The increase in price  to go to work is one of Staten Island’s main problems. Depending on their income, some have limited money to spend on  tolls everyday and have to provide for their families. According to CBS, tolls on the Henry Hudson Bridge will increase to $2.44 for E-ZPass users, up from the current $2.20. For others, the toll will increase to $5.

Ms.Oconnor, a teacher at New Dorp High School, said, “I’m disappointed in the toll hikes because my mom lives in Brooklyn, so when I pick her up it costs me twenty-one dollars.”  She also added, “They are charging me to support the transportation system and I don’t actually use it.” Clearly, the increase in the toll hikes will impact many Islanders.

from Acma on Vimeo

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Mark Ramses and Jeffery Rivera contributed to this article

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The EP titled Emergency Protocol consists of these five songs in the following order: Hopeful Horizon, Eternal Endeavor, The Witness, Song 4, and Chocolate Snow. After being published on iTunes, Google Play and various other webstores, on January 5th, minor advertising started to roam the school’s hallways; from person to person primarily by word of mouth.

“I say the band is forced together by our friendship,” said Joseph, Pull’s keyboardist. Roemello added “It is nothing special when we gather up together to write something new, it is like spending time with the people you love.” Roemello discussed how the writing process goes with the rest of the band as well.

It is obvious that  the band is very dedicated to their work.  They even have an upcoming gig planned.  They will be playing in Battle of the Bands on April 6th, 2013.  The event will be held at the Full Cup, 388 Van Duzer Street in Stapleton, Staten Island.  It will take place between 6:30 pm and 12:30 am.

(Roarke Carrique had also contributed to this article)

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(Pictures provided by Emily Zoda)

Normally, when a United States Cabinet member visits a school they’re the center of attention. In this case, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was no more than a concerned listener.

On December 13th, Sec. Arne Duncan visted a few areas in Staten Island that were affected by Hurricane Sandy, including New Dorp High School.

Sec. Duncan arrived at exactly 9:00 AM walking beside a Secret Service agent, while he greeted Principal Deirdre DeAngelis and UFT President Michael Mulgrew.

Images of the tragedies displayed on a screen served as the backdrop to a filled courtroom of New Dorp students, their parents and staff members whom were affected by the storm.

A very emotional Principal Mrs. Deanglis welcomed everyone in the courtroom. Duncan sat beside Mrs. DeAngelis, UFT President Michael Mulgrew, Chancellor Dennis Walcott and Ernie Logan. All prepared to listen to each person’s story.

New Dorp High School Physical Education teacher, Peter Lamarca was not personally affected by the storm. Although, he felt the need to help his community.

“This country is great because family is value,” said Mr. Lamarca. “It’s not about today or tomorrow, its about may or june if we’re still going to be compassionate and remember what happened.”

Mr. Dillon, a local business owner, w hose business was destroyed from the hurricane, explained how all people present had two things in common. That all have been affected by the storm and got support from the school and community.

He went on to say Deirde is everyones “therapy.”

“The result of your leadership supported schools and family.” said Chancellor Dennis Walcott.

Arne Duncan expanded on Chancellor Walcotts’s discussion of leadership. Stating that school is not about reading or writing, its about family.

“This will change you forever,” said Sec. Duncan. Cant tell you how much you inspire me as a community.”

UFT President Michael Mulgrew also went on to say, ” I knew the story of this school had to be told this is why I asked Secretary Duncan to come to the school.”

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We begin with an original Christmas display on Todt Hill road. Here, the typical Christmas scene is being presented, a large Santa Claus statue is lying in the middle of the driveway, and with the addition of Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Rednosed reindeer. Furthermore, the brightly decorated candy canes on the front doors adds the final touch to the fantastic decoration.

At second place, we have a house on Sharrotts Rd and Bloomindale. Here, the style that has been presented is the complete polar opposite of the recent one. Decorations range from snowmen to reindeers, Santa to Toy Soldiers, to put it in short everything that you can relate to Christmas is presented. Moreover, the whole house came to life with the addition of colorful lights, and outrage decorations.

“ I wonder how much their electric bill is?” Said Tom Petti, a current student of New Dorp High School. “ I personally wouldn’t waste my time and money on this, but it always nice to see streets come to live around Staten Island.”

Last but not least, we have our winner. Located on Collyer Ave Bland Pl, this house here, unlike the others, are dazzled with bright colorful lights, however, there is still an organized element about it. Furthermore, the giant candy canes and icesickles coming down from the roof, bejeweled every corners of the house. With the addition of a giant banner, saying Happy Holidays, it adds the final touch to a exquisite decorated house, that you would only see on a gingerbread house.

If you are a big fan of Christmas, these are the sight that you would want to see.

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Gary, who lives in the New Dorp area, got seven feet of ocean water on his entire first floor. Sandy ruined Gary’s room and most of his personal belongings

“I cannot believe all of this happened,” said the 16 year old New Dorp Junior. “while everything was going on all I was thinking was I need to get out of this place (his home) alive.” Gary then took all of the items he had that he considered were important and swam down his block that was flowing viciously like a river. He then reached a neighbors house and stayed there until everything calmed down the next day.

The whole baseball team went to his home and helped out as much as they could, and they went around the area to help out anyone in need. The team also held a tailgate on his block  serving hot dogs, hamburgers, snacks and drinks which they gave to many people throughout the New Dorp area.

“I’m so thankful for my great teammates and my coaches , and what they did for me,” proclaimed Knapp. “I don’t know what I would do without these guys.”

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MTA BusTime should be a very helpful program for bus riders on Staten Island and waiting for a bus will be a thing of the past.

After several years of stops and starts, some false hopes and finally a successful pilot program in Brooklyn along Fifth Avenue, MTA New York City Transit has launched BusTime. This is a real-time bus tracking program and can be used on all Staten Island bus routes.

“Bus Time is going to transform the way that our 2.5 million bus riders use the bus system every day, and we’re thrilled to start here on Staten Island,” MTA Chairman Joseph J. Lhota said. “The MTA continues to bring new technology to our customers in ways that make our transit system better every day. With Bus Time you can get real-time information right on your cell phone or computer.”
The program is set up so that users can search for a bus route or intersection to see where buses are along the line. Additionally, riders may text a bus stop code or intersection to ‘511123’ to receive tracking information, and bus poles and shelters on Staten Island are now equipped with QR codes as well.

The MTA hopes to roll out a city-wide system by the end of 2013. To find out more on this new program, check out their official website at “bustime.mta.info/”.

All bus stops on Staten Island now have QR codes for smartphones to track the buses and will have this information on the schedule box as shown above.

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Gramere station currently has poor platform edges, stairwells and signage.

Grasmere Station on the Staten Island Railway will be rehabilitated soon. There is a temporary station platform being erected north of the station on Clove Road that will serve as Grasmere station while the old platform and station house are removed and rebuilt. Once this renovation is complete, the station will be equipped with turnstiles and Metrocard vending machines for passengers entering and exiting the station. It will also have tactile warning strips and new platform edges. Mark, a transit worker on the NYC subway, commented that “It really sickens me that while riders on the SIR get a free ride almost everywhere south of Tompkinsville station; the outer boroughs have to pay for the subway. Even though the SIR is a single rail line, it should be treated like a bus, where you have to go from point A to point B”. The station rehabilitation will not be finished until April 2013.

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Besides Hari IV, the steel scopture the sits in the front of the main entrance, another beautiful sight across from the building lays there. It is hard to ignore the mile-long field streches from the school’s parking lot until the shores of the New York City Lower Bay. Miller Field, named after James Ely Miller, a captain of the 95^th Aero Squadron in the Air Force, who died in a combat on March 9, 1918 over Rhiems, France in World War I and was the first United States aviator killed in the war that was serving with an American military aviation unit. Before being a part of the National Register of Historic Places as of now, it was  the only coastal defense air station in the eastern United States and was part of the network of fortifications around New York City. It was built on land formerly belonging to the Vanderbilt family. It was the last airport in New York City that had a grassy runway. Besides a runway, it also had ramps, ports for seaplanes and four hangars. It’s main purpose was to train Coast Guard personnal that were intersted in aviation.

On December 16, 1960 a Douglas DC-8 and a Lockheed Super Constellation collided west of the Miller Field. The Constellation crashed into the northwest corner of the field’s airport. And the DC8 crashed into Park Slope, Brooklyn. 135 were people were killed in total. The 1960 New York air disaster was the worst airline disaster of that decade.

Currently, the field is a local park with soccer and baseball fields. It hosts the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in the summer annually.

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