Staten Island’s Fentanyl and Overdose Task Force recommends New York ban kratom, a leaf-derived drug whose legal presence in gas stations and delis baffles District Attorney Michael McMahon—he has no grounds to prosecute because it is not a controll…
Staten Islanders braced for a blustery Friday as the National Weather Service issued a gale warning for New York City’s waterways, with wind gusts up to 40 mph and wind chills in the low 30s. A token chance of snow failed to promise much drama, but colder, unsettled days remain in the cards—reminding us that winter still likes to keep its options open in the five boroughs.
Starting next week, New York’s Department of Transportation will deploy milling and paving crews to Staten Island’s Community Board 2 by day, with maintenance teams fanning out across the borough round-the-clock. City hall assures us these detours and closures will keep roads running smoothly—pending the weather’s mood or any surprise pothole drama. Even in the concrete jungle, the asphalt jungle needs a little grooming.
Founded by the Sisters of Charity and opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1903, Staten Island’s St. Vincent’s Hospital now runs as Richmond University Medical Center after a 2006 rebrand and merger. The nonprofit, allied with Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, boasts over 440 beds plus adult and pediatric trauma centers—a long journey from humble beginnings to treating both broken bones and, no doubt, the odd overzealous turkey carver.
Hundreds trotted off their tryptophan at Staten Island’s Midland Beach in the 76th Lou Marli Run, swapping race fees for food donations at this Brighton Kiwanis Club bash. Seasoned locals like Olivia Jaenicke and Michael Cassidy claimed top spots, while pint-sized Turkey Tot Trotters dashed for glory. Tradition trumped competition, and we suspect most participants were racing each other mainly to the post-race pie.
Staten Islanders continue to brave the labyrinthine Trader Joe’s lot in New Springville, where narrow aisles, shared space with a Bob’s Discount Furniture and Retro Fitness, and prolific illegal left turns onto Nome Avenue reliably gum up the works. With the holiday shopping blitz looming, we might envy cities that champion data-driven traffic design—here, gridlock persists as a sort of asphalt-based community tradition.
As the new Staten Island high school girls’ basketball season tips off, St. Joseph by-the-Sea faces the unenviable task of defending its CHSAA AAA crown minus record-setter Angelina Hodgens, while Moore Catholic banks on the Bruno-Dunne sisters after losing star Brianna Caliri. Notre Dame Academy, Hill, and Staten Island Academy, now helmed by local legend Sandy Litkenhaus, all fancy their chances—or at least some lively post-game debates.
Children’s literature, grief, and furry companionship converged as Sophia Di Meglio recounted losing her beloved dog Buddy—a loss remedied, in time, by the arrival of another English Bullterrier, Sammy. Locals pondering pet adoption can visit Animal Care Centers of New York City this week, where the abundance of whiskered would-be housemates rivals Brooklyn’s brunch queues—though with considerably less avocado toast.
Petrides High School’s Panthers, undefeated at 12-0, aim to cap their perfect Staten Island football season in Saturday’s PSAL 1A final against East Harlem Pride at Old Boys and Girls HS in Brooklyn. While coach Dave Olah’s squad has shut out four straight opponents, their youthful rivals boast a quarterback fond of touchdowns and upsets—a reminder that chasing history often goes hand in hand with chasing one’s tail.
