Cheers Staten Island! We're back, helping you stay up to date with what's happening. Let's take on the day together! ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: America at 250 for Educators and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: When geese fly, one side is longer than the other. do you know why that is ? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. 'Staten Island isn't Manhattan': Leaders ask how Mamdani Vision Zero reboot will work here (silive.com) — Staten Island councilmembers are pushing back on Mayor Mamdani's revamped Vision Zero plan, arguing it doesn't reflect the borough's car-dependent reality or limited transit options. They support cracking down on reckless drivers and dangerous intersections, but warn blanket speed cameras and lower limits feel like a cash grab without better buses, ferries, and locally tailored safety fixes shaped by Staten Island crash data.
2. Staten Island man charged after search finds untaxed cigarettes, psilocybin, air pistol (silive.com) — A Staten Island man has been charged after investigators raided a Port Richmond convenience store and nearby residence, seizing untaxed cigarettes, psilocybin-infused chocolate bars, and an imitation Glock air pistol. Prosecutors say the bust followed months of undercover buys at Zaza & Co. Exotic and Convenience Store on Castleton Avenue, part of a broader crackdown on illegal smoke shops that officials argue are hurting neighborhood quality of life.
3. A church that sounds like home (livinglutheran.org) — Staten Island's growing Arab Christian community now has its own Arabic-language worshiping home, Our Lady of Salam, sharing space with Christ Lutheran and building out Sunday school, youth, and women's groups. The new congregation, tied to Salam Radio Station and a Brooklyn sister church, aims to offer immigrants a place to worship in Arabic while learning how to sustain a local ministry through volunteering and shared stewardship.
4. Hellenic Classical Charter Schools Unite Academic Achievement With Greek Heritage (hellenicnews.com) — Families on Staten Island should know that the Hellenic Classical Charter School's local campus is expanding to serve eighth graders starting in the 2026–27 school year, combining rigorous academics with daily Greek language and culture. The article details strong test performance, national recognition for the Brooklyn campus, and unique programs like ancient Greek theater and trips to Greece that are also shaping opportunities for Staten Island students.
5. Rabies Cases Prompt Nationwide Health Advisory: What New Yorkers Should Know (patch.com) — Health officials report 27 rabid animals so far this year across Staten Island and other boroughs, an increase from last year and a reminder to take bites or scratches seriously. Staten Islanders are urged to wash wounds immediately, contact doctors or health officials quickly, keep pets' rabies shots current, and avoid handling wildlife as national rabies exposures rise.
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Ok Staten Island! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: because there are more geese on that side (Thank you jo L. for sending it in!)
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