 Current patrons that this issue of the pa- New Rochelle, NY 10801 per is a combined July/August issue for 914-588-1683 the Summer. The monthly papers will resume with the September issue. Counseling for Emotional Overload

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Typeset by Marguerite Chadwick-Juner, Witworks Studio Graphic Design, 33 Earley Street, City Island, N.Y. 10464 Naomi Ueda, DVM Printed by JB Offset Printing Corp., 475 Walnut Street, Norwood, NJ 07648 All Major Credit The Island Current (USPS 114-590) is published monthly except for January and August by the Island Current Inc., a 914-636-8106 not-for-profit organization. Subscription rate, $12.00 per year. Single copies, $1.00. All subscriptions, editorial, advertis- 98 North Avenue Cards Accepted ing and other correspondence must be mailed to: The Island Current, P.O. Box 6, City Island, Bronx, NY 10464. Display advertising deadline is the 10th of the month preceding publication, call 885-0760. Copyright 2014 by The Island Current, New Rochelle, NY 10801 Se Habla Español Inc., 724 King Ave., City Island, Bronx, NY 10464. All rights reserved. www.newrochellevet.com PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT BRONX, NY. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Island Current, P.O. Box 6, City Island, NY 10464. July-August 2014 The Island Current Page Three

as residents, community groups, local poli- St. Mary’s ticians and members of other houses of wor- Continued from page 1 ship on City Island. Many people received DOT and CI Working with Our Lady of Assumption in Pelham a form letter from Cardinal Dolan in reply. Bay and to have St. Mary’s as a worship “While several factors are involved in de- Together site only. The team proposed that St. Mary’s termining the future status of a parish, in- By BARBARA DOLENSEK remain a parish with a resident, on-site pas- cluding the number of parishioners and its tor as it is now. They told the archdiocese: pastoral activities, the goal of ‘Making All “We have the unanimous support of the par- Things New’ is to ensure that, with whatev- ishes in our cluster, Holy Rosary, St. Lucy, er configuration of parishes is decided upon, St. Michael and Nativity. All agreed with us every parish will be, first and foremost, an and signed off on the response,” which was active and vibrant community of faith.” He then submitted to the Advisory Group. emphasized that finance is only one factor The 40-member Advisory Group, con- and not the determining one. sisting of priests, deacons, religious and lay St. Mary’s Core Team wants Islanders people from across the archdiocese, met at to keep up their efforts and continue to write the end of June to evaluate suggestions and to Cardinal Dolan’s office at 1011 First Av- give their final recommendations. These enue, New York, N.Y. 10022. The team also recommendations will be presented to the welcomes and appreciates all suggestions, Cardinal at the Archdiocesan Priests’ Coun- which can be placed in the box in the vesti- cil from June 30 to July 2. Cardinal Dolan bule of the church. will then review the recommendations dur- Deacon Mueller, a team member, ing the summer and give his final decisions summed it up: “St. Mary, Star of the Sea in September. “We don’t know what he will Church, seen clearly from the City Island say,” said Fr. Michael, “It is only then that bridge as a welcoming beacon to all resi- we can respond.” dents and visitors to our Island, is a light- During June, letters of support were house that, if consolidated, will be ex- sent by parishioners of St. Mary’s, as well tinguished, silenced and fall into the sea, taking with it many of our Catholic people.”

Photos courtesy of the Department of Transportation On Thursday, May 29, representatives of New York City’s Department of Transporta- tion and Tutor Perini, the bridge contractor, held an open house at P.S. 175, where they answered questions about the new bridge and asked residents for comments. Islanders met with representatives of gestions on large sheets next to the render- the city’s Department of Transportation ings, and these will be reviewed by DOT (DOT) and Tutor Perini, the bridge engi- and Tutor Perini, who have assured the City neers, on Thursday, May 29, at an open Island Civic Association and the Chamber house sponsored by DOT to familiarize of Commerce that they will work with the residents with information about the new community. There are some limits as to the bridge design and the construction process. designs, because DOT works with a design More than 90 people attended the open manual and must get approvals from the house to look at renderings of the proposed city’s Design Commission. bridge and the various design details still to The temporary water main replacing be finalized. the old main that lay in the path of the tem- DOT officials, including the Bronx porary bridge has been put in place, so that Commissioner Constance Moran and Chief work on the bridge may begin now that the Bridge Engineer Bob Collyer, were on hand land-use application filed by DOT has been to answer questions and to reassure Island- approved by the Department of City Plan- ers that their input would be important in ning. arriving at final decisions about such detail That application had a bumpy start, as lighting, signage and fencing. initiated because of the lawsuit filed by the Those who attended were asked to Civic Association and later disapproved by write down their comments and make sug- Community Board 10 and the Bronx Bor- ough President. Only after the new DOT commissioner, Polly Trottenberg, worked BUDDY’S HARDWARE with Tutor Perini to come up with a more & MARINE acceptable design than the modernistic ca- ble-stayed bridge, was the community per- A full service hardware suaded to reverse its position on the land- & marine supply store use application. DOT expects that the temporary bridge KARL HOEDL construction will be completed by Thanks- giving and that the dismantling of the old 260 City Island Ave. bridge—which may take up to a year—will Bronx, NY 10464 begin. The completion of the new bridge is expected to take place in 2017. 718-885-1447 Some will find irony in the above head- Photos by VIRGINIA DANNEGGER and MARGIE McMULTY Fax: 718-885-1617 line about the collaboration between DOT Scenes like this one of Father Michael Challinor (top photo) greeting parishioners [email protected] and City Island, but thanks to the new DOT after church on Sunday may become a thing of the past if the archdiocese decides to Commissioner and the quick turnaround in consolidate the parish with others off City Island. Cardinal Dolan was friendly to Island- Summer hours effective 4/15 design, the sense of collaboration comes as ers during his visit in 2010 (middle and bottom photos), but may decide to convert St. Mon-Sat. 8am-8pm Sunday 8am-3pm. a welcome change for all involved. Mary’s to a worship site, which would mean limited weekend Masses only. Page Four The Island Current July-August 2014

church were to close, City Islanders would rely on St. Mary’s services more than most Editorial be bereft of a Catholic church. The nearest and may find themselves in sudden or im- The only newspaper dedicated to events on City Island, The Island Current has been parishes are St. Benedict’s and Our Lady of mediate need of spiritual sacraments such published continuously for 42 years. During that time, the paper has documented activities Assumption, both located on the mainland. as the Last Rites or Anointing of the Sick. and events in nearly every issue. We were deeply distressed when St. Mary’s School was Worshipers would be forced to take two A resident pastor can provide these services closed in 2013, because it was a thriving educational center that provided events and activi- city buses to either parish or to drive. quickly and effectively. A priest coming ties for all children on the Island, not just students at St. Mary’s. But we are truly disheart- Each of these churches has its own from a nearby community will not only be ened to learn that the future of the church itself is in jeopardy, not just on behalf of church distinct culture and customs that have de- burdened by a longer traveling period but parishioners but also for the entire community, which participates in its early childhood and veloped over many years. It may not prove also additional delays caused by our leg- adult education programs, food collections for the poor, recreational programs, fundraisers, to be easy to merge a smaller, distinctive endary traffic on summer weekends. These rehabilitation organizations, and youth sports leagues, to name just a few. The presence of a church into one of the larger institutions. conditions raise serious doubts that a priest full-time priest and staff is essential not only to parishioners but also to the rest of the com- If St. Mary’s were left as a worship could arrive in time. munity so that the church can continue to be a vibrant presence here. To reduce the role that center on the Island, and its administra- We ask that your advisory group take St. Mary’s plays here—and to consider closing it—will, we believe, be a blow not only to tion were elsewhere, City Islanders would these factors into consideration in making a parishioners, many of whom will be unable or unwilling to leave the Island to attend church lose something in the process. The com- decision. A change in the classification of elsewhere, but it will also have disastrous consequences for the City Island community. We munity benefits from the physical presence St. Mary’s would be detrimental to all City beseech Cardinal Dolan and the Archdiocese to review their decision regarding this church of a pastor and parish priest on site in the Islanders, no matter their faith. and recognize the integral role that St. Mary’s plays here. community. The tangible and intangible The City Island Civic Association benefits are many, but suffice it to say that for the poor, recreational programs, fund- a Catholic community needs a Catholic raisers and youth sports leagues, to name priest in its midst. Remembering Carmen and just a few. Therefore, Bronx Community Board Thanking City Island Why is the Archdiocese spending 10 supports the retention of a full-time To the Editor: nearly $200 million on a cathedral on Fifth Catholic church with the assignment of a It is not a stretch to say that my sister, Avenue while cutting away at small viable priest on City Island. Carmen Robinson, who passed away on churches that serve hard-working worship- Thank you for your attention and con- June 11, made friends easily with everyone ers who are, quite frankly, the backbone sideration in this matter. she met. of support for the Archdiocese, if not the John Marano, Chairman She loved everyone at Artie’s, and they entire faith worldwide? Upon accepting the We welcome letters and opinions. Letters longer than Bronx Community Board 10 loved her right back. In fact it was her sec- 250 words will be edited, with every effort made to leadership of the Catholic faith recently, ond home. A special thank you from all of preserve their substance. We reserve the right not to Pope Francis articulated to his cardinals, print letters that are copies, libelous, inaccurate or in Dear Cardinal Dolan and Father O’Hara: us for looking out for her as well as you bad taste, or those that cannot be verified. Include your priests, nuns and general parishioners that We, the City Island Civic Association, did. Thank you Spyros, Laura, Janet, Ju- phone number. Anonymous letters will not be printed, the church has to do a better job at bringing but names will be withheld upon request. write to you today on behalf of approxi- dith, Cathy, Lana, Roberto, Nicholas, An- the true meaning of the faith to the people, mately 4,500 residents within our commu- gel, Mike, Tino and everyone at Artie’s. not through centralized power but through What Does God Think? nity about a matter of grave importance. It We will be forever in your debt for the love outreach. To the Editor: has come to our attention an advisory group you extended her and the way you made it The New York Archdiocese’s strategy A year ago last spring hundreds of has been formed to evaluate our local par- so easy for her to have a meal when she for reorganizing hardly seems to be an parents and their young children, includ- ish, St. Mary, Star of the Sea, and to de- was just too tired to make the trek across embodiment of the Pope’s recently stated ing those attending City Island’s St. Mary, termine if it should remain a viable parish the street. wishes. In fact, I wonder what he and God Star of the Sea School, were forced to or an “additional worship site.” This un- Everyone at the Sunoco gas station would think of a reorganization plan that scramble to find suitable schools by Sep- fortunate development follows the one-year knew her and protected her. If they saw rebuilds a cathedral at the expense of local tember because the Catholic Archdiocese anniversary of the parish’s primary school that she had fallen, they knew to sound the parishes. of New York felt it necessary to close fully being closed, which left many dispirited. alarm and get help at Artie’s so that they Bill Stuttig functioning schools in some of the region’s For a small community, City Island would send someone over to give her the working-class communities, including City residents have historically prided them- help she needed. selves on their deep and diversified faiths. Island. Saving St. Mary’s For groceries and a great cup of cof- Now comes word that some parishes The neighborhood is home to no fewer than A copy of the following letter to Father fee, Carmen always relied on the IGA; but throughout the diocese, including City Is- three churches and a synagogue, all playing John 0’ Hara, Director of the Office of if it was a bag of cookies or a special pie land’s St. Mary’s, will likely be closing or an active role in our area. In fact, within Strategic Pastoral Planning, Archdiocese that she was after, then nothing but Sugar merging with others in the future as part of seconds of entering our Island and com- of New York, was received by The Current. and Spice would do. The City Island Diner a campaign that the Archdiocese’s public ing over the bridge, among the first sights Copies of similar letters were received was a must for breakfast. It had to be the relations consultants like to call “Making travelers see is a large and beautiful church, by the City Island Civic Association, the egg and cheese on an S-roll, to go please; All Things New.” From my point of view, whose doors are always open. This sends Chamber of Commerce, Temple Beth-El, even when she decided to eat there, it was the only thing I see being made new is St. a powerful message about the community, and Grace Episcopal Church. always coffee in a paper cup. Thank you, Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue, to the that we value our faith and that service to Susan, Donna, Lisa, Kim and everyone tune of an ongoing facelift costing about Dear Father O’Hara: others plays an important role in our lives. at the diner for always giving her a smile $200 million, including refurbished front Allow me to introduce myself: my If St. Mary’s is reclassified as an “addition- and making her feel welcome. And now doors that alone cost $500,000 to restore. name is John Marano and I am Chairman al house of worship,” these doors will often that you’ve named a sandwich after her, While this lavish Fifth Avenue church of Bronx Community Board 10, a com- be locked if the church is not in use. In it- a grilled cheese on challah bread with which serves tourists, celebrities and poli- munity-based agency of New York City’s self this sends a terrible message to those grilled tomatoes and onions, I can just see ticians, gets rebuilt, a parish serving work- govermnent. I am writing on behalf of a vi- visiting our community. her smiling, with her wonderful quirky ing, middle-class Catholics like City Is- tal community organization, St. Mary, Star St. Mary’s represents the largest re- smile, each time one of your customers or- land’s St. Mary’s is threatened with closure of the Sea Church on City Island, the only ligious congregation on City Island and ders a Carmen. or a diminished role, despite the fact that it Catholic church on the Island. serves many important functions to those On days when Carmen had a hanker- is a very well-attended, financially viable While our Community Board is more of and beyond the Catholic faith. This in- ing for a quesadilla, she knew that a visit parish serving hundreds of City Islanders generally concerned with temporal and cludes food and clothing donations, youth to Patrice, at To Go Express was in order. who live in the city’s most isolated com- not religious matters on City Island, we programming, athletics, and group therapy How convenient that it was located right munity. St. Mary’s has served thousands are moved to write your office because the to those suffering from addiction. All of next door to the Art of Beauty, the only of Islanders over the many decades of its church is such a vital institution on the Is- these programs are invaluable and have place she ever trusted to get her “manis existence. In fact, it is the place in which land. Not only does it serve the Catholic historically been administered under the and pedis” done. Louise always made her most Islanders over many past generations community, but through its outreach pro- direction of the full-time resident pastor. feel both pampered and beautiful. Thanks have been married, baptized their children grams, such as P.O.T.S, youth and athletic The pastor provides essential oversight of to Louise and everyone there for making and mourned the loss of their loved ones. programs, thrift shop and Alcoholics and these activities and individual counseling Carmen feel hugged. I should also mention that this institu- Narcotics Anonymous programs, its pres- to those participants in need. And, thank you to Ron and everyone tion has served Catholic and non-Catholic ence in the community reaches well be- One particularly vulnerable group on at the Focal Point Gallery, where Carmen Islanders alike over those decades, hous- yond the traditional role of a church. City Island is the senior population. Ac- spent hours enjoying the art shows and ing such programs as early childhood and Furthermore, we ask you to remember cording to the U.S. Census, 25 percent of basking in the friends that gathered there. that City Island is just that, an island. If the the population is over age of 62. Seniors adult education programs, food collections Continued on page 6 July-August 2014 The Island Current Page Five

Senior Housing Project Approved By BARBARA DOLENSEK On June 17, 2014, the New York City the project satisfied the several requirements Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) vot- over which the BSA has jurisdiction, includ- ed to grant a variance to the Italian Hospital ing its consistency with the character of the Society that will enable the organization to community. Until the most recent proposal, construct senior housing at 222 City Island the BSA agreed with the City Island Civic Avenue, at Schofield Street, which is zoned Association and its attorney that the project manufacturing. The project, first introduced was out of scale with the City Island’s Spe- at a Civic Association meeting in May 2011 cial District Zoning. Finally, on May 5, 2014, as a massive four-story, block-long apartment the applicant submitted a plan that the BSA building with 200 apartments for seniors, has indicated was acceptable, a four-part complex been through three subsequent versions, the of three stories with 45 units (see elevations most recent one a much smaller complex with above), which represents a reduction of the 45 apartments and no below-ground parking. scale of the project by over 80 percent. Although Community Board 10 objected The next step is for the Italian Hospital to the project at the BSA hearing in May, on Society to purchase the property from the cur- the grounds that the development would be in rent owner, Lukeco LLC, and to begin envi- a flood zone and thus risky for senior housing, ronmental remediation on the site, which must be completed before construction begins.

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[email protected] 100 Elgar Place, Building 35 Telephone (718) 320-2188 • [email protected] Page Six The Island Current July-August 2014

write a scene about your favorite character. watch a beautiful sunset or take a relaxing Starting July 8, every Tuesday at 1 p.m. yoga class with Ann on Sunday morning. On the New Bridge Design Saturday Afternoon Movies or Lec- Thank you, Ann. She really loved those Copies of the following letters, which tures: We will announce in advance the classes. are excerpted below, were sent to The movies and or lectures for the month of July Anytime Carmen’s Aunt Tina was vis- Current. and August. All events begin at 1 p.m. iting from Houston, the 10 a.m. service at We wish you all our friends and neigh- To the Editor: St. Mary, Star of the Sea was a must. She bors a great summer. City Island people will never get out The Pelham Picture House, located also loved to find that special treasure at St. of a rut, always living in the past and at 175 Wolfs Lane in Pelham, will have Mary’s Thrift Shop and, when she could, wondering why things are always look- a special advanced screening of “Life bring treasures to them. Itself,” the highly anticipated documen- ing trashy. Once again, another piece of Off the Island, if it was Thursday night, tary about Roger Ebert, based on his junk being added to the community. memoir of the same name, followed by you would find Carmen at Pottery in the Too bad. The original design was a discussion and Q&A with the Pic- City with Ritch, followed by a delicious significantly a better design. Chinese dinner at their favorite Upper West ture House critic-in-residence, Marshall By JANIE BLANKS Larry Alfrey Fine, and other well-known film critics. Side corner restaurant. And, if it was Sat- As a service to our readers, The Island Dear Mayor de Blasio: Tuesday, July 1, at 7:30 p.m. $12 general urday morning, invariably, you would find Current will periodically list recent sales Cable-stayed bridges have become admission, $10 for students and seniors, her smiling from ear to ear while working of residential and commercial property as popular in recent years, frequently in $6 for members. as a volunteer at the Children’s Garden at found in the public record. This feature is municipalities where their innovative On Wednesday, July 9, at 7:00 p.m. the New York Botanical Garden. designed to give a general idea of the fair sculptural design might contribute to there will be a special advanced screen- City Island was her life. She felt whole market values of property on City Island. An the surrounding cityscape or landscape ing of “Boyhood,” a groundbreaking new and at peace when she was there. She knew film by Richard Linklater. There will a update will be published every few months where nothing else exists. But as a gate- she was watched over but more than that, post-film discussion and Q&A with film at our discretion. The listings below, sup- way to this little island, it is what we ar- she knew she was loved. If there ever was a producer John Sloss, hosted by the Pic- plied by Janie Blanks, represent some of the chitects would label a “design error.” It true citizen of City Island, no doubt it was ture House critic-in-residence, Marshall recent sales. The Current is not responsible is monstrous, ill conceived, out of scale Carmen. Fine. $12 general admission, $10 students for errors or omissions in the data. with the parkland where its towers will and seniors, $6 members. Visit the web- Going to the Wednesday night prayer Closing Sale be built and, at 164 feet high, at least four site at www.thepicturehouse.org for news group at Mary Ellen’s house on City Is- Address Date Price Type times the height of any building on the of more upcoming events and information land kept her faith in the Lord unshakable. Island. Why not construct the simple via- about becoming a member. 73 Schofield Street 4/14/14 $348,000 single family There is no doubt that it was the purity of 636 City Island Ave. 4/25/14 $1,236,300 commercial duct causeway that has been supported that faith that kept our beautiful Carmen 280 City Island Ave. 5/2/14 $585,000 multi-family by most residents of the island? 19 Bay Street 5/14/14 $720,000 single family from succumbing much sooner to the can- Andrew Blackman, AIA 8 Tier Street 5/20/14 $980,000 multi-family cer that ultimately took her life. Ezra, her 71 Fordham Street 5/27/14 $420,000 multi-family 190 Fordham Street 6/2/14 $370,000 condo pastor, kept her grounded. Mr. Blackman’s letter was answered Thank you to everyone on City Island by a representative of the DOT: for giving Carmen, the best years of her DOT recently announced a new, life, years that were spent smiling, laugh- causeway style bridge that has received ing and loving with the warmth of your widespread support from elected offi- PROGRAMS AT THE CITY ISLAND Box 6 friendship, the feel of the cool waters of the cials and communities leaders. The new Continued from page 4 LIBRARY- JULY 2014 sound, the freshness of the breezes and the design features a clean, simple aesthetic The pictures Ron took of Carmen and our 718-885-1703 sun and warm sand of your beaches. with lighting and other elements inspired family were wonderful; you captured those Serving the City Island Community & To share a memory about Carmen or by the existing bridge. It will also have a the Public Since 1911 elusive moments that we will treasure al- upload a photo, go to the Schuyler Hill minimal impact on the waterway below Our hours are: Mondays and Thurs- ways. Funeral Home website, Schuylerhill.com. while affording unobstructed views of days, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. When Carmen walked down the street Click on the photographic memories link Pelham Bay Park and Eastchester Bay, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, to the diner and passed JGL Wines and Li- in the Memories section for a lovely slide benefits long sought by the City Island 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. quors, she had to stop and spend time with Fridays and Saturdays, show celebrating Carmen’s life. community. The agreement on the design Jerry who always made her feel right at 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thank you, City Island, for loving our marks a major step in the commitment home. Thank you, Jerry, for always taking dear, sweet Carmen and keeping her safe by Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration July and August Programs for the time to sit down and talk to Carmen and for us. You will forever be in our hearts. to infrastructure projects that better con- Children and Teens to always offer your hand of support when AJ Warren nect New York City communities. Summer Arts & Crafts: We will she needed it, without fail. supply the scissors, glue and construction Thanks to you too, Joe. Carmen always paper; please bring your own imagination said that you and everyone at the City Is- and artistic flair as we make arts and crafts land Pharmacy were always patient and to celebrate summertime. Both on Friday, July 18, and Aug. 22, all day. kind to her. Bilingual Birdies: Every Friday at 11 For a great night of revelry, music and a.m. for the whole summer. Friday July 11, some dancing in the aisles, there was no 18, 25; Aug. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29. place to be with Carmen but at one of Elliott Summer Reading Wrap-Up Party: and Monica’s nights of music at the Starving We celebrate the end of the summer, the Artists Café and Gallery. We were there as books we have read, and the knowledge we a family one night when Port O’Monkeys, have accrued with pizza, prizes and fun. her favorite group, was on tap. It was fun to Friday, Aug. 29, 3 to 5 p.m. see her rocking and dancing in the aisles to July and August Adult Programs their Spanish-Middle Eastern beat. Meditation and Quiet Time: A space She also loved taking Baloo, her first for quiet studying, reading, writing and black lab, and later Moose, for a swim in self-meditation. Every Thursday from 1 to the sound at Patty and Con’s; when Pat- 2 p.m. ty was able to join with her pup, it was a Introduction to the Internet: This special treat. Before one of the storms de- workshop is designed to introduce anyone stroyed their sailboat, summer afternoons who has never been on the internet before. on City Island meant taking Baloo on the Gain proficiency in using email, utilizing boat and just relaxing in the peace and quiet social media and finding resources on the NYPL website. Every Tuesday morning of the sea air. from 10 a.m. to noon. Also on Monday For those of you who knew her then, afternoons from 1 to 2 p.m. at Grace how could you forget her performance with Church, 116 City Island Avenue at Pilot the Island Patchwork at the Trinity Meth- Street. odist Church hall! It may have been a small Resumé Writing Workshop and role, but to her it was a bundle of fun. Online Job Search: Staff will be here to As a member of the City Island Art- help you look for employment and get your ists Organization, (CIAO), Carmen loved resumé into top form for the competitive to participate in the many City Island art AUTO DETAILING - SAT. & SUN. ONLY job market. Pre-registration is encouraged shows. Of course for Carmen, her idea but drop-ins are fine. It is recommended wasn’t to sell one of her beautiful ceramic you bring along a flash drive to save your work. Every Wednesday morning from 10 creations—she was happiest when some- a.m. to noon. one came by and complimented her work. Tablet Group: Learn how to borrow When that happened, she would gift them and download library e-books, discuss your with one of her pots. For her the only bot- favorite apps and ask questions about how tom-line profit she was interested in was to use tablets in your day-to-day life. Every what came from the delight of a child’s face Thursday afternoon from 2 to 3. and yes, even a jaded adult’s, as she handed The Island Writers: The writing them, free of charge one of her beautiful group returns with a summer project in pieces of pottery. mind, to create a movie about the colorful For relaxation, there was always the people who have made City Island their Harlem Yacht Club, where you could go to home and harbor over the years. Come July-August 2014 The Island Current Page Seven

Photo by LifeTouch Members of the 2014 graduating class of Public School 175. Kneeling (l. to r.): graduates Michael Valenti, Erik Lomonaco, John Tomsen, Michael Mancuso. First row: gradu- ates Joseph Kramer, Carlo Fine; faculty Andrew Scopp, Jaclyn Fitzmaurice, Karen Heil, Danielle Ramos; Amy Lipson, principal; faculty Helen Masotti; parent coordinator Tina Gisante; faculty Kathleen Wiehler; graduates John Cebollero, Christopher DeSantis. Second row: Dylan Kohr, Everett Sanderson, Nicholas Capalbo, Raphael Hay, Justin Munafo, Luis Parreno, Edwin Almodovar, Connor Hanley-Piri, Luis Ramos, Joseph Gjonaj, Umi Shaw, Alberto Rodriguez, Michael DeSantis, Matthew Cioffi. Top row: Sabrina Jarvis, Phoebe McElroy, Jennifer Carino, Dusty Prohaska, Gianna Cambria, Lydia McElroy, Chanel Coleman, Sabrina Fontana, Emma Ramos, Rebecca Scott, Catherine Ficke, Anita Beqiraj, Brianna Lozada, Juliana Durante, Olivia Albertelli. DESERVING P.S. 175 GraduatES RECEIVE Awards By VIRGINIA DANNEGGER The eighth-grade graduation at P.S. Citizenship Award was presented to Lydia 175, now sadly the only school gradua- McElroy. tion on City Island since the closure of The Gloria Misurki Award for Love St. Mary’s school in 2013, was held at the of Learning was given to Olivia Albertelli; school on June 23, 2014, and principal Amy the Alice Connolly Service Award went to Lipson made the following presentations. Dusty Prohaska; the Christine Jorgensen The City Island School Principal’s Hansen Community Award was given to Gi- Award for Excellence was presented to anna Cambria, and the AARP #318 School John Tomsen; the City Island Chamber of Service Award was presented to John Ce- Commerce Award for General Excellence bollero. was given to Rebecca Scott; the Mary P. Everett Sanderson received the Cath- Fitzpatrick Award for Academic and Gen- erine Scott Literary Award from The Island eral Excellence went to Everett Sanderson; Current and won the essay contest spon- the Dr. Ed Rothschild Award for Citizen- sored by the American Legion Leonard H. ship and Community Involvement was Hawkins Post 156. Lydia McElroy won the given to Connor Hanley-Piri, and Michael award from the American Legion Women’s Valenti was the recipient of the Lucrezia A. Auxiliary. Fusco Award for Effort and Perseverance. The United Federation of Teachers pre- At the Awards Dinner on June 18, the sented awards in individual subject areas: following presentations were made: the English Language Arts, Rebecca Scott and New York State Senator Jeff Klein Civic Joseph Gjonaj; Mathematics, Edwin Almo- Award for Student Leadership was given to dovar and Phoebe McElroy; Math Regents John Cebollero; the Assemblyman Michael Award, Everett Sanderson; Science, Olivia Benedetto Award for Academic Achieve- Albertelli and John Cebollero; Science Re- ment went to Phoebe McElroy; the City gents, Rebecca Scott; Social Studies, John Council Citation for Achievement was Tomsen and Joseph Kramer; Computers awarded to Rebecca Scott; the City Council and Technology, Edwin Almodovar and Speakers Achievement Award for Academ- Anita Beqiraq; Physical Education, Connor ic Excellence was presented to John Tom- Hanley-Piri and Catherine Ficke; Art, Lyd- sen, and the NYC Comptroller Award for ia McElroy and Luis Parreno. The Andrea Special Academic Achievement was given Horowitz English Language Arts Award to to Everett Sanderson. went to Lydia McElroy. Anita Beqiraj received both the City of Students on the honor roll were; (Gold) NY-Commission on Women’s Issues Junior Joseph Kramer, Everett Sanderson, Rebecca High Leadership Award and the Alice Per- Scott, John Tomsen, (Silver) Olivia Alber- steins Award for Community Involvement; telli, John Cebollero, Carlo Fine, Joseph the Philip J. Abinanti Award for Service and Gjonaj, Phoebe McElroy. Leadership went to Connor Hanley- Piri; The P.S. 175 Effort Awards were pre- the Blanche Schwartz Effort Award was sented to Gianna Cambria, Chanel Cole- given to Sabrina Fontana; the NYC Public man, Juliana Durante, Catherine Ficke, Advocate Award for Academic Achieve- Sabrina Fontana, Michael Mancuso and ment went to Joseph Gjonaj, and the UFT Michael Valenti. Umi Shaw received the Perfect Attendance Award. DR. STEVE’S The P.S. 175 Service Awards were APPLIANCE SERVICE given to Olivia Albertelli, Anita Beqiraj, Gianna Cambria, Nicholas Capalbo, Jenni- fer Carina, John Cebollero, Christopher De- 1 Year guarantee on parts. Santis, Michael DeSantis, Juliana Durante, 25 Years of Experience on All Brands Catherine Ficke, Carlo Fine, Sabrina Fon- tana, Connor Hanley-Piri, Joseph Kramer, Photos by RICK DeWITT Erik Lomonaco, Lydia McElroy, Phoebe On June 27, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and State Senator Jeff Klein 718-671-0700 McElroy, Dusty Prohaska, Emma Ramos, hosted the borough’s official kickoff to the Independence Day celebrations, the Rebecca Scott and John Tomsen. annual “New York Salutes America” boardwalk festival and fireworks extravaganza We wish these talented graduates every at Orchard Beach. Residents on the north end of City Island had front row seats for success as they move on to high school. the pleasing pyrotechnics. Page Eight The Island Current July-August 2014

Cormac McEnery, Esq. Elder Law Estate Planning Wills & Trusts

(718) 885-1234 562 City Island Avenue City Island, NY [email protected] www.lawyers.com/mcenery July-August 2014 The Island Current Page Nine

Buddy Turns 90 By BRUCE A. WEIS

Photos by RICK DeWITT Clam digger Buddy Pontecorvo (shown above) turns 90 on July 9. The longtime owner of Buddy’s Hardware, he and his wife, Lucy, were honored by the City Island Chamber of Commerce in 1993 (above right). A veteran, Buddy still participates in the Legion’s Memorial Day Parade (bottom right). Buddy Pontecorvo recommends living property was sold to the government, and we on City Island. “I was born here and never had to move. So we went to Carroll Street, left,” he says. “I don’t know where else I and my children are living there now.” would want to live. I don’t think there’s any “I didn’t really work in the shipyards un- other place you can find that offers such an til World War II. Before I was drafted into easy type of living.“ the Army, I worked in one of the shops, an Although his given name is Anthony, electrical shop. They had started doing a lot Buddy Pontecorvo happily admits to having of building up here, and my job was to make lived his life with a nickname. He is a le- wooden boxes, maybe 20 inches long and 16 gitimate City Island clam digger under even inches wide, and put a series of light sockets the strictest definition, as he was born in the and bulbs into them. We would hang them so back of a small store on City Island Avenue the workers could work, because they were in 1924, now the site of Buddy’s Hardware working around the clock at the time.” Store. “It was a sort of candy shop and news- Buddy started his first hardware store paper store that my mother and father ran after the end of the war. “This store was for a while, and I was born, I think, in that located at the corner of City Island Avenue store. Nobody went to the hospital then; my and Carroll Street, where Magikal Realms is whole family had midwives.” The store had now. The site was at one time a food mar- no central heat, he recalls. “They used to ket called Olson’s Market. He used to sup- have kerosene heaters, which you could pick ply a lot of stuff to the boats that would pass them up and carry around.” through here. That market existed for quite a the small yards of today. And at least 80 per- Buddy was too young to remember while and eventually it was sold.” ing barges and all kinds of stuff like that. cent of the people here then weren’t perma- exactly how long his family stayed in that As Buddy remembers it, “In 1947 or Most of the shipyards were working around nent residents. They had summer bungalows store. “We moved from there to Banta 1948, people by the name of Jenkins owned the clock, especially early on, because at here but lived elsewhere during the year; Lane,” which is sometimes known as the the hardware store, and they tried to get their that time, when Japan struck Pearl Harbor, when school closed, they would come here “Back Hawkins Street,” which goes from son and another kid, Jake Lawrence, in to we had nothing; we weren’t prepared. The for the summer. When school opened, they Minneford Avenue to Fordham Place. “We run it. But the kids didn’t like it, and the store whole country just pulled together overnight went back to Manhattan or wherever they lived mostly in the basement, with the kitch- was closed more than it was open. My father and we worked on the contracts, day and lived. Ultimately, the houses were converted en and the living room. The bedrooms were worked for Jenkins as a carpenter foreman night. for year-round use, and the island began to upstairs. The house was surrounded by the in the boatyards at the foot of Carroll Street, After the war, Buddy did what he had grow.” shipyards. When I was young, I’d get up and as the hardware store closed, I said to my to do to build his hardware store into a City “When I first decided I was going to in the morning and hear the mates calling, father, let’s rent that store, and we did.” Island institution, expanding and adjusting build a store, none of the banks would loan or, as we used to call them, the chain gang. So Buddy rented the vacant store from his inventory to meet the changing hardware me money. They said City Island was a resort These were the guys who ran the boat-mov- Jenkins, and the rest is history. “There was needs of an island that was evolving from place and too unstable. People didn’t stay ing machinery. Most of the yards at that time some stuff stored there from the shipyard, a ship-building center to a residential com- there all year round, and the income wasn’t used to haul the railways with a donkey en- and I started to bring in hardware and paints, munity. He took advantage of the advent of enough, they said. That was early on, up un- gine. These were just old four-cylinder Ford although there was a paint store across the home television by learning to repair TV til the war.” engines, located in a hole in the ground and street from us at the time. With my father’s sets. Buddy’s TV Repair would make house World War II changed everything. As connected with the cables, and they’d have help, I started to learn the business. And I calls; fixing them on the spot, if possible, and Buddy tells it, “They built a lot of boats and a guy with a crew, the chain gang. This guy grew into it; I really grew into the hardware taking badly broken sets back to the store for tugs here during the war. All of City Island would guide the others with hand signals to business. I learned it by the seat of my pants. major repairs. was crazy busy then. I remember, it got to move the boats in and out. That’s going back I worked out of a catalogue at first. People Buddy Pontecorvo met his wife, Lucy, in a point where there were so many people a ways.” would come in and ask about stuff, so I’d 1956 when they were both invited to a wed- coming up here to work that they had to have With the coming of World War II, Bud- open a book and look it up. They called me ding being held on City Island. Lucy was a traffic cops here in the morning to direct the dy’s family left that house. “The boat yards the catalogue boy in the beginning, but I friend and coworker of the bride, and Buddy people, and they wouldn’t allow you to park were working around the clock at the time, learned the business and I stayed with it. was a friend of the groom and the best man. on a lot of streets because they needed to get and when the war started, we had to move, “My brother was a partner with me at Lucy still remembers being impressed by the crowds in and out.” because they needed the property. And with first, but he didn’t like it. As I grew into the beauty of City Island. The couple has After the war there was an explosion the construction people, there was a lot of the hardware business, my brother was on lived in a home at the end of Hawkins Street of building. “It’s amazing when you think welding and a lot of metal work, and it was the road traveling, selling books and maga- overlooking the water for over half a century about it,” Buddy says. “They built a lot of the impossible to sleep there. They would lay zines. I was still renting across the street, so and they have raised three children, Theresa, houses that are along the end of this street down these iron sheets—drop them, re- I bought the property where Buddy’s Hard- Grace and Joseph. and down along the water; those houses were ally—and you’d jump out of your shoes. The ware store is now. There was an old shack Buddy remains active despite his sco- on the lot and a diner beside it, where there selling for $15,000 at the time. It’s hard to liosis and rheumatoid arthritis, which have is now an empty lot, and eventually I bought imagine. When I used to play as a kid, half worsened over the years and made his walk- City Island Deli that piece of property too. I decided to build the lots were full of weeds and we used to ing visibly more difficult. He participates in a store, and it’s still there.” play cowboy and Indians in the weeds. the Legion’s Memorial Day parades and at- & Pizza Buddy has watched City Island change Before the war, the workers who worked tends Civic Association meetings, even put- a lot over the years. “I would say that there at the shipyards all lived up here. “I don’t be- ting chairs away at the end of the evening! Catering For All Occasions lieve anybody came here to work. There was Buddy eventually relinquished day-to- Up to 8 Foot Heroes were maybe 20 percent of the buildings here up until the late 1940s, when building really a big sail loft, Ratsey and Lapthorn, which day management of his hardware store to Try Our Full Line of Pizza, started to get going. There was a lot of empty was here for years and employed a lot of City others in order to enjoy his life on City Island Calzones & Take Out Dinners land, and many houses went up. At the time Islanders. They used to do the entire sail lay- overlooking Eastchester Bay. But the store WE DELIVER! I was born there were very few houses, may- out here. They must have gone to some kind remains “Buddy’s,” and the man who started 520 City Island Avenue be one on this block, one on the next block. of government work when the war broke out, it has become an Island institution in his own 718-885-1083 And a lot of the people who lived in them because every place up here at that time was right. owned a great deal of property. It wasn’t like doing construction, building boats, land- Page Ten The Island Current July-August 2014

Organization News News on this page concerning organizations, and events listed in, are submitted by representatives of those organiza- tions. A limit of 150 words is requested for all news items submitted. In most cases news will be edited and every effort will be made to preserve the substance of longer items. News and calendar events must be received by no later than the 20th of each month except December and July. If the 20th falls on a holiday or Sunday, the deadline is the 19th. Mail submissions to P.O. Box 6, City Island, NY 10464. YOUR NAME AND PHONE NUMBER MUST BE INCLUDED. tor Reb David, event listings, our calendar Current Calendar and more. Follow our weekly blog and JULY share our web presence with friends on Thurs., July 24, Pelham Cemetery Facebook and beyond! Visit www.yourshul- Lot Owners meet, 7:30 p.m., Leonard bythesea.org. Hawkins Post, 550 City Island Avenue. Ellen Ruth Topol This meeting is for lot owners only. Sat., July 26, POTS Program, St. Mary’s The Rotary Club of the Bronx School Yard, Minneford Avenue and Kil- roe Street, drop-off between 4:30 and 5 The Club thanks all those who donated p.m. Menu: Barbecued or baked chicken prom dresses, suits and/or accessories for with rice and beans. the children of P.S. 811x, a special school Tues., July 29, City Island Civic Associa- in the Bronx for children with severe physi- tion meets, 7:30 p.m., Community Center, cal and mental developmental disabilities, 190 Fordham Street. such as autism. Parent coordinator Miriam Photo by RICK DEWITT Luciano told us that the kids were “scream- AUGUST On Sunday June 8, 2014, the young people of Trinity United Methodist Church cel- ing with excitement” over their prom finery, Sat., Aug. 23, City Island Reunion, ebrated Pentecost with the congregation by designing and presenting the entire and she wants donors to know that their Ambrosini Field, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. worship service. Highlights included a dramatic reading from Acts, chapter 2, with gifts were touching and deeply appreciated Anthony Zeppieri as narrator, meditations by George Melicharek and Alice Jung, and Sat., August 23, POTS Program, St. by parents and staff as well. a solo by Laci Howard. This was a meaningful way for the youth to demonstrate their Mary’s School Yard, Minneford Avenue Ms. Luciano also said that because their talents and what they have learned in Sunday School and real life, all while worship- and Kilroe Street, drop-off between 4:30 children are mainly from single parent, low- ing God. Collecting the offering (left to right): Nicholas Zeppieri, Laci Howard, Vienna and 5 p.m. Menu: meatloaf with potatoes income families, it takes a lot of fundraising Zeppieri, Anthony Zeppieri. and vegetables. to make the prom happen. As a result, they Tues., Aug. 26, City Island Civic Associa- will start again immediately after this year’s St. Mary, Star of the Sea Grace Episcopal Church tion meets, 7:30 p.m., Community Center, prom. So, graduates, if you will never wear 190 Fordham Street. that dress or suit again, please think about Our Thrift Shop will be closed during Located at 116 City Island Avenue, Grace donating it to these kids, who will be so July and August and will open again in the Church is a historic Episcopal parish, which Temple Beth-El grateful for your gift. fall. Watch for our opening date! has served the nautical community of City On June 26, 2014, the Club held its annual On Friday, Aug. 15, we will celebrate the Island for over 160 years. We welcome you! Temple Beth-El of City Island (TBE), President’s/Paul Harris Dinner Dance at Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady into Worship Schedule: Holy Communion Your Shul by the Sea, at 480 City Island Marina Del Rey. heaven. This is a holy day of obligation, and Rite II, Sundays at 10 a.m. Avenue is a stimulating place for obser- Eileen Marcus Paul Harris Fellows, the highest honor we encourage everyone to join us at one of vance of Jewish traditions and is an unaffil- awarded in Rotary, were given to eight our Masses that day. These are scheduled for iated, all-inclusive synagogue. Friday night Club members including Islander Margue- 7 and 8:00 a.m., 12 noon and 7:30 p.m. City Island Republicans Sabbath services commence promptly at rite Chadwick-Juner. We will definitely have a Religious Edu- 7:30 p.m. Please come at 7:15 to enjoy Every second Wednesday of the month at Richard Sherman was inducted as the cation Program next year, and registration welcoming music as well as an opportunity 6:30 p.m. is the Republican County meeting, President for the new Rotary year and chari- forms have been sent to all students who to meet and greet before services begin. which is open to the public. table grants were given to R.A.I.N. Senior were enrolled in our program last year. Clergy-led services for the summer We want to thank everyone for sign- Services, Bronx YMCA and Sisters, Ser- Forms for new students, first-graders and include: others can be found on the table in the back ing the annual petitions to help qualify the vants of Mary. county and to get everyone onto the ballot. July 11, Shabbat (Rabbi Shohama and Marguerite Chadwick-Juner of the church. It is especially important this Reb David) year to have an early count on enrollment, so Fred Ramftl Jr. July 25, Shabbat (Reb David) please return the forms as soon as possible. Aug. 4, Tisha b’Av (Reb David) Trinity United Methodist Church Have a safe and pleasant summer. Aug. 8, Shabbat by the Sea (Rabbi Sho- Our weekly worship service and Sunday Sr. Bernadette, osu Regular Meetings hama and Reb David) school are at 10 a.m. Holy Communion Aug. 22, Shabbat (Reb David) is celebrated on the first Sunday of each Weekly Twelve-Step Meetings Sept. 5, Shabbat (Rabbi Shohama and Sons of the American Legion on City Island month. Trinity often has a coffee hour after Squadron #156 Reb David) the service. Come and join us for worship Narcotics Anonymous: On July 11, the Oneg sponsor will be and fellowship. Children’s Sunday school We would like to remind all members that Fridays at 7:30 p.m., St. Mary, Star of the Rabbi Shohama in honor of the birthday takes place during the 10 a.m. service. All 2014 dues are now past due. The amount is Sea Church, City Island Avenue near the of her husband, Alan Dattner. On July 25 children are welcome to attend. $30 and can be mailed or dropped off to the Bridge. the Oneg sponsor will be Barbara Gold in On Sunday, June 8, the Trinity Sunday Post and placed in the SAL box. Thursdays at 8 p.m., Trinity United Meth- celebration of her birthday and election to School conducted the worship service, fol- New members are always welcome. If odist Church hall, 113 Bay Street. Temple board of directors. lowed by a special coffee hour. The kids you are a male descendant, step-descendant Alcoholics Anonymous: Temple Beth El’s annual Shabbat by the concluded their collection for Imagine No or adopted descendant of a veteran, set forth Mondays at 8 p.m., Trinity United Method- Sea on Aug. 8 is at the home of our gener- Malaria, a United Methodist Church effort in the dates set by Congress, we would love ist Church hall. ous congregants Ken Binder and Steve to prevent malaria in Africa, at the end of the to have you as a member. Stop by the Post to Tuesdays at 8 p.m., St. Mary, Star of the Roth, who provide a lovely waterside view effort they collected over $380. pick up an application. Sea Church. complete with a brilliant sunset, good food The Budget Corner is open, but only for All retired flags should be deposited in Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., Grace Episcopal and company, and, of course, Rabbi Sho- a few more days! The church would like to the red, white and blue mailbox next to the Church. hama, Reb David and Your Shul by the Sea thank all of those who generously gave of flagpole. Band. Oneg sponsored by Ken Binder and St. Mary, Star of the Sea Church: 718- their time keeping the shop open and glean- It’s party time! When booking your next 885-1440 Steve Roth. ing all the donations. As always, Trinity party, consider the Legion Post. Members Come participate with us at clergy-and Trinity United Methodist Church: 718- United Methodist Church is thankful for the receive a discount rate on all hall rent- 885-1218 congregant led services throughout the City Island community’s continued support als. Come and dance on the new floor! Grace Episcopal Church: 718-885-1080 summer on every Friday evening Shab- of the Budget Corner. Fred Ramftl Jr. bat. We look forward to seeing you in the Rick DeWitt Overeaters Anonymous: autumn at our free High Holy Days ser- Saturdays at 11 a.m., Grace Episcopal vices Sept. 24, 25 and 26 and Oct. 3 and 4. Church: 718-885-1080 Welcome to Temple Beth El’s new board of directors: Paul Klein, President; Ellen Ruth Topol, Vice President; Avra Tietze, Treasurer; Ken Binder, Financial PIANO Secretary; Sue Fleishaker, Trustee; Barbara Gold, Trustee, and Helaine Cutler, Trustee. TUNING The new board will join current Trustees Elaine Belasco and Robert Berent. Rebuilding & Refinishing Temple Beth El’s mission is to be of Buying, Selling & Moving service to the community, so please let 30 Years Experience us know the ways we can help you. You FREE Please Contact: can find out more about us by visiting our Ralph Merigliano website and attending our cultural events, DELIVERY Voice Mail: 212-802-5504 as well as Shabbat and holiday services. Cell: 914-262-6912 Help our website grow. We are now Home: 718-885-0915 including weekly Torah teachings by Rabbi Shohama and our associate spiritual direc- [email protected] July-August 2014 The Island Current Page Eleven

Saturday, July 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kristin, aka Gypsy Curves, Sundays at 3 clothing is especially needed. The Post is Please come to help us repair, touch up p.m. $20 per class; the sixth class is free. not accepting book donations at this time. and tidy up our Center. “Many hands make Call Kristin Amezquita at 646-625-1575 We are now on the web. Our new web- light work.” for information. site is Post156.com. PROGRAMS Chess Club: Meets each Thursday at We have space for your next party and On Hold for July and August: Irish 7 p.m. Chess taught, played and discussed. can accommodate up to 80 people. Mem- Dance, Chair Yoga, Parenting Discussion All levels welcome. Come on in! Avoid bers receive a discount on all hall rent- with John Scardina, Jill’s Playgroup, Chil- T.V. Have fun. Call Bill at 718-541-3995. als. Call Joe Goonan at 718-885-1637. dren’s Art Classes, Awareness: Drugs and City Island Civic Association: Meets All retired flags should be dropped off at City Island Young People, Family Bingo at 7:30 p.m. on the last Tuesday of every the Post in the mailbox by the flagpole. For additional information about the Community Cen- Nights, Monthly Teen Dances. month (except December). ter, or if you are interested in conducting classes here Larry Lane is on sick call. He is recover- please call 718-885-1145. NEW PROGRAMS Weight Watchers Meetings: Tuesday ing from additional surgery. evenings at 5:30 p.m. with Debbie. Join us John Muhlfeld Did you know that City Island Com- Summer Camp for Children: Mon- any time, and we can do this together. It’s a munity Center members can rent our big day, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from great supportive group! For more informa- room for parties and events at a very 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Daily activities include arts tion call Patty at 718-885-1891. PSS City Island Senior Center reasonable rate? We are grateful to have and crafts, a park trip/play time at center Yoga with Jo Ann: Mondays, from about 100 members but wish we had more. with breakfast and snacks provided by Presbyterian Senior Services (PSS) 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. $10. Gentle, level-one Annual membership is $30 for families Gabrielle. Parents provide lunch. For more enhances the quality of life for older adults, class. Please bring a mat, a strap and, if and $20 for individuals. Please consider information, call Gabby at 646-599-1223 caregivers and families by providing infor- possible, a yoga blanket. For more infor- joining and think about volunteering. We or email [email protected]. Gabri- mation, services and support. Our goal is mation, call Jo Ann at 917-853-4719 or need your help and support. elle will also offer an after-school program to promote the independence of the elderly email To join the Center or for up-to-date for children Monday through Friday from by helping them remain healthy, engaged Zumba with Julia: Want to lose information visit www.cityislandcommuni- 2:30 to 7 p.m. and connected. We are not your everyday that belly fat? Well here is your chance tycenter.org, call 718-885-1145 or “Like” Francesca’s Shamanic Drumming senior center! to Zumba with Julia. It’s a high-energy us on Facebook! Ceremony and Ritual will take you to All programs, classes and services are a place of self discovery and healing. Zumba workout for an hour. Saturdays Your Community Center strives to available to anyone 60 and over. Morning Francesca Vitale Rev. RPP. CRE, Certi- from 10 a.m. $10 per class. For questions, be a welcoming and safe place for meet- activities include the fitness program listed fied Polarity/CS, is a shamanic healer of call 917-601-5514. ing, celebrating, creating, teaching and below. In the afternoon we offer an indi- the soul. Her goal is to heal and help a Zumba with Letti: Thursdays at 5:30 learning, and promoting awareness for the vidualized computer class, acrylic painting person feel whole again through spiritual p.m. Letti’s very creative class is a real common good of all. The Center is run by classes, calligraphy, line dancing, movies journeying. Journeying is the ability to calorie burner and a blast. Classes are $10. a volunteer board of directors who meet on and more. Health and nutrition talks are travel to different places and gain healing Call Patty at 718-885-1891 for more infor- the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in also available each month. energy from different spirits. Please bring mation. the Community Center’s main room at 190 The center is located at 116 City Island a blanket, drums and shakers if you have Patty Grondahl Fordham Street. All members are encour- Avenue in Grace Church Hall and is open them to the sessions on the second and aged to attend this open meeting. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Fri- fourth Thursdays of the month from 7 to day. Call Patty at 718-885-0727 to receive SPECIAL EVENTS 9 p.m. For information, contact Francesca American Legion Post #156 a detailed monthly calendar featuring trips, Summer Concerts in Hawkins Street at 914-837-6830, 914-668-0807 or www. events and activities. Programs are funded Park: The concerts will be held on Sun- TheeVitalForcefoundation.org. American Legion Post #156 held its by Presbyterian Senior Services and the days at 5:30 p.m. for fun and fundraising to annual elections. Frank Figueroa and Weekly Schedule NYC Department for the Aging. benefit the City Island Community Center. Michael Jawski were added to the executive Special August activity: Mark your Sponsored by AER Property Management ADULT PROGRAM committee. John Muhlfeld was elected the calendars! Wednesday, Aug. 27, Health and other local businesses and organiza- Aerobics with Mary: Sunday, Mon- new Commander. Fair: Flu and Pneumonia shots, BMI, bal- tions. (We are still looking for volunteer day, Wednesday and Friday from 9 to 10 Memorial Day was a huge success, the ance testing, memory testing, reflexology performers, including poets, musicians, a.m. Stay strong with cross fit/aerobic best attended in years. We would like to and more. Special lunch 12 to 1 p.m. dancers, actors and volunteers to assist strength training. Call Mary Immediato at thank all of those who participated. Thanks with the events. Call us at 718-885-1145.) 718-885-0793. AFA Certified. to the flag committee who have put up the Physical Exercise The exercise program offers classes Spruce Up Our Community Center: Belly Dance/Shimmy by the Sea with flags on the poles throughout the years. Thanks to News 12 for its annual coverage at various levels of fitness. Drop in and of the parade. We appreciate the elected try one of our classes for yourself. Car- officials who took time out of their busy dio Fitness: Tuesdays at 9:15 a.m.; Yoga Stretch: Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m.; Rhythm and schedules to march. We received great sup- Drums: Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m.; Zumba: port from the Police Department, which Thursdays at 9:15 a.m.; Line Dancing Thurs- provided traffic control. We are grateful to days at 12:30; Fit for Life: Fridays at 9 a.m.; Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Arthritis Workshop: Fridays at 10:15 a.m. who not only marched but also provided the The Yoga Stretch, Rhythm and Drums, Line Bronx Trolley for veterans who could not Dancing and Arthritis workshop classes are march. Fernando Garcia, driver of Bronx free. The suggested donation for all other Trolley, was cordial and went out of his way exercise classes is $3 each. to accommodate everyone. A thank-you also to Hausman Plumbing for making sure the Volunteering commodes were in full working order for We are grateful for our current volunteers, the big day. Thanks to Judy Rauh for the but new volunteers are always welcome to flag-inspired umbrella. help make this senior center the best for our The next regular meeting will be held on seaside community. We can always use extra Monday, July 21, at 7:30 p.m. help at our front desk, for serving lunch and for our parties and special events. On Saturday, July 26, at 7 p.m. there will be a night filled with music at a Post fund- Information, Referrals and Assistance raiser in the parking lot. Thanks to Dianne Regarding benefits applicable to seniors, O’Sullivan for her hard work in putting it we are more than happy to provide informa- together. tion, referrals and assistance in filling out The VA accepts clothing donations for forms and applying for certain programs. our veterans. Donations can be dropped off Call Patty at 718-885-0727 or drop by the at the Post or brought over to the fourth floor center. of the VA hospital in Kingsbridge. Female Caregivers Support If you are caring for someone or if you Training Center know someone who is caring for another, we have some supportive services that might be helpful, including respite, escort assistance 5 STAR and help with shopping. Please call Patty at 718-885-0727. Transportation Services Call Anthony Mazzella at 347-834-6466 for morning Island trips and pickup for exer- cise programs or lunch. Afternoon shopping trips include Shop Rite, Bay Plaza, Stop & Shop, Target, Trader Joe’s, Empire City and Sales • Service Rentals • Travel more. See our monthly calendar for specific DIVING INSTRUCTIONS dates. The suggested contribution for a round Entry Level Through Technical Training trips is $1 on City Island and $2.50 off- 530 City Island Avenue Island. Anyone over 60 is encouraged to take City Island, NY 10464 advantage of our door-to-door transportation 718-885-1588 • 800-640-3995 services. www.captainmikesdiving.com [email protected] Patty Attis Page Twelve The Island Current July-August 2014

man, lives with his grandmother (Monique A surprisingly clever and delightful life and hers. Much of the film is told as Mojica). When the father (Gary Arnold) of film is Stranger than Fiction (2006). flashbacks of the adult Michael (Ralph stoic athlete Victor Joseph (Adam Beach) When IRS auditor Harold Crick (Will Fer- Fiennes). Ultimately he performs an unex- dies in Phoenix, Thomas offers to pay for rell) starts hearing a voice in his head, it pected act of supreme kindness for Hanna, the trip if he can accompany Victor. Vic- eventually becomes clear that his mind is which involves story-telling of an unusual tor agrees but reluctantly because he finds somehow channeling the efforts of writer kind. Thomas’s stories very annoying. The odd Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson) to tell a The Book Thief (2013), also set in pair travels by bus to Arnold’s small trailer story in which he is the main character. To World War II, concerns the life of Liesel in the desert, where they meet Arnold’s Harold’s horror, in the story she is about to (Sophie Nélisse), a young girl taken in by friend Suzy Song (Irene Bedard), who pro- kill him. He seeks the assistance of Pro- the Hubermanns, a childless couple. While vides unsettling truths about him. fessor Jules Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman) in Hans (Geoffrey Rush) is kindly and gentle, Limbo (1999) set in Juneau, Alaska, locating Karen. The supporting cast also his wife, Rosa (Emily Watson), seems cold Story-Telling recounts the story of Joe Gastineau (David includes Queen Lafitah as Penny Escher, and bad-tempered. Liesel is taught to read Beginning in 1924, there have been Strathairn), who was involved in a fishing who is assigned by the publisher to help by Hans, and starts to “borrow” books no fewer than a dozen renditions of Peter boat accident that took place when he was Karen through writer’s block; and Maggie from Ilsa Hermann (Barbara Auer), the Pan, the tale of a boy who refuses to grow young and has affected his entire existence Gyllenhaal as Anna Pascal, a baker with mayor’s wife. This worries her new best up. He visits the nursery of the Darling ever since. His life begins to change when whom Harold has become infatuated. friend, Rudy Steiner (Nico Liersch). When family; and the children—Wendy, John he meets free-spirit lounge singer Donna Set in World War II, The Reader the Hubermanns take in a Jewish refugee, and Michael—fly away with him to Never- De Angelo (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) (2008) stars Kate Winslet, in her Best Max Vandenburg (Ben Schnetzer), Liesel land, accompanied by a tiny fairy, Tinker- and her teenage daughter, Noelle (Van- Actress Oscar-winning role as Hanna reads stories to him to pass the time while bell. There Wendy tells stories to the Lost essa Martinez). When Joe’s brother Bobby Schmitz, a woman in her mid-30s who he is seriously ill. Max encourages her to Boys, when they are not off fighting with (Casey Siemaszko) shows up, he arrives forms a romantic and sexual attachment to write her own stories, which she winds up Captain Hook and his band of pirates. The with a scheme that puts them all in danger. a 15-year-old boy, Michael (David Kross). telling in an air raid shelter to calm the 1953 classic version starring Mary Martin The family goes into hiding and is kept She loves to have him read to her. Eight families waiting out the night. The film is as Peter Pan is THE choice of the Baby- sane by Noelle’s storytelling. This is a film years later, after she has disappeared from shown through the innocence of a child’s Boomer generation. There is also the 1991 with an interesting twist. his life, Michael is in law school. He has eyes, and somehow humanizes the German Spielberg version called Hook. For those Set in 1960s Texas, Secondhand been selected by his professor to be among people who are just living their lives with- interested in the background of the author, Lions (2003) is a coming-of-age story a chosen few to attend a real-life trial of out the hindsight of history. Finding Neverland (2004) tells of J. M. about shy and introverted Walter Caldwell Nazi prison guards. He encounters Hanna Enjoy your summer, and until next Barrie and his relationship with the family (Haley Joel Osment), whose irresponsible in the courtroom, which changes both his time, happy viewing. . . that inspired this classic children’s tale. man-crazy mother, Mae (Kyra Sedgwick), Out of Africa (1985) won seven Acad- drops him off to spend the summer on the emy Awards including Best Picture and Texas farm of his eccentric great-uncles Director. It stars Meryl Streep as Danish Hub (Robert Duvall) and Garth (Michael Pelham Bay author Isak Dinesen, who in 1914 married Caine). Shocked that they don’t have a TV, Home Center, Inc. Baron Bor Blixen-Flecke (Klaus Maria Walter starts asking these old curmudgeons Brandauer), and moves to a plantation in questions about their past. They begin to Kitchens • Bathrooms Nairobi. When her husband leaves to drink regale him with fantastical stories, such as Major Appliances and be with other women, Karen falls pas- fighting for the Foreign Legion and Hub’s Plumbing Supplies • Air Conditioners sionately in love with a free-spirited big- love affair with a sultan’s daughter. We see One Stop Personal Service Tel: 718-863-7529 game hunter, Denys Finch-Hatton (Robert the stories through Walter’s imagination, Family Owned & Operated 3073 Westchester Avenue Redford). She beguiles Denys and his which take on a cartoon-like affect, and friend Berkley Cole (Michael Kitchen) make the viewer wonder at the veracity of Thank you City Island for 23 years of support! with her wonderful knack for storytelling. the stories. This is a wonderful film the The Scanlon Family Although the acting is terrific, the star of entire family can enjoy. the film are the sumptuous cinematogra- phy and the score. A classic story-telling film is the delightful comedy-fantasy-adventure The Princess Bride (1987). When a grand- father (Peter Falk) reads a book to his sick grandson (Fred Savage), the charac- ters come to life. The beautiful Buttercup (Robin Wright) falls in love with a peas- ant boy named Westley (Cary Elwes), who goes away to make his fortune. Sev- eral years later, when he is reported as dead, Buttercup agrees to marry the evil Prince Humperdink (Chris Sarandon). The story features Christopher Guest as the evil Count Rugen; Mandy Patinkin as Inigo Montoya, sworn to avenge his father’s death; Andre the Giant as Fessik, We offer Physical Therapy for all ages and Montoya’s companion; Wallace Shawn as Janie Blanks Vizzini, hired by Humperdink to kidnap As orthopedica service to our readers, Theconditions. Island Princess Buttercup; and Billy Crystal and We Currentaccept will periodically all Major list recent salesMedical Plans, Carol Kane as Miracle Max and his wife of residential and commercial property as who agree to help humiliate the prince. Worker’sfound in the publicCompensation, record. This feature No-fault, Perhaps the funniest scene in the movie is designed to give a general idea of the is when Buttercup and Humperdink are AETNA,fair market values HIP, of property FDNY on City & GHI/HIP. being married by the inimitable Peter Island. An update will be published every Cook as the Impressive Clergyman. This few months at our discretion. The listings is a perfect family film. below represent some of the recent sales. Johnny Depp stars in the title role in The Current is not responsible for errors Don Juan DeMarco (1994), as an osten- or omissions in the data. sibly delusional individual who is con- Closing Sale vinced he is Don Juan, the fabled Spanish Address DateModalities Price Include:Type nobleman and world-renowned seducer Low level laser, BIODEX, shortwave diathermy, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, mechanical traction, parafin, and lover of women. After an apparent 73 Schofield Street 4/14/14 $348,000 single family manual therapy,636 City therapeuticisland Ave. 4/25/14 exercise, $1,236,300 balancecommercial training, and a Medical Gym. suicide attempt, he is being treated by 280 City Island Ave. 5/2/14 $585,000 multi-family Dr. Jack Mickler (Marlon Brando), who InIn addition addition19 Bay Street to to traditional traditional5/14/14 $720,000 PhysicalPhysical single family Therapy wewe alsoalso offer: offer: must defy the skepticism of the psychiatric 8 Tier Street 5/20/14 $980,000 multi-family Masage Therapy, Personal71 Training Fordham Street Sessions, 5/27/14 a$420,000 Wellness multi-family Program, Balance Classes, Fall Prevention Pro- facility’s staff. However, everyone Don gram, Trigger Point190 Fordham Injections, Street 6/2/14 Iridology, $370,000 Skin condoCare (microdermabrasion and facials). Juan encounters becomes captivated by the young man’s exotic world of love, pas- *We have now partnered with a Licensed Massage Therapist, a Certified Fitness Trainer and a Professional sion and pleasure as he recounts his story Makeup Artist. to them. Not only is Don Juan helped by Dr. Mickler, but the doctor’s passionless relationship with his wife, Marilyn (Faye Dunaway), is rekindled. Email: [email protected] Smoke Signals (1998) is set on Idaho’s desolate Coeur d’Alene Indian reservation, www.cityislandpt.com where nerdy adult Thomas (Evan Adams), who loves to tell stories in the way of a sha- July-August 2014 The Island Current Page Thirteen

Photos by RICK DeWITT A number of City Islanders joined the crowd at the Jennifer Lopez concert at Orchard Beach, including Lisa and Arianna Rodriguez (top photo above). Another group of City Islanders stopped by the Teach America booth at the concert before J-Lo took the stage (top left): Dusty Prohaska, Anita Beqiraj, Michael Proietti, Brenda Prohaska and Michele Branley getting in and everything ran smoothly.” J-Lo Michele spotted herself on Fox 5 News the Continued from page 1 next day during their coverage of the event. TNT At least two local restaurants benefitted By the time Ms. Lopez took the stage from the event. Islanders Richie Pena and AUTO under clear skies at 8:30 p.m., the parking Anthony Delillis of Filomena’s Pizza sup- lot was about 60 percent full and the well- plied pizzas, hero sandwiches and trays of patrolled crowd was ready to cheer the pasta for the crew and stagehands before SALES singer’s first concert in her hometown. She Pre-owned Cars the show began. “They even gave us tickets performed for 90 minutes and sang many of for the show, so I was able to catch her per- her best-known hits, including “Love Don’t formance,” Mr. Pena told The Current. “It Owned by Long time City Island Resident Cost a Thing,” “Dance Again,” “Waiting for was great. There was no traffic, no rowdy Tonight” and “Let’s Get Loud.” Known as a people, and they were really nice to our de- Many Satisfied City Island Customers fashionista, she shed layers of her colorful livery person when he brought all the food To view our cars go to : TNTGOTCARS.COM costumes as the evening progressed. over to the stage area.” To the delight of her fans, she was In addition, after the concert, Ms. Lo- Call Noel Reid joined by special guests Ja Rule for “Ain’t pez attended a party for her performers and 917-577-1597 (cell) • 718 324-9902 (business) It Funny/I’m Real,” Fat Jo for “Lean Back” crew at Don Coqui’s restaurant on City Is- and French Montana for “I Luh Ya Papi.” land Avenue. Surprisingly, Ms. Lopez threw in her own Lt. Trapani summed up the event this versions of some standards, including “My way: “The planning and amount of resourc- Man,” the Barbra Streisand hit from the es dedicated to the event paid off. It was a Able to clean one movie “Funny Girl,” and “Do You Know more controlled than a sold-out Yankees Where You’re Going To,” the Diana Ross game. There were no arrests, no summonses room or an hit from the movie “Mahogany.” issued and the crowd was well behaved. By As an encore, she performed “Jenny midnight, everyone had gone home and the entire house from the Block,” her hit song about her police detail was dismissed.” Bronx roots. Ms. Lopez grew up in the Cas- He also credited Lt. John Donnellan of a No job too small or tle Hill section of the borough and attended the Bronx Borough Patrol, Captain James too large Preston High School in Throggs Neck, as McGeown, who patrolled the site the entire did her sister Lynda Lopez, a radio and tele- day, and all the officers from the 45th Pre- a Flexible schedule vision journalist. cinct who worked hard to keep traffic mov- Despite Islander concerns about the ing and the crowds orderly. negative impact of the concert, some resi- Although there are rumors circulating dents were able to snag tickets and had a about additional concerts at Orchard Beach 718-885-1728 great time. Islander Michele Immediato by different artists, Lt. Trapani said he has walked over to Orchard Beach with her not heard of any plans for more events this 917-519-9093 friend Christina Rossi and told The Cur- year. rent, “The concert was terrific. No problems Page Fourteen The Island Current July-August 2014

In the Garden Let’s Be Safe On-Line By MARY COLBY This Summer! By JOHN SCARDINA Now that the summer months text, and how I interact socially. are approaching, our children will be Here are some other points to con- spending more time on their electronic sider: devices—phone, tablets, computers and 1. Texting, chatting and messaging game platforms like X-Box and Wii. This are not limited to cell phones. iTouch is a good time to set up a family contract and iPad devices can text through the about online safety and behavior, and Messages app if configured to do so with here is a sample parent/child contract an Apple ID, or by using a free texting (adapted from www.safekids.com) that app. Also, many online games and gam- you might consider: ing systems allow messaging or chatting, • I will be considerate of others and for example, Minecraft and Club Penguin. not use my phone/device to play, text or Please talk to your children about all of talk when it may disturb others or at inap- the places where they might be able to propriate times or places, such as in class interact in real time with people they or in theaters. know and may not know. • I will not touch or look at my phone/ 2. I highly recommend that parents device when it’s dangerous to do so, such establish a “home base” for electron- as riding a bike or walking. ics in the home that is not in children’s Photos by MARY COLBY • I will develop good habits for sleep, bedrooms. A spot in the kitchen, fam- Hydrangeas flourish in a garden on Tier Street (top photo) and a profusion of lilacs schoolwork and other important activities ily room or another public space where blooms on Carroll Street. by putting my phone/device away or in its devices go every night to charge and take home base. a break. Establishing this habit now is a Out and About on • I will ignore texts or messages from lot easier than breaking it later. City Island people I don’t know. 3. Although younger students might One evening my daughter paid me a • I will only use apps that share my mention services like Facebook and visit, and we decided to take a walking location with family or personal friends I Instagram, please remember these are tour of beautiful City Island. On our way know from the real world. restricted to those 13 and over. This is a we had the pleasure of seeing and visiting • I will respect my own and other result of the Children’s Internet Protection some of the gardens of our neighbors. On people’s privacy in messages and pictures Act, which was enacted to protect young Carroll Street there was a lovely display that I share. children, and that is the reason most inter- of purple and plum lilacs mixed with the • I will never share any images that net sites that require a login are off limits lavender trusses of wisteria. We admired could embarrass me or others or get any- to children under 13. the pretty white kalmia on Minneford, one in trouble. The goal, of course, is threefold: be twinkling like stars, and a stand of Japa- • I will take care of my phone/device safe, be respectful and have fun. nese iris planted in a sidewalk garden of, I and will let my parents know right away City Islander John Scardina is a think, Cross Street. if it is damaged, lost or stolen. school psychologist, child development Red, red roses smothered a trellis on • I will tell my parents or teacher specialist and parent educator. Join him Hawkins, and across from Artie’s Restau- right away if something online or on my for monthly parenting discussions at the rant I was surprised to see that great rose phone/device scares or upsets me. City Island Community Center and visit Sally Holmes in the corner pocket of the • I will always treat others respect- his website at www.ThinkLaughLearn. corner house. On Tier Street, there are planted for succession are stunning, as is fully and kindly in what I post, what I com . grand copper beech trees standing sentinel all of Pelham Bay Park. by the water’s edge, a climbing hydrangea Bartow-Pell Mansion is a place of brimming over a stone wall and a charm- repose. Walk along the path by the lagoon ing, intimate vegetable garden, where the and see all our native plants in flower. Visit gardener herself offered me its bounty. the beautiful formal gardens and herbery. A grapevine at Jerry’s liquor store will The sun is setting on King Avenue as we be clambering up a new support, which drive home, and the old plane trees are I thought was a clever advertisement, casting their shadows long. As I look up and King Avenue has a newly installed I think: isn’t it wonderful that the electric Patio Dining... meadow, which in its newness is full of company has passed these amazing trees promise. by? I’m sure it was intentional, for someone The whole Island was in flower! There had to notice their magnificence and stayed Water Views... is a garden on Rochelle Street that is the saws. and very beautiful and mysterious; its gate is The Island tonight feels like a sought- flanked by two cedars of Lebanon that after place, far away, peaceful and green. only a make the house look for all the world And it is! Ample Parking...10 minute like a set for a Eugene O’Neill play. Pass In July the phlox are blooming, the through them and you are in Japan in a rudbeckias, heleniums and verbascums too. drive to bamboo forest. I would love to steal away For those with dry, free draining condi- New Rochelle’s here when no one is home and listen to the tions, the tree poppy Romneya Couteri is 2 Pelham Road, New Rochelle, NY 10801 birds and think of the Buddha. a July showstopper. See it in the perennial 914-365-1556 best new family On returning from our walk, we dined garden at the New York Botanical Garden. restaurant. at the Black Whale, with its renewed wis- Try the stunning hydrangea paniculata Rrqbarbecue.com 15% teria vine on the climb. A baby willow, limelight; its blossoms are like clouds and which replaced the old geezer that was look great with grasses. Gaps do occur off struck twice by lightning, is in the back with plants that have finished blooming, so (dine in only) garden. The garden here seems old and beef up the color by planting dahlias. Treat lunch or dinner secretive, just as I remember it when it was them like tomatoes, with copious amounts Sunday through young and so was I. of water and a lot of Miracle Gro. As you A loud round of applause to the Gar- continue to pick those wicked weeds, enjoy Thursday den Club of City Island, which makes the the summer, sun, sea, and good friends Exp. 10/1/14 park an Eden and the planter boxes lovely. gathered. Not to be combined with any other promotion The Parks Department deserves a huge Mary Colby is available for consultation thank you as well; the island beds that are and for designing gardens. Call 917-804- 4509. Frank Franciamore Landscaping Landscape Gardener Design Imaging TowBOAT/U.S. Tree Work • C.I. References City Island Masonry & Concrete work Fully licensed and insured. 50 Gail Drive, New Rochelle NY 10805 O: 914-636-1415 C: 914-906-0893 July-August 2014 The Island Current Page Fifteen

Photo by ROBIN BREEN ACOCELLA The Happy Hookers Fishing Club honored the memory of member Kenny Henry, who passed away in November 2013, with a memorial plaque in front of a beautiful blue spruce tree (planted in his memory in December) at the entrance to the dock of the Morris Yacht and Beach Club on Saturday, May 31, 2014. Attending the ceremony were Ken’s daughter Cathy (on the left) with Lea Acocella, and his widow, June Henry, at the right.

By JOHN SHERIDAN and MARIA SUTHERLAND

Further investigation of this subject A Register of the Champion revealed that registers are also being kept Trees of City Island? by state, including our own. It gave us the When our neighbor Regina recently idea of a Champion Trees of City Island brought the concept of “champion trees” to register, for which we would like to nomi- our attention, we did what comes naturally nate the first specimen. It is the American to us these days: we hurried to the internet elm at the intersection of Fordham Street to find out more. Here is what we learned. and William Avenue. This is a magnificent In 1940 forester Joseph Sterns, writing for example, standing tall in all its glory in “American Forests” magazine, made the defiance, it would seem, of the dreaded case that Americans should be doing more Dutch Elm disease that has felled so many to protect not only their historic trees, but of its brother and sister elms. If you have also their biggest trees. And so was born a specimen you would like to nominate the National Register of Big Trees. for the new register, send us an email at The Register is updated twice a year in [email protected]. the spring and fall and is published once Before signing off for the summer, we a year. This year’s edition includes a trio could not help but take note of the spider of champions from Long Island: two alder mites. They seemed to be everywhere this trees in Huntington (co-champions, actu- spring. It was a relief to learn that they are ally, since 2005) and a northern bayberry harmless to people, but apparently that is in Nassau County. Anyone can nominate not always the case for plants. Spider mites a tree. What is needed are the following are the tiny red spiders that you see this three measurements: trunk circumference time of year. They reproduce like nobody’s (in inches), height (in feet) and average business—about one new generation every crown spread (in feet). The measurements week!—and they do so, usually hidden are then added together to give a point total from view, on the underside of a leaf. They that can be submitted to “American For- don’t like water, so if you have concerns ests.” Photographs are required with each about their numbers, spend a little extra submission and there are deadlines: March time spraying the plants in your garden 15 for the spring update and Sept. 15 for the from below as well as above. fall. To learn more about how to measure a Have a great summer! tree, check out www.americanforests.org/ bigtrees. Page Sixteen The Island Current July-August 2014

Greek Revival Bartow mansion features surance). centennial membership for new members interior window shutters—sadly in need Bach in the Garden, Thursday, Aug. only: Enjoy all the benefits of a Heritage of repair—that help protect from sum- 14, at 7 p.m. The ensemble Basis presents Membership, $180, for only $100. For mer’s sun and winter’s chill. Workshop an evening serenade of Johann Sebastian more information about membership or participants will learn how to safely re- Bach’s dazzling chamber music in Bar- any of our upcoming events visit www. move lead paint, prepare and paint wood tow-Pell’s beautiful formal garden. Enjoy bpmm.org, call 718-885-1461, or email surfaces, make repairs and more under a glass of wine as the sun sets, accompa- [email protected] for more information. the guidance of preservation/restoration nied by Bach works for flute, violin and In the meantime, enjoy a visit to the specialists. Workshop offered in partner- bassoon. Registration requested at 718- museum and garden this summer. The ship with Historic House Trust of NYC 885-1461 or via email at [email protected]. museum is located at 895 Shore Road in and Preservation Volunteers. Lunch is Cost $20; members $15. Pelham Bay Park and is open for tours on provided with tours of the mansion and One of the best ways to take advan- Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from speakers. Participants must be 18 or over. tage of all these offerings—and support noon to 4 p.m. The gardens and grounds Bartow-Pell Events Call 718-885-1461 or [email protected] for the museum—is to become a member. are open daily from 8:30 a.m. to dusk. For Yoga in the Orangerie takes place on more information. Registration required. As part of the ongoing 100-year celebra- more information about Bartow-Pell, visit Fridays, June 27, July 11 and 25, Aug. 1, Cost: $295 (covers snacks, lunch and in- tion, the Conservancy is offering a special www.bpmm.org. from 7 to 8:15 a.m. Enjoy this early morn- ing summer yoga mini-series with in- structor Ann Casapini in the museum’s Orangerie. Each of the four classes will focus on a different aspect of yoga. Class size limited to 12. Registration requested at 718-885-1461 or via email at info@ bpmm.org. Cost for series $72 non-mem- bers, $60 members, $22 drop-ins. Movies at the Mansion: “Les Vacanc- es de M. Hulot” (M. Hulot’s Holiday), No Test! 1953, will be shown on Thursday, July 10, at 7 p.m. The incomparable Jacques Tati starred in and directed this zany classic about a bumbling pipe-smoking French- Cannot be combined with any man on a 1950s beach vacation. A perfect other offers. summertime flick to watch at the man- Expires 9/1/14 sion. Registration requested at 718-885- 1461 or via email at [email protected]. Cost $10 adults; $8 seniors, students and members. BPMM Adventures: Summer Ses- sions I, II, III. Monday through Friday: July 14–18, July 21–25, and July 28–Aug. 1, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Why spend sum- mer days indoors at your house when you can spend them outdoors at ours? Chil- dren entering grades 1 through 6 are in- vited to spend a week in the Children’s Garden at Historic Bartow-Pell having fun and learning about ecology, sustain- ability, and local history. This unique pro- gram mixes core activities in the organic garden with exploration of the 19th-cen- tury mansion and the Northeast Wood- lands Native American wigwam. Also up: engaging crafts, creative cooking, Urban Park Ranger hikes, and more. Cost $160 per child; members $130 per child. Watch for Our Grand Opening! Scholarships available. Registration and pre-payment required. Call 718-885-1461 or email [email protected] for more details and registrations forms. First Friday! Music & Trolley, Friday, Aug. 1, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. In partner- ship with the Bronx Music Heritage Cen- ter, BPMM presents Stephen Sylvester & the Anthem Reggae Band. Enjoy the mu- sic, explore the museum, stroll the garden and savor light refreshments. The trolley makes a continuous loop from the #6 Pel- ham Bay Park subway station to BPMM to City Island. Registration requested at 718- 885-1461 or via email at [email protected]. Cost $10 adults, $8 seniors and students; members free. Shutter Shop on Shore Road Volun- teer Restoration Workshop will take place from Monday, Aug. 4, through Friday, Aug. 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The 1840s July-August 2014 The Island Current Page Seventeen

ly. The IRS also does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. FAIR FUN FOR ALL! The IRS has a list of other characteris- tics of this scam on their website (www.irs. gov). They include the following: Scammers use fake names and IRS badge numbers. They generally use com- mon names and surnames to identify them- selves. Scammers may be able to recite the last four digits of a victim’s Social Security The Latest IRS Scam number. If you receive a call from someone Scammers spoof the IRS toll-free claiming to be from the IRS, do not be number on caller ID to make it appear that alarmed or intimidated, and do not provide it’s the IRS calling. any personal information whatsoever. Scammers sometimes send bogus IRS People have recently been receiving emails to some victims to support their bo- aggressive phone calls from individuals gus calls. claiming to be IRS agents and asserting Victims hear background noise of that there is tax money owed for past tax other calls being conducted to mimic a call years. The caller then threatens that if the site. matter isn’t taken care of immediately, the After threatening victims with jail time taxpayer will be arrested. or driver’s license revocation, scammers This is a scam! Do not cooperate! hang up and others soon call back pretend- The IRS always sends taxpayers a ing to be from the local police or DMV, and written notification of any taxes due via the the caller ID supports their claim. U.S. mail, and agents will never ask for a If you get a phone call from someone credit card or debit card over the telephone. claiming to be from the IRS, this is what They will not tell you that their coming the IRS advises: over to pick up the payment, nor do they If you know you owe taxes or you ever ask for cash to be sent to them direct- think you might owe taxes, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. IRS employees at that line can help you with a payment issue, if there really is one. If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to think that you owe any taxes (for example, you’ve never received a bill or the caller made some bogus threats as described above), then call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484. If you have been targeted by this scam, you should also contact the Federal Trade Commission and use their “FTC Com- plaint Assistant” at FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments of your complaint.

Photos by RICK DeWITT The City Island Chamber of Commerce sponsored the 2014 Arts and Crafts Fair along City Island Avenue on June 7 and 8. Featuring 50 artists, craftspeople and local businesses, there was jewelry, James E. McQuade, Owner candles, paintings, clothing, woodwork, glassware, skincare, face painting and even belly dancing by Kristin Amezquita! Family Owned & Operated Richie Pena served up Italian sausage outside Filomena’s Pizza (top photo), for over 50 years while live music was provided by the Lickety Split Band. Fair skies helped 3535 East Tremont Avenue make this year’s event another success. Bronx, NY 10465 MrChimney.com 718-792-0270 Cleaning & Repairs 718-329-3296 www.schuylerhill.com 800-834-3155 Page Eighteen The Island Current July-August 2014

Joshua Warren, also of Wilton; her brother, Peter John Warren, his former wife, Peggy Warren, and their children, Peter Alex- ander and Christopher Aiden Warren of The Current will print obituaries free of charge upon noti- fication by a member of the deceased’s immediate family. Kalispell, Montana, and Downers Grove, Call 718-885-0760 or write to P.O. Box 6, City Island, NY Illinois; her Aunt Christina Bracho and 10464, including your telephone number. cousins Juan, Pablo, Monica and Diana Bracho of Houston, Texas, and Mexico City; her cousins, Giles and Hugh Parker of Medford, Massachusetts, and Daytona Beach, Florida. Donations may be sent in Carmen’s name to the, Guide Dogs for the Blind: www.guidedogs.com. It was always a dream of Carmen’s to train dogs for that organization. A memorial service celebrating her life will be held on Saturday, Aug. 16, at 2 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church. All are invited to attend. To contact the family, email [email protected].

Nina Heidelberger Nina Grevesmuhl Heidelberger Anne Christine “Nina” Heidelberger died peacefully at home in Winchester, Virginia, on May 6, 2014. She was 76. Born on Sept. 18, 1937, Nina was a clam digger who lived on Centre Street and Minneford Avenue until her college years. Her father, Walter, emigrated from Aachen, Germany and her mother, Ester, from Stavanger, Norway. They had four children, Sonja, Henrietta (Cindi), Walter and Nina. Nina graduated from P.S. 17, Christo- pher Columbus High School and Capital Kevin Cullen University in Ohio. She completed her master’s degree at Stroudsburg University Kevin Blair Cullen in Pennsylvania. Kevin Blair Cullen, a former City She taught fifth and sixth grades for Island resident, died in Miami on Feb. 12, 25 years at Fredon Township Elementary 2014, at the age of 70 after a battle with School in New Jersey and is remembered cancer. as an exemplary educator. Kevin was born in the Bronx on Oct. Nina is survived by her husband of 24, 1943, and grew up on Horton Street. He 55 years, Bill Heidelberger, and their four graduated from St. Mary, Star of the Sea children, Tina Hodges and Jennifer John- School. Kevin served in the Vietnam War ston of Hart, Michigan; Judy Vance of at Okinawa, Japan. A professional steamfit- Centerville, Ohio; and Todd Heidelberger ter, Kevin was a member of the Plumbers of Boyce, Virginia, as well as her three & Steamfitters Local Union 21, based in siblings and nine grandchildren. Peekskill, New York. Kevin possessed a She will continue to live in the hearts great sense of humor and a love of steamers, she touched. fishing, hunting, scuba diving and riding his Harley-Davidson. Growing up on City Island instilled in Kevin a love of the sea. Kevin is survived by his five children: Kevin Cullen Jr., Erica Cullen, Laura Eli- zondo, Nicole Cusick and Sean Cullen and their partners; four grandchildren; two brothers, Dara and Glen, and their fami- lies; his uncle, Walter Robson; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was pre- deceased by his mother, Audrey Robson Cullen; his father, Robert “Peter” Cullen, and an older brother, Robert Cullen Jr. An open service to celebrate Kevin’s life will be held at the American Legion Leonard H. Hawkins Post on Wednesday, July 9, from 7 to 10 p.m.

Helping you perform better one muscle at a time... Carmen Robinson Pirraglia Carmen Maria Warren Chiropractic Robinson and Athletic Performance Longtime City Island resident Carmen Enhancement Robinson passed away on Wednesday, Theresa L. Pirraglia, DC June 11, 2014, at the age of 63, after a 22-year struggle with cancer. Certified A.R.T. Provider Born in Mexico City on Dec. 2, 1950, Carmen moved with her husband to City 1 Radisson Plaza • Suite 709 Island over 30 years ago. New Rochelle, NY 10801 914-738-2696 Fax: 914-738-2465 She is survived by her husband, Ritch [email protected] Robinson of City Island; her father, Peter www.pirragliachiropractic.com 413 City Island Ave. 718-885-3831 Kirby Warren, and her stepmother, Hollis IRONMAN PERFORMANCE TEAM Wright-Warren of Wilton, Connecticut; TEAM CHIROPRACTOR FOR City Island, NY 10464 718-885-3832 FORDHAM UNIVERSITY & her sister, AJ Warren, and her nephew, MANHATTAN COLLEGE July-August 2014 The Island Current Page Nineteen

Photo by JIM ROMEO Past District Governor of Rotary District 7230 Janet DiBenedetto presented eight Bronx Rotary Club members with Rotary’s highest honor, the Paul Harris Fellow at the annual President’s/Paul Harris Dinner at Marina Del Rey on June 26, 2014. Pictured (l. to r.): outgoing President Ralph Scottino, Barry Fitzgerald, Janet DiBenedetto, John Civetta, Miguel Santiago, Miriam Luciano, Marguerite Chadwcik-Juner, incoming President Richard Sherman and Amir Asadi.

______CITY ISLAND APARTMENT: 2 bedrooms, living ITALIAN LANGUAGE CONVERSATIONALIST: room, dining room, kitchen, bath, terrace, central Need to communicate in Italian? Fascinated AC/heat, private entrance. NO PETS $1600+ utili- with Italy, her language, her culture? 12 week ______ties. 914-949-2560. Italian language program in the Bronx. Tuition FOR SALE,RESORT LIVING: Beautiful 3 bed- $200, Exercise booklet $35. Contact: Cav. room, 2-1/2 bath home. Nothing to do but move Maestro Signor Jackson Ph.D. 718-597-7545/ in. All updated. In ground saltwater pool. Ameni- [email protected]. ties galore. Must see. Waterfront complex condo RESUMES WRITTEN,EDITED, AND LAID OUT: From and co-op available. Single family homes priced actors to lawyers. Concise, professional, superior. to sell. Please call for details. Louise Del Guidice, ______Get to the next level. Call Katie 718-885 -2929. ______Century 21, Marciano 914-497-9021. PHOTO RESTORATION: Take old photographs ART OF BEAUTY: All summer long, manicure and and have them restored like new. Copies made pedicure $18.00. Call for your appointment today from negatives or prints. Framing available as ______718-885-3831. ______well. Call Ron 718-885-1403. DAVID’S BICYCLE REPAIR & SALES: Free pick HELP YOUR STUDENT BE SUCCESSFUL IN up and delivery. Also sell used and new bikes and SCHOOL AND IN LIFE: Child development special- trade ins. Call for appointment or pick up. Precise ist/certified school psychologist/parent educator can pricing will never change! 263 Halstead Avenue help you to unlock the potential inside your student ______Harrison, New York 10528, 914-500-3165. and yourself, and develop a plan for success. ADHD BUYING U.S. COINS, gold, silver, mint and proof coaching, consultations for learning disabilities, and sets, collections, paper currency and stamps. parent coaching. Visit www.ThinkLaughLearn.com for Member ANA. Call Robert at 646-533-2469. details, or call John Scardina @ 718-885-9305. Also look for parent sessions at the City Island Community ______E-mail: [email protected]. Center (usually one Tuesday evening per month. ___ ART PRINTS FROM ISLAND ARTIST. Purchase ______prints of the artwork of Island artist Margue- FINE ART PORTRAITS: Studio on City Island. rite Chadwick-Juner (including paintings of our More than 30 years of photographic experience. soon to be gone bridge) at http://fineartamerica. ______Call Ron Terner at 718-885-1403. com/art/all/marguerite+chadwick-juner/all. Art- BELTOP PAVING INC: Asphalt paving. Drive- work can be printed on canvas, paper, alumi- ways, parking areas, sidewalks. Fully licensed num etc. You can even chose frames and mats. ______and insured. Call Nick 718-994-9533. ______Return often to see new additions. CITY ISLAND SOUVENIRS: Sweatshirts (chil- WOMAN ROOMMATE WANTED: Fantastic dren’s and adult), T-shirts, mugs, postcards, room, on water in private two bedroom house. bumper stickers @ Kaleidoscope Gallery. 280 Rent $750 (+ shared expenses: heat, phone, City Island Avenue, 718-885-3090. and Wi-Fi DSL line). One cat on premises (your ______www.kaleidoscope280.com. cat would be welcome). House located on PASSPORT PHOTOS taken at Focal Point Gallery, beginning of Island. Avoid traffic! Easy com- ______321 City Island Avenue. Call Ron at 718-885-1403. mute to city via public transportation (Express PIANO LESSONS IN YOUR HOME, Ralph Meri- bus twice daily Mon-Fri) No smoking. Call Mary gliano, 30 years experience teaching classical, jazz, 718-885-1136. ______pop and music theory. 718-885-0915. Voicemail THINKING OF THE JERSEY SHORE?? Whether ______212-802-5504. you are looking to relocate, invest, buy a second OWENS TREE EXPERTS: Tree trimming & removal. home or just go on a great vacation close to Free estimates. Fully insured. Call 718-885-0914. home, I can help. Please call me, Denise Mul- ______Edward D. Heben lin at 732-600-9293 so I can help your Jersey JEWELRY REPAIRED & DESIGNED: Cash for ______Shore dream come true. gold, watch batteries, engraved gifts, artwork, MINNIEFORD AVENUE PLAYGROUP: Enriching toys & housewares. Kaleidoscope Gallery, 280 CPA/ABV/CFF, CVA, AEP program for early age children 16 months to 3 City Island Avenue, 718-885-3090. Accounting, Taxes, Business Valuations, years old, which benefits intellectual,physical, ______www.kaleidoscope280.com. emotional,and social development. Call to visit AVON REPRESENTATIVE: Avon is not just cos- Financial Forensics, and Litigation Support for September enrollment. CPR certified. Candy metics. Jewelry, clothes, vitamins, videos, com- 22 Saw Mill River Road, 3rd Fl. ______Mancuso 646-879-6082. plete line of children’s gifts, toys and more. Ask CITY ISLAND HOME FOR SALE: Lovely 3 ______for catalogue. Call Emily 718-885-2430. Hawthorne, NY 10532-1533 bedroom ranch, great size rooms, beach block, CITY ISLAND NOTARY PUBLIC: Certified in (T) 914.345.5888 x108 • (F) 914.345.8652 great location - close to bus stop, school and Bronx and New York counties. By appointment shops. Wooden/tiled floors throughout. HWBB only, including weekends. Call Paula Huffell at (C) 914.925.1120 gas heat, formal dining room and open liv- ______347-427-7337. ing room with a mantled fireplace. 2 kitchens. (E) [email protected] O’Piddle D’Poo! Daily individual walks, leash Finished basement. Possible mother-daughter. training, pet sitting. Caring for City Island’s Built in wet bar, great for entertaining. Attached garage with auto opener. Nice yard with pear adorable pets for 13 years. References avail- trees and plenty of room for a garden. Beautiful ______able. Call 1-646-316-6089. trek deck to enjoy the outdoors. Stand up attic LEARN DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY: Photoshop too. Move in condition. Call for an appointment. 7 or black and white photography, developing Won’t be disappointed. 85 Winters Street. Call film, printing, camera techniques. Call Ron 718- ______201-401-0731 or 718-885-1510. ______885-1403. WEBSITES CREATED: Effective, great looking web CAR/LIMO SERVICE AVAILABLE TO NYC sites from scratch or your old website fixed up. REGION AIRPORTS: Designated driver for ______Easy, affordable, quick. Call Katie______718-885-2929. those special evenings/events. Locations out- side of NYC prices are negotiated. Beautiful YOUR AD ______SUV seats 7 comfortably. Call 914-419-0962. BOAT SUPPLIES: Low prices. Burck’s 526 City Island Avenue, Bronx, New York 718-885-1559. COULD BE ______Customer parking. Master-Visa accepted. HERE Page Twenty The Island Current July-August 2014

Information for the Talebearer must be received in writing no later than the 15th of the month except July and December. Mail to The Island Current, P.O. Box 6, City Island, NY 10464; include your name and telephone number.

Lauren O’Donnell and Thomas Girolamo Vera Thompson meets her new great- grandson, Arlo Rota, at her 94th birth- up the good work at the National Cancer Institute. Love, Mom, Dad, Poppy and pal of 68 years, Barbara (Haas) Lynch. Unckie Ick. Special birthday wishes to Buddy Pon- Happy birthday on Aug. 16 to King tecorvo, who turns 90 on July 9, with Avenue’s Nolan Quinn with much love much love from your daughter Theresa, from your family and friends. son-in-law Jimmy and granddaughters Birthday greetings to Maria Jaimie, Bebe, Bonnie and Alyssa. Christina Swieciki who turns 23 on Aug. Happy birthday wishes across the 22, with much love from Mom and Dad, miles in St. Louis to former Islander Dr. Stephen and Bobby. Ellen Dierenfeld, who will celebrate her Congratulations to our son, Michael big day on July 9. Mancuso, on his graduation. Best of luck Happy first birthday on July 11 to at Iona Prep! We love you, Mom and Dad. our precious grandson, Arlo David Rota. Get-well wishes to Rudy Comerico, Photo by Maria Christina Swieciki Chad Newberry and Virginia Nye Love from Grandma Judy and Grandpa with love from your family and friends. In the June issue of The Current, the Welcome to Minneford Avenue’s new- Mike. Happy July birthdays to Arlo’s And wishing all our readers, correct names of the U.S. Coast Guard est resident, James “Jimbo” Levins, with mommy, Beth Rota, and her sister, Auntie neighbors and friends a very happy and members from City Island who marched good wishes from Swampy. Susan Rauh. It’s also a happy July anni- safe summer. See you in September! in the Memorial Day Parade should have Congratulations to our own in-house versary to Arlo’s parents, Beth and Matt Maria Swieciki been (above l. to r.) Keith Manfredonia and Bobby Swieciki. movie critic, Marsha Treiber, who cel- Rota. ebrates her 25-year anniversary with The Happy birthday on July 14 to Pilot Island Current this year. Keep up the Cove’s Barbara Henreckson, with much good work! love from Elzie, Deb and Ken. Best wishes for a lifetime of happi- Birthday wishes, hugs and kisses to ness to Lauren O’Donnell and Thomas our precious granddaughter, Alana Lydia Girolamo, who were married in Aruba Ribaudo, who turns four on July 19. So on May 3, 2014 (the 39th anniver- much love! Nonni and Pop. sary for her parents, Linda and Steven Birthday greetings on July 19 to O’Donnell). Hawkins Street’s Lori Travers. Happy belated birthday to our sweet Virginia Nye and Chad Newberry were granddaughters, Kayla and Alyssa Fusco, married on June 21 at Trinity Methodist with love from Grandma and Grandpa Church, and the reception was held at Penny. Also a belated happy birthday to Marina Del Rey. Family and friends from our daughter, Kim, who celebrated the City Island, Puerto Rico, Tennessee and “big one” on May 2. Many good wishes Alabama, to mention a few, came to share to you, love from Mom and Dad. this special event. We wish Virginia and Belated birthday wishes to Meredith Chad all the happiness in the world and Photo by MONICA GLICK Ribaudo on June 3 and Danielle Ribaudo a long life together. God bless you both. While on hiatus from the City Island Theater Group, Islanders Hannah Glick and on June 15. Also, belated anniversary They will reside in Alabama. Elizabeth Paldino were on stage in “Brighton Beach Memoirs” at the Westchester wishes to Mere and Ant, with much love Happy birthday wishes on July 21 to Sandbox Theater in Mamaroneck from June 26 to 29, 2014. Shown above is the entire from Mom and Dad “R.” Jennifer Carman with love from your cast taking their bows (l. to r.): Ashley Ahearn, Hannah Glick, Elizabeth Paldino, Greg Belated happy birthday greetings to family and friends. Morra, Toni Fazio, Peter Ackerman and Michael Sanacore. my pal Carolyn (Foley) Peters, who cel- Happy July 23 birthday to Gianna ebrated her big day on June 22. Carolyn Marie Ramftl with love from Mom, Dad is a former Islander now living in Hunts- and family. ville, Alabama. Safe travels back from Our baby is 30! Happy birthday wishes your trip in Germany and hugs from your to Roger Rauhauser Nani on Aug. 9. Keep

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