Archives for October 2019

Monday, December 4th, 2018 was a bittersweet night. I took part in my last Community Education Council 31 meeting as a council member. I have had the privilege and honor of serving as an elected volunteer parent member since 2009.

During the last decade, we have seen many changes which included, two Mayors, five NYC School Chancellors and five District 31 Superintendents. Regardless of the personnel changes, we have always fostered partnerships that helped us advocate for our Staten Island students and school communities.

I am forever grateful for the lasting friendships I have made along this journey. That last meeting was a little emotional, even making me shed some tears. Emotional because you all have had an impact on me and the advocacy and passion I and my fellow Community Education Council 31 members put forth on behalf of Staten Island.

Thanks to your support, I am transitioning to a new role in the New York State Assembly, bringing that same passion and advocacy to Albany. I want to first thank my friend and predecessor, State Assemblyman Ron Castorina for his service and dedication to our community.

As I begin this next chapter, I look forward to partnering with my colleagues at the federal, state and city level, to advocate for our Staten island community. Below I have listed my office contact information, along with our Staten Island federal, state and city representatives.

NYS Assemblyman Michael Reilly
62nd Assembly District
7001 Amboy Rd, Suite 202E
Staten Island N.Y. 10307
718-967-5194

Congressman Max Rose
265 New Dorp Lane, 2nd Floor
Staten Island, N.Y. 10306
718-351-1062

NYS Senator Andrew Lanza
24th Senate District
3845 Richmond Ave, Suite 2A
Staten Island, N.Y. 10312
718-984-4073

NYS Senator Diane Savino
23rd Senate District
36 Richmond Terrace, Suite 112
Staten Island, N.Y. 10301
718-727-9406

NYS Assemblyman Michael Cusick
63rd Assembly District
1911 Richmond Ave
Staten Island, N.Y. 10314
718-370-1384

NYS Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis
64th Assembly District
11 Maplewood Pl.
Staten Island, N.Y. 10306
718-987-0197

NYS Assemblyman Charles Fall
61st Assembly District
853 Forest Ave
Staten Island, N.Y.
718-442-9932

Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon
130 Stuyvesant Pl. 7th Floor
Staten Island, N.Y. 10301
718-876-6300

Staten Island Borough President James Oddo
10 Richmond Terrace
Borough Hall, room 120
Staten Island, N.Y. 10301
718-816-2000

NYC Councilman Steven Matteo
50th District
900 South Ave, Suite 403
Staten Island, N.Y. 10314
718-980-1017

NYC Councilman Joseph Borelli
51st District
2955 Veterans Rd West, Suite 2
Staten Island, N.Y. 10309
718-984-5151

NYC Councilwoman Deborah Rose
130 Stuyvesant Pl. 6th Floor, room 602
718-556-7370

By Michael Reilly, NYS Assemblyman, former District 31 Community Education Council President and former NYPD Lieutenant

Squeezing the last bit of fun out of your summer before the back-to school shopping begins? We’ve got a fresh week of ideas for you. And relax, there’s still a few weeks left!

Thursday, August 23
Cheer on Mid-Island Little League!!! 
Sign our Congratulations Card to Mid-Island Little League and let them know they have YOUR support at the Little League World Series. Our goal is to make it to 1,000 signatures! Sign the card here and then SHARE! GO MID-ISLAND!!!!!

Friday, August 24
Boogie Boarding
Sunny skies are in the forecast and it’s the perfect day to try some new tricks on your boogie board. You’ll need some nice waves to boogie down, so try a beach in New Jersey like Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park or Sandy Hook. Click here and scroll down to Beach Destinations for ideas. Staying in Staten Island? Here’s a list of beaches on the island. You might not be allowed in the water on a city beach with a boogie board, however.

Read Next | Free Summer Sports Programs

Saturday, August 25
Concerts at the Mansion
Is the historic Kreischer Mansion really haunted? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, you can party there all day long with your whole family! The outdoor event will feature two stages of live music, food, kids lawn games, beer and wine and more. Click here for more info.

Sunday, August 26
Golfing 
Stay in Staten Island at S.I. Fun Parkfor Mini-Golfing or head over to Edison, New Jersey and try out TopGolf  for an ultimate golf experience.

Monday, August 27
Frog Hunting
With so much greenbelt to explore, Staten Island is filled with wildlife to explore in every neck of the woods. Pick a park with a lot of greenery, like High Rock Park, Clove Lakes Park, or Bloomingdale Park and search under all the logs, leaves, and plants you can find. Then take a picture and set them free! Click here for a list of parks in Staten Island. 

Tuesday, August 28
Craft Day
Check out our craft page on Pinterest for over 120 ideas!

Wednesday, August 29
S.I. Parent Signup Day
We know, we know. We’re a little biased on this one. And we might have mentioned it last week. But can you blame us? We just don’t want you to miss out!

• Sign up for our weekly newsletters and get the scoop on the weekend’s best events, enter the coolest giveaways, get the hottest deals from local businesses, and much more.
• Join our Birthday Club and get ten FREE tokens at Fun Station for your birthday! Plus we’ll give you birthday shout-out in the magazine during your special month.
• New addition to the family? Announce it in the magazine!
• Enter this month’s contest to win the Fenrici Backpack of your choice. Two winners will be selected!

Read Next | Learn about Staten Island Home Improvement and Contractors

Mid-Island is neither down nor out today after their first loss of the season broke an impressive 17-win streak.

In a heart-wrenching defeat, the team lost 10-0 to Hawaii last night. The west team managed the first grand slam of the series in the first inning, setting a grim tone for the rest of the game.

Tonight’s elimination game against Georgia will determine whether they face Hawaii again Saturday for the U.S. championship title. You can watch it live on ESPN at 7pm.

Andrea Bruno, mom of the team’s star pitcher Gregory Bruno, chalked up the loss to just a bad day.

“They were definitely off. My only assumption is that they were intimidated by the team they were playing. My son wasn’t himself at all. The fact that he wasn’t able to pitch must have gotten in his head and it took away his spirits.”

Little League rules restrict a player from pitching in three consecutive games. According to Mrs. Bruno, Gregory can’t wait to be back on the mound for Saturday’s game against Hawaii if they win tonight.

Despite last night’s curveball, morale is up for Staten Island’s youngest celebrity baseball players.

Mrs. Bruno says the boys are totally ready to play tonight. “They had an off day, but it’s a new day today. We’re hitting the reset button, and coming back out to play. If we play the game the way we play, then we definitely have a shot.”

Coach Joe Calabrese likely feels the same. “Our coach never has doubts. They’re talented boys, they’re a good team, and he knows they can win,” Mrs. Bruno said.

They’ve got all of Staten Island behind them and an angel in the outfield too—the coach’s late brother, John Calabrese, to whom the team chose to dedicate the entire season.

A little optimism goes a long way, so be sure to show Mid-Island we believe in them by signing our Congratulations Card here. Our goal is to get at least 1,000 signatures to show these amazing boys that ALL of Staten Island is pulling for them. They are making us proud— let’s return the favor. Sign the card here.

If you’d like to donate to the team to help the families with expenses, you can link to their Go Fund Me page here. Be sure to share the page with other Mid-Island supporters.

LET’S GO MID-ISLAND!!!!!!!

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It may be a bittersweet arrival, but the Mid-Island team will be back in Staten Island today. A 2018 Little League World Series win slipped through their fingers last night after a heartbreaking loss to Georgia. The team was just one game away from the U.S. Championship Saturday.

But the glass remains half full. They represented the entire Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and put up an unbelievable fight. Everyone is proud of their accomplishments. We hope they are just as proud of themselves.

The boys will be back at Mid-Island today and all supporters are encouraged to come greet the team at 4pm on the field. Congratulate this amazing team in person, along with their coach and families. Give them the welcome they truly deserve!

You can also sign our Congratulations Card to Mid-Island showing the names and well-wishes of their many supporters in Staten Island. Amongst the many wishes of luck and congratulations, here’s what just a few of our readers had to say to the team:

“So proud of you boys. The Memories you will have from this Amazing Accomplishment will last you a lifetime . Take a bow you all deserve it!” — Melissa Sebastiano

“So proud of all of you boys! Remember to have fun! This is a memory you will have forever !! Cherish every moment!” — Kristina McAnuff

“Congrats Mid-Island. You are the pride of Staten Island. Greg Bruno, St. Rita School is ecstatic & is loudly cheering.” — Leslie Andes

“Way to go mid island LL!!! Amazing job! You guys play together as a TEAM, worked together as TEAM, and won as a TEAM. Awesome sportsmanship showed.” — Richmondtown Diamonds Soccer Team

“Way to go guys. You make Staten Island proud. You’ll have a lot to be proud of when you go back to school in September.” — Florine Klein

“We were at the game on Sunday morning & you did well & showed a lot of class! Thank you for all your hard work! We are very proud of all of you!!!” — Maureen Beahan

Sign our card with your own message for Mid-Island and be sure to welcome them home on the field today at 4pm to say congratulations on an amazing season!

By Jeannine Cintron
Friday, August 24, 2018

They say it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game. Well, Mid-Island Little League played their hearts out this season and they are all winners to us! As the Mid-Atlantic Regional Champions, and coming just one game short of competing for the U.S. Championship title, this team of 12- & 13-year-old baseball players should be beyond proud of their impressive accomplishments. We know we’re proud!

And so is Staten Island. Last week we called on the community and fellow Mid-Island fans to sign our card to the team wishing them luck and congratulations on their run in the 2018 Little League World Series. We received an outpouring of support for these talented boys, with almost 300 supporters stepping up to show their love for Mid-Island. Check out their messages below, which they sent throughout the series.

Proud of you. All of you did an outstanding job
Lourdes & Amani Golden

Congratulations!!! Such a tremendous accomplishment at a young age!! Wish you all the best of luck in your future and baseball careers!!!
Angela Fasanella

So proud of you boys. The memories you will have from this amazing accomplishment will last you a lifetime. Take a bow you all deserve it!
Melissa, Sarah, & Annie Sebastiano and Brian Wecker

Way to go MILL you guys rock!! Congratulations and good luck. SI is very proud of you and we’re all rooting for you.
Carol Musante

You can do it!
Sharon, Rob & Evan Healy

Best Wishes!!
Sandy, Rob, Bobby, Nick & Olivia at Snug Harbor Little League

Way to go guys. You make Staten Island proud. Hope you go all the way. You’ll have a lot to be proud of when you go back to school in sept. Good luck!
Florine Klein

Good luck boys!! You’re already Champions to SI!!
Cipriano Family

Good Luck!
Sharon Deen

Best of luck Mid Island. You got this. We wish you luck and congratulations to all. You are awesome Staten Island boys.
Mirabella Martial Arts Taekwondo Bella; Master Robert Mirabella, Jennifer and Vincent

Good Luck! We on Staten Island are rooting for you guys … Bring it home baby!
Shannon & Darren Mcdonnell & Selena Washington

So proud of all of you boys-best of luck to you! Remember to have fun! This is a memory you will have forever!! Cherish every moment!
Kristina McAnuff

So proud of all of you!!!!! Congratulations to all of you and your families!!!!!! We love you Gregory Bruno!!!!!
Lisa Capotosto

Congratulations to the Mid-Island Little League!!!! We are all so proud of your accomplishments!!! Go Staten Island!!
Jimmy, Lori, Lisa, John & Kayla Bosco

Keep making us proud boys. Good luck!
Vanessa, Daniel, Jack, & Kane Sherlock

Go team go!
Cathy Bannon & Family

Way to go boys!!! You continue to make Staten Island Proud!
Lisa, Dave, Anthony, Sophia, & Nicholas Cormier

Good luck. You are already champions in our hearts.
Nancyann, Steve & Kara Toth

Way to go boys! Great job coaches!
Maria Garcia, Omar, Aaron & Mia Artsen

Good luck boys! No matter win or lose you guys did amazing!
Tamiann Serafino, Joseph & Salvatore Vivona

Good luck Boys!!
Athena Wigren

Congrats boys!! What an accomplishment!! Keep up the great work!!! Let’s go Mid-Island!
Jennifer, Kj and Eva Morales

Way to go mid island LL !!! Amazing job !! You guys play together as a TEAM, worked together as TEAM, and won as a TEAM! Awesome sportsmanship showed.
Melanie Loock & Richmondtown Diamonds Soccer Team

Best of luck boys you got this I’ll be watching!
Annette Esposito

Let’s go Mendez win dis
Ricardo Diaz

Boys keep doing what you’re doing and win, win, win! Let’s go Mid Island!!!
Marissa, Arch, Alex, Ashlee, Axton & Ayvaree DePietro

Go get ‘em boys! We’re all rooting for you!
Denise Moley, John, Alexa, Jenna, Keira, Johnny Boy, Laila & Gizmo

We were at the game on Sunday morning & you did well & showed a lot of class!
Thank you for all your hard work! We are very proud of all of you!!!
Maureen & Bob Beahan

Great job boys! You’ve been such a positive representation of Staten Island!
Congratulations! We are rooting for you!!!
Nicole, Michael & Jaxson Thornton

Congratulations!!!
Peter, Melissa, Anthony, Ella, Evan & Charlotte Furtaw

Good Luck Boys!
Patti Ann, Thomas, & Sammi Mazzella

The Boys of summer good luck!!! You are making Staten Island proud. We are behind you all the way.
Keri O’Brien Marrocco & Ralph, Ashley, Amanda and Addison

Good luck boys! You have made Staten Island so proud. Keep doing your thing. Summer of a lifetime!
Kristy, Dave, Justin, Jake, Joseph Levine

#LGMILL!!
Diane, Matthew, Luisa, Sofia & Elsa Heinz, Steve, Jen, & Henry Desteoglu, Brendan & Jaclyn Heinz

We wish you all the best of luck!!! Regardless the outcome, you’ve made us all so proud!!!!
Joan, James, Jocelyn & Margaret Porto

Go get em’ boys! We are so proud of you. Go get em’ boys! We are so proud of you.
Dana, Phil, Philip & Andrew, Parisi

So proud of all the boys!
Deborah, Thomas and Tom Sherman

Congratulations to an outstanding & talented team! You all represented Staten Island proudly! Great job Coach Calabrese!”
Angela Edwards

Good luck to our Mid Island Little League! You make Staten Island proud.
McGrade Family

Go Boys!!
Michelle Granucci

You have made us all proud! Have a great time at the Little League World Series!
Barbara Dee-Lago & Leinard, Tara, and Joaquin

Congratulations on your success thus far and good luck with your upcoming games!! Staten Island is cheering you on!!
Maureen Minielli

Good luck boys!!
Marisa, Dylan & Andrew Spinosa

You boys played your hearts out and made us EXTREMELY PROUD!!!!!!!!!!
Harold, Jen, Emma and Hope Vargas

Way to Go Mid-Island!!! What an awesome experience. Good Luck…
Lisa Maurentt, Anthony J. & Amber M. Ortiz

Bring it home Mid Island!!! You Got This!! Win or Lose we are ALL so proud of you!
Walter Family

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!
Josephine Viglione

Congratulations to Mid-Island on an AMAZING season!
Jeannine, Mike, Delilah, & Mikey Cintron

Congrats to Mid-Island! Great job!
Michelle, Steve, Mila & Massimo Yannaco

Fantastic work, boys! Go Mid-Island!
Roselle Farina-Hecht & Fred Hecht

Congratulations!! What a great team!!
Michael & Nicole Benedicks

Go Mid Island! So Proud of how far you you came this far! Go all the way!!
Deani, Gary, Elexa and Louis Tames

Congratulations!!! You got this!! Stay focused!
Kathleen Laperuta

Congrats Mid-Island. You are the pride of Staten Island. We wish you the best of luck! Greg Bruno, St. Rita School is ecstatic & is loudly cheering.
Leslie Andes

Good luck boys go get get them bring home the trophy.
Kim, Stevie, Michael, and Kaitlyn Santoriello

Good Luck to Coach Joe and all the boys…you’re already winners to us!!
Lynn Jakubauskas

Good luck Joe Cal, coaches and team…M.I.L.L.
Nick Velluzzi

So proud of you. What teamwork. Go Mid Island.
Grace Ross

Good luck boys!!
Kari & Genevieve Venosa Gervais

Congratulations to Mid Island LL! Way to represent Staten Island!
John, Krystal, Rose, Lilianna, Jazmine Cronin

We are all so proud of you already!! Way to go!! Best of luck tonight! Special shout out to Puglisi!! We will be watching and cheering you all on!!
Jennifer Cohen & Family

Great job boys!!! Good luck going forward. Staten Island is proud of you!
Ryan, Talia, Alexis & Aubrey Vautrinot

Congratulations! We are so proud of you!
Anastasia Papasmiris

Way to go team!!! We are so very proud of you!!! Keep reaching for the stars because you all are winners!!!
Danna Curcio

We’re rooting for you every step of the way! Bring home the W boys!
Alluring Eyez Optical: Gina & Nicole Curcio

Good Luck MILL! You Got This!!
Pete, Cindie, Pam, George, Anna & Vas Tsetsakos

Good luck boys! We are rooting for you to go all the way! You boys deserve it!
Nicole, Ron, Alyssa and Vincent Watson

Wishing you the best of luck from Florida!
Marian Croke

Good Job!
Donna Jefferson

Good luck to Mid Island Little League!! You got this and you make us proud!!!”
Rick, Janet, Ricky, Danielle, Matthew Keeler

Congrats on your Championship run!
Richie & Helene DeNitto

Good Luck tonight boys! You got this!! it is so great watching you boys play!!! Bring it all home!
Caren, Jason, Nicole, Jordan Cooper

Best of luck to all of you!!
Lisa, Joe, Angelo & Francesca Bono

Good luck!
Dayna Weisman

We all love watching you boys play … making Staten Island proud!
Randi, Mike, Alyssa, Ashley, Justin and Sean Nelson

Good luck boys!!!! Special shout out to Logan Castellano!!!!
Nikki, Jamari & Leilani Cortez

Wish you guys the best of luck! I hope to see you guys go all the way!! We will be rooting!
Courtney, John, Johnny, and Justin Tanzi

Good luck everyone!
Blerona Sela

Great job. Staten islanders are so proud of you all.
Joan Weistreich

Good Luck!
Nicole Fiumara

Ali, John, Jordyn and Jason Gallo
Great job boys! You are making this whole Island so proud!! Good luck and have fun!!
Ali, John, Jordyn and Jason Gallo

Go get ‘em boys! We are all rooting for you!!! You got this!
Audrey, Mike, Lily and Amelia Giambrone

Congratulations on making it as far as you have! Now bring it home. GO MID-ISLAND!!
Michael Antonio

Best of luck from the Arnold family and congratulations on all your hard work to get here!
Kirsten Arnold

Good luck boys we’re sooo proud!
Michele, Mike, Jess, Michael and Gabrielle Petrizzi

Best of luck
Anonymous

CONGRATULATIONS Mid-Island Little League, Coaches and Parents! You have made Staten Island PROUD!
Anonymous

Go Boys go!!
Anonymous

Good luck! watched you guys practice early June and told anyone who would listen this team is serious !! Best of luck.
Anonymous

Shout-out to Mid-Island Little League. GOOD LUCK. WE GOT THIS!!
Anonymous

We are so proud of your accomplishments and hard work!! Go get um boys!! We are rooting you on and can’t wait to see you play!!!
Anonymous

We are so proud that you are representing the best of Staten Island! You are all winners!
Anonymous

Congratulations from:
Evelyn Cardona
Michele Cirminiello and Anthony & Matthew Mucciariello
Rob Scott
David Miller
Ella Gomberg
Barbara Pollio
Diane Greaves
Kelley Wright
Leigh Ann, Emma-Leigh, Allison & Nicholas Cario
Tracy Piscopo
Jodi & Vincent Fatto
Janine & Steve Mule
Ilene Cohen

With the kids about to return to school, it’s your last unofficial week of summer. What will your family do to end off your summer in style? Here’s our list of ideas for this week!

Thursday, August 30
Back-to-School Shopping
With less than a week left until the big day, it’s time to make sure you are prepared. School supplies, backpacks, lunch boxes, first day outfits — all of it. It’s probably a good idea to start enforcing an earlier bedtime to prepare for the mornings ahead. Read more tips on starting the school year stress-free here.

Friday, August 31
Go Fly a Kite
Now that you’ve gotten back-to-school shopping out of the way, go have a little outdoor fun. Head to the beach or local park with your kite and enjoy! You can even make your own kite first. Not into kites? Bring a drone or remote controlled car to the park instead and let loose!

Saturday, September 1
Special Trip Saturday: Apple Picking
It’s officially September! Take your family apple picking to celebrate fall early. Here’s a list of apple-picking farms nearby.  Then turn them into a delicious dessert or refreshing drink with these apple recipes.

Sunday, September 2
Richmond County Fair
The Annual Richmond County Fair features family fun and entertainment for all ages. Check out circus performers, crafts and rides for the kids, live music, plenty of eats, and contests demonstrating all the fairground favorites! The fair takes place Saturday, September 1 through Monday, September 3. through. Click here for more info.

Monday, September 3
Day Trip Bucket List
It’s your last weekend of the summer, unofficially. Make it a memorable one! Peruse our list of 62 Day Trip Ideas near Staten Island and check off the ones you didn’t get to do this summer. Then pick one and have fun!

Tuesday, September 4
S.I. Parent Signup Day
We know, we know. We’re a little biased on this one. And we might have mentioned it last week. But can you blame us? We just don’t want you to miss out!
• Sign up for our weekly newsletters and get the scoop on the weekend’s best events, enter the coolest giveaways, get the hottest deals from local businesses, and much more.
• Join our Birthday Club and get ten FREE tokens at Fun Station for your birthday! Plus we’ll give you birthday shout-out in the magazine during your special month.
• New addition to the family? Announce it in the magazine!
• Enter this month’s contest

Wednesday, September 5
First Day of School
Good luck to all of the kids going back to school! Be sure to share those awesome pics with us by posting to our Facebook page or tagging us on Instagram!