We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Ralph A. Modugno, 92, of Syracuse, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. Born on August 25, 1932, to the late Frank and Angela (Sacco) Modugno, he was a graduate of North High School and Syracuse University. A proud veteran,... View Obituary & Service Information Modugno created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Available by phone 24/7 (315) 451-9500 Receive emails when new obituariesare published to our website Each of our funeral homes offers a complete range of services in tastefully decorated Professionally trained and licensed staff members stand ready to provide sensitive caring service and strive to exceed the expectations of each and every family.Our communities are wonderfully diverse in religious beliefs Our staff truly appreciates these differences and our training includes heartfelt understanding and respect for the special needs of all whom we serve Hartford | Windsor | Poquonock | Granby | Suffield | South Windsor | Rockville | Vernon | Avon© Carmon Community Funeral Homes | Funeral Home Website Design By Frazer Consultants & TA Your browser may not work with certain site. Upgrade now. Copyright © 2022 ALM Media Properties, LLC. In a suit filed in Essex County Superior Court, Lowenstein Sandler says Trif & Modugno and partner Louis A. Modugno drove a Lowenstein Sandler client, Harmony Foundation of New Jersey, into insolvency and receivership. Two New Jersey law firms are battling over $766,276 in unpaid legal fees stemming from the struggles of a medical cannabis dispensary In a suit filed in Essex County Superior Court Lowenstein Sandler says Trif & Modugno and partner Louis A The Recorder The Legal Intelligencer New York Law Journal The American Lawyer National Law Journal Brugh Lower of Gibbons has entered an appearance for industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit accusing the defendant of selling knock-off Graco products 18 in New Jersey District Court by Rivkin Radler on behalf of Graco Inc Read More Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered their appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital and its executives 24 in New York Southern District Court by Zell accuses the defendants of negligently and fraudulently managing the plaintiff's $1 million investment Read More Attorneys from A&O Shearman has stepped in as defense counsel for Toronto-Dominion Bank and other defendants in a pending securities class action 11 in New York Southern District Court by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld accuses the defendants of concealing the bank's 'pervasive' deficiencies in regards to its compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the quality of its anti-money laundering controls Read More a Pennsylvania company providing shared communications infrastructure Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani to fend off a pending breach-of-contract lawsuit 25 in Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC accuses Crown Castle of failing to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments from T-Mobile in breach of a roof-top lease and assignment agreement Read More Schwartz of McCarter & English have stepped in as defense counsel to Electrolux Home Products Inc 26 in New York Eastern District Court by Poulos Lopiccolo PC and Nagel Rice LLP on behalf of David Stern alleges that the defendant's refrigerators’ drawers and shelving repeatedly break and fall apart within months after purchase Read More Already have an account? Sign In Patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, one of the deadliest gynecologic cancers, who lived in disadvantaged neighborhoods had a worse chance of survival compared to those in more advantaged areas, according to a pilot study published in Gynecologic Oncology by University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers “We need to pay attention to factors above and beyond the individual—like the environment in which a patient lives—that could impact their care,” said corresponding author Francesmary Modugno and reproductive sciences and with Magee-Womens Research Institute “We must find ways to improve outcomes for people who do not come from well-resourced areas and work as a society to fix the issues in underresourced neighborhoods.” Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a particularly aggressive form of cancer with a five-year survival rate of about 50% even after accounting for factors like disease stage and therapy type The new study suggests that neighborhood-based social determinants of health could contribute to these outcomes To investigate the link between community factors and EOC outcomes Modugno and her team analyzed data from 177 patients who were newly diagnosed with EOC and received treatment at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center between 2012 and 2022 Patients had a median age of about 65 years Researchers followed the patients over time to measure cancer recurrence and survival Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) which measures 16 indicators of social and environmental vulnerability across four categories—socioeconomic status minority status and housing/transportation—the researchers ranked the neighborhood of each patient’s home on a scale from low to high vulnerability The analysis revealed a striking pattern: Patients living in neighborhoods with the highest social vulnerability had significantly worse survival than those in less vulnerable areas there are several possible reasons for this pattern patients living in areas with limited access to public transport might have trouble getting to appointments and receiving treatment living in a neighborhood with greater poverty and higher unemployment might create an environment in which personal safety and employment take priority over caring for one’s health leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment particularly that associated with living in highly socially vulnerable neighborhoods can directly suppress the immune system’s ability to identify and destroy cancer cells intensifying health disparities in already at-risk populations Modugno found that allostatic load—a marker of chronic lifetime stress—was associated with worse survival in patients with EOC “We see a great variability in how women respond to ovarian cancer therapy and in survival outcomes,” said Modugno “Understanding these disparities requires us to look beyond biological factors to the social contexts that shape health.” the study highlights the importance of addressing social determinants of health to reduce health disparities While earlier research has often focused on individual factors the multidimensional approach offered by the SVI provides a more comprehensive understanding of how overlapping vulnerabilities and social context influence health outcomes the results indicate an urgent need to integrate neighborhood vulnerability metrics into cancer care strategies Policymakers and health care providers could use tools like the SVI to identify at-risk populations tailor interventions and allocate resources more effectively Addressing systemic issues like housing instability transportation barriers and economic inequities could create environments that promote healthier behaviors and better cancer outcomes UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital has programs to help patients get to chemotherapy and other cancer appointments if they need assistance Modugno plans to expand this research in larger and more diverse patient groups to further examine how social and biological factors interact to influence cancer progression and survival Fernanda Juarez Anaya is a PhD candidate in the University of Pittsburgh Center for Neuroscience She is participating in the UPMC Science Writing Mentorship Program Key facts and figures that set our six top-ranked schools apart PDF version » Pitt Med magazine is the flagship publication of the School of Medicine Health Sciences Strategic Communications is here to help Read this week's magazine After a 12-year tenure at Random House Children’s Books most recently as VP and executive director of Random House Studio Since beginning her publishing career in 1979 she has held positions at four leading children’s book companies in three cities and launched numerous popular picture book characters and series Modugno remained close to home for her first job but four years after arriving at the house where she established the West Coast office of Harcourt Children’s Books she edited The Napping House by Audrey Wood and Don Wood and worked with other celebrated authors and illustrators The editor’s next stop was Boston where she acquired and edited Holly Hobbie’s Toot and Puddle and worked with such literary luminaries as Barbara Cooney Modugno returned to Manhattan to serve as VP acquiring and editing a robust roster of successful titles including Victoria Kann’s Pinkalicious “Maria became a driving force behind the success of our picture book program.” The editor’s skill at recognizing picture book characters that resonate with young readers led to the acquisition of such bestsellers as Uni the Unicorn by Amy Krouse Rosenthal which spawned three additional picture books and numerous other Uni books across multiple formats that have accumulated sales of more than one million copies worldwide Modugno also worked with creators Suzanne and Max Lang to develop the Grumpy Monkey series Recent notable additions to the editor’s stable are Lane Smith’s Stickler Loves the World and Buffalo Fluffalo written by Bess Kalb and illustrated by Erin Kraan Modugno has demonstrated a talent for calibrating her acquisitions publishing books that land on award lists as well as bestseller lists “Maria somehow balances hugely commercial titles with books that sell well and receive critical acclaim,” Wade added citing as examples Penguin Problems and its sequels by Jory John illustrated by Smith; the Underwear Dragon books by Scott Rothman illustrated by Pete Oswald; and The Paper Kingdom by Helena Ku Rhee Modugno’s knack for striking that balance is well attuned but she acknowledges that it can be tricky to achieve “My goal was always to acquire and edit high-quality books that appealed to kids and sold well commercially—and those things can be difficult to find in the same book,” she noted Yet distinct priorities have prevailed throughout Modugno’s career I’ve had the chance to publish characters that make kids laugh—which has always been a priority for me as an editor,” she explained “And whenever I found a character that I wanted to publish I never saw beyond that first book—I never envisioned the character becoming a big franchise My goal has always been to make the first book as good as it could be.” Modugno’s editorial instincts may well be rooted in her own childhood “I have total recall of my childhood—I really loved being a kid,” she said I read all the time and spent a lot of time in my own world—and I love going back there The grownup in me wants to find quality books for kids to help them shape their tastes—but I can also read a book as a kid and imagine how a young reader would react to it.” Beyond her list of publishing accomplishments Modugno has profoundly influenced those she has worked with EVP and publisher of Random House Books for Young Readers Group she made an impact,” Loehr said in a statement “Her passion and knowledge about picture books go far beyond editorial and she connected with people in every department I truly believe that she has mentored us all and I am extraordinarily grateful for the years she has been a part of our team.” supporting her colleagues has never been a specific item on Modugno’s agenda “I think that has happened naturally—that is how I learned when I started in the business,” she said “It was through internships and talking to people rather than through any formal mentoring programs I mostly want to let them know it’s important to trust your authors and artists—and to trust your instincts.” As she closed the most recent chapter of her career “I can say that my experience with Random House Studio has really been the best I got a lot of support and had great colleagues It’s a small imprint in a big corporation and we are nimble—and I think that helped us to move fast and myself—were looking for different kinds of books We were all allowed to play to our strengths.” Modugno looks forward to a very different kind of play (which she called “The Brooklyn of Chicago”) where she moved from New York City during the pandemic to be closer to family “Now I’ll have more freedom and time to spend time with them,” she said “I decided to retire while I still loved my job—and ‘I’ve had enuffalo.’ ” At the top of Modugno’s retirement to-do list “I live three blocks from Lake Michigan and I plan to spend the summer at the shore I also want to travel—I have a long list of places I’d like to go and I might finally make good on my plan to go to the gym.” Recently, Perfect Game put together a list of their Top 500 freshmen who did not sign with a professional team and will instead head to campuses to begin their college baseball careers in 2025 As you'd expect, the Alabama Crimson Tide were represented on this list as well headlined by landing a player within the Top 10 overall in utility man Andre Modugno Modugno is coming off a senior season in which he played for IMG Academy in Florida slashing .286/.444/.523 for one of the nation's top teams and is likely to make an impact this spring for Alabama as a true freshman 191 in left-handed pitcher Ashton Alston out of Christian Community in Tennessee This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page the University of Notre Dame has chosen to print its yearbook with Walsworth Yearbooks With such a distinguished reputation in education what matters most to them when they decide who to trust with their publication Walsworth spoke with University of Notre Dame Print Media Coordinator and yearbook adviser Dylan Wallace and Dome yearbook editor-in-chief Natalie Modugno about their journeys with yearbook and the role Walsworth Yearbooks plays in creating a quality printed yearbook to represent their school The University of Notre Dame’s long-standing relationship with Walsworth is largely due to their Walsworth Yearbooks sales representative who has worked with this account for over 30 years Wallace said her help has proved invaluable to the success of their yearbook who came in and was new and was trying to just learn everything to have her as a resource was really helpful She’s quick to answer us … To have someone like that from Walsworth who’s always in communication with us is really helpful,” Wallace said Wallace and Modugno both emphasized the convenience of Walsworth’s Yearbook 360 – Online Design platform “I do feel like Walsworth’s [Yearbook 360 – Online Design] is definitely a helpful platform and Val always has good tricks,” Modugno said recalling how Tanke could give quick solutions when they were struggling “She would teach us how to use transparency and different things She showed us you could bold fun text by creating it as an object and then adding thickness; that was the coolest thing I had ever seen She definitely provided us with a lot of insights but also Walsworth in general is really easy to use It’s great because people who join the yearbook are like ‘I’ve never designed before,’ and we can easily show them how.” and it’s easy to keep track of everything,” Wallace added it just makes it a little easier to see everything and keep track of it all.” Modugno and the entire Dome staff worked tirelessly to create the 2024 yearbook Wallace explained that every time they brought a fresh batch of yearbooks to distribute around campus over a three-to-four-day period they seemingly disappeared with how fast students picked them up “We ran out hours before we were supposed to be done every single day,” Wallace said “It just shows the undergraduate student body is really excited to get their yearbooks and Natalie and her staff did a really good job promoting this on social media.” They make a point to keep the three previous years’ yearbooks available at distribution and often see numerous students who pick up the current yearbook asking for ones from their freshman Wallace partially attributes their yearbook’s popularity to Modugno and her staff’s efforts to involve other organizations and groups on campus for an inclusive coverage strategy “People are willing to send us pictures and help out because everyone wants to make sure they’re included in the yearbook You don’t want to be the one dorm or the one sports team that’s excluded from the yearbook,” Wallace said “The feedback’s been really great this year “We made it a top priority to get every dorm pictured which definitely helped people get excited about it And we worked a lot on our social media presence,” Modugno said which she felt contributed to the positive energy and reception The cover became a massive hit with students While Wallace felt nervous going into his first year after hearing that last year’s cover was the best one ever they decided to go a completely different direction this year ‘Everyone says this is the best cover they’ve ever done when we unveiled the cover at our banquet two or three weeks ago was one of the best ones they’ve ever seen.” The staff worked with Walsworth Cover Artist Lauren Kellam and they credit her with understanding their vision and crafting it into a tangible reality Wallace said they could not be happier with how the cover turned out “What was amazing was definitely the cover It was great to work with a Walsworth designer and share our ideas They were very helpful in our own brainstorming process and in bringing our ideas to life We were able to go back and forth to try to make it perfect,” Modugno said “We were writing down what people said about the yearbook this year and people were always saying how gorgeous it was … We don’t like when people judge a book by its cover Wallace said Modugno’s commitment to inclusive coverage and capturing Notre Dame’s unique persona led to overwhelming praise a senior majoring in political science and applied computational mathematics and statistics explained how yearbook skills translate into her seemingly unrelated major and how thankful she is for those opportunities to grow “A lot of the skills I learned from the yearbook which helped me work on my research process and explore my interests,” Modugno said “It’s inspired me to try to work towards having a job that’s more about what I’m passionate about it’s a good moment in my life where I get to do something I love I learned I don’t want to give that up for a job.” couldn’t resist adding praise for her demonstrated leadership mentioning how he felt she would use those skills in her future career and it’s because of how she led it,” Wallace said She set us up for a lot of success in the future because of how she molded some of the other people on staff The editor-in-chief coming in next year is going to have a lot that she can take from what Natalie did that’s going to help us transition into next year.” When asked what advice they would offer fellow yearbookers Modugno stressed the crucial role of relationships in ensuring the success of the end product “Rely on one another and work on your community because having a supportive staff definitely makes a difference It makes you even more proud of your product because you know you put your heart and soul into it and your friends did as well.” Wallace advised to break the mold of what’s already been done you want to look at what last year’s staff did and might want to try to find some things that are easy to translate over but you also want to try to make it different And that’s what hopefully next year’s staff “You don’t necessarily have to try to beat it but just try to make it something you wanted to do and that you think looks good … try something different.” Walsworth takes great pride in its long-standing relationship with the University of Notre Dame Walsworth’s commercial division also prints their commencement programs and several student magazines This allows an even wider audience to benefit from Walsworth’s quality and service “Working with the University of Notre Dame yearbook is a privilege,” said Tanke “Our relationship with Notre Dame is a true partnership we have created an outstanding student publication The staff takes their responsibility seriously knowing the yearbook is a lasting memory of their years on campus and I can feel the history as I walk through the most beautiful campus I am grateful to have this experience.” The Dome staff hosts an end-of-year yearbook banquet each year Walsworth Area Sales Manager Mark Sigman and Walsworth Director of Client Relations Tripp Walsworth “It is an honor to be partners with such an outstanding institution as it is one of the longest and most treasured schools we have We are thrilled to continue to capture and share their memories and look forward to the future,” Walsworth said sharing how much he enjoyed meeting the staff and attending such a special event specifically mentioning an email conversation with Walsworth President Don Walsworth “It’s been a really good partnership … It’s great to meet a lot of the people I haven’t met at the banquet and have them tell us how much Notre Dame means to them,” Wallace said “The fact that they really enjoy making the Notre Dame yearbook helps us because we know in the back of our head even though things can get really tight on deadlines things can get a little tough … Walsworth is always willing to try to work with us.” We specialize in high-quality yearbook printing and provide learning resources to support your school’s needs A song inspired by a Marc Chagall painting and sung by an Italian actor ruled the American airwaves the summer of ‘58 The popular music of the late 1950s was dominated by Italian singers from the urban northeast — though you might never guess it with a cursory glance at their names there was Perry (Pierino) Como and Dean Martin (Dino Crocetti) the rock and doo-wop scene was full of young Italians: the top ten summer songs of 1958 included “Little Star” by an Italian-American quintet called the Elegants and “Splish Splash” by Bobby Darin (born Cassotto) Their popular peers included Frankie Avalon (Avalone) and dozens more; even Elvis Presley had one of his biggest hits with “It’s Now or Never,” an English-language rewrite of “O Sole Mio.” But the biggest hit of the summer of 1958 — and but an import; “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu,” better known as “Volare” (“Flying”) by an artist with the unmistakably Italian name of Domenico Modugno The end of the swing era had left an opening for new sounds on the American pop scene and it was a high point for international artists and songs “Volare” not only eclipsed all the year’s other records in sales but won both song and record of the year in the first Grammy Awards (as well as a nomination for Modugno as best male vocalist) — despite competition from a bilingual remake by Dean Martin The song went to the top ten again in 1960 in an English version by Bobby Rydell (Ridarelli) but Modugno’s remains the most familiar performance The uniqueness of this breakthrough is underlined by how unusual the song was considered even in Italy and radio personality whose voice was considered rather rough and unsophisticated — in Italian terms co-writer Franco Migliacci was inspired by a Marc Chagall painting of a hovering figure with a blue face and imagined someone daubing himself blue and flying through space and Modugno set the Italian pop world on its ear by winning the prestigious San Remo Festival as both singer and composer He went on to perform the song as Italy’s entry in the Eurovision Song Contest taking third prize and inspiring covers throughout Europe in various languages If Modugno’s triumph was in some ways unique it is also a reminder of how varied the American pop world was on the cusp of the rock era we tend to remember the late 1950s as an era of rebellious young rock ‘n’ rollers — but there were still a lot of other sounds in the air some of which appealed to a broader audience than the rocking teen hits The Top 40 format — in which radio stations played a mix of the week’s forty top-selling records regardless of genre — meant that radio listeners heard older artists like Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughn alongside the latest teen idols and sometimes sounds from further afield as well mambo was running neck and neck with rock ‘n’ roll as a dance craze; Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock” was the number two hit of 1955 behind “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White,” by Pérez Prado the King of the Mambo — and Haley himself had previously scored with “Mambo Rock.” “Volare” was the most successful foreign-language hit in U.S and for a few years international sounds were a regular part of the pop mix Italians continued to lead the way; Connie Francis recorded an album of Italian favorites in 1959 that was so popular she recorded five more in the next four years Emilio Pericoli’s “Al di là” reached the top ten in 1962 and the number one hits of 1963 included the Singing Nun’s French “Dominique,” and Kyu Sakamoto’s Japanese “Sukiyaki.” it’s easy to treat those records as anomalies and think of the Everly Brothers and Duane Eddy as more typical of where American pop was headed in the summer of ’58 — but it’s worth remembering that although the Beatles were rock ‘n’ rollers and it’s not so far from “Flying into the blue painted blue” to “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Listen to the complete top ten from the summer of 1958 on Spotify. Elijah Wald is a writer and musician whose books include How the Beatles Destroyed Rock 'n' Roll: An Alternative History of American Popular Music and Dylan Goes Electric He has traveled widely as a performer and speaker The little-known story of a deadly 1898 race massacre and coup d’état in Wilmington when white supremacists overthrew the multi-racial government of state’s largest city through a campaign of violence and intimidation La historia poco conocida de la fatal masacre racial y del golpe de estado de 1898 en Wilmington When Black neighborhoods across America erupted in violence in the summer of 1967 President Johnson appointed a commission to find the cause for the unrest Their findings offered an unvarnished assessment of American race relations By challenging conventional links between Black women’s lives and their art Ella Fitzgerald made space for imagination The Billboard Hot 100 has been around since 1958 The Japanese-language chart-topper has seemingly sparked a thousand covers — but most obscure the song’s complex geopolitical history After 30 years in one of the most demanding and time-consuming jobs in education Ernie Modugno isn’t ready to be done The past six months of “retirement” – he always planned to come back – reaffirmed Modugno’s passion for Naples High School and his position as athletic director Modugno enters his 31st school year leading Golden Eagles athletics with the same enthusiasm and excitement he had on Day 1 very fortunate to work at Naples High School,” Modugno said “I don’t think I would be doing it this long if I were doing it at any other place.” spent the past six months in retirement to take advantage of a financial clause in the state retirement system Because he hit his 35-year mark working for the state Modugno was able to receive a lump-sum payout of pension benefits by retiring but he was not able to return for six months His first official day back as AD is Wednesday but it’s not anything I want to do permanently,” he said Perhaps no one is as excited to see Modugno return than Golden Eagles football coach Bill Kramer all 20 of his seasons leading the football team Kramer took over AD duties on special assignment That’s in addition to running offseason workouts with his team 1,” Kramer said about Modugno’s return “(Modugno) has unmatched institutional knowledge really nice mix in an athletic director.” Modugno has been at Naples High even longer He started at the school in 1981 as Youth and Public Relations deputy (now called a school resource officer) with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office who eventually became a social studies and history teacher He was the boys soccer and boys tennis head coach who later became Collier County Public Schools superintendent asked Modugno if he wanted to be athletic director in 1988 But Modugno took the job as a favor to White who had been supportive of the young teacher “I don’t know if I’ll ever retire,” Modugno said “Even at some point if I decide I want to stop doing what I’m doing “I still have plenty of energy and enthusiasm and I’m very excited to be coming back.” There were many mornings in the past 33 years when Ernie Modugno could have hit the snooze button Because of his job as athletic director at Naples High School Modugno spent many late nights at the field or at the gym and no one would have faulted him for getting to work a little late the next day But no matter how deep into the night the Golden Eagles played Modugno always made a point to be at school bright and early the next day “I’m a very competitive person I wouldn’t want to think anyone is outworking me,” Modugno said “It was always important for me to be here before 7 each morning regardless of how late I was up (the night before) I always go back to the kids – if they’re expected to be here Modugno’s drive and passion led Naples’ athletic programs to countless wins and hundreds of championship trophies in his three-plus decades Those qualities also made Modugno a Hall of Fame AD And they’re also why he’ll be so dearly missed by his coaches and co-workers Modugno will be at his desk bright and early for the final time After 33 years as the Eagles’ AD and 40 years at the school ADs work 40 hours a week as a school administrator during the day the official job title is “activities coordinator” because ADs oversee all extracurricular programs Of the 15 high schools in Collier County with varsity sports only three ADs other than Modugno have been in the job for longer than seven years Modugno has been at Naples twice as long as the second-longest tenured AD in Collier County who’s been the AD at Golden Gate for 17 years Modugno said he’s lasted so long because he loves the work and loves Naples High which has allowed him to approach his job differently “It’s not really a job; it’s a lifestyle,” Modugno said “Some people work really well in that lifestyle Other people treat it as a job and it doesn’t work out well You’re not on a regular eating schedule not on a regular sleep schedule like everyone else You either love it or you leave it.” ‘The highest of expectations’Under Modugno Naples High School teams have won 169 district The Eagles can even claim two national championships – ESPN's high school website ranked Naples' 1998 softball team and 2009 baseball team No (Modugno) provides a vision for what he wants from the athletic experience for our students,” Naples principal Darren Burkett said “He is there to support our coaches and athletes while maintaining the highest of expectations There is no uncertainty of the standard he aims to maintain on all teams.” plus the overall success of the Naples program are why Modugno was elected to the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2019 Coaches who worked for Modugno said his support and his wealth of knowledge and experience helped them be successful “He makes you feel like he works for you instead of you working for him,” Naples girls cross country coach Rich Haralson said and (Modugno is) a big part of that.” Haralson might be the only coach at Naples who wasn’t hired by Modugno just finished his 41st season coaching cross country at the school He led the girls team to two state championships Haralson has continued to coach because Modugno has helped foster a strong culture at Naples and I think Ernie is a big reason I still love coaching,” Haralson said Golden Eagles coaches describe Modugno as “by the book” when it comes to following rules They say that takes pressure off them when anyone wants them to bend a rule to get an edge Coaches also say Modugno’s even-keeled demeanor makes him easy to work for and allows the AD to deal with difficult situations better than most His blood pressure never goes up,” said former Golden Eagles football coach Bill Kramer “He is exceedingly linear and logical “The fact that he’s been with Collier County Public Schools so long There’s no accounting for that experience It’s hard for me to place a high enough value on his experience.” Modugno hired Kramer in 1998 to take over a football program that had one winning season the previous 14 years Naples became the first high school football team in Southwest Florida to win a state championship They remain one of only two local programs to win a state title (Immokalee did it in 2004) In 22 seasons on the sidelines (1998-2019) Kramer also led Naples to 17 district and eight regional titles The legendary coach routinely thanked his administrator “He is the best in the business,” said Kramer who is a guidance counselor for CCPS alternative schools “It will be very difficult for Naples High to replace him We’re losing a valuable resource when we lose Ernie Modugno.” Modugno never intended to get into education his best friend and roommate worked in the schools as a youth and public relations deputy (YRD) with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office (the position is now called a school resources officer) Seeing how much his friend enjoyed his job There was one problem – Modugno was not an American citizen Modugno was born in Germany to German parents but was adopted by an American soldier serving in the country and his wife At the end of his junior year at Stow-Munroe Falls High School Modugno’s family moved to Fort Myers Modugno graduated from Fort Myers High in 1972 then attended the University of South Florida and in 1981 he started at Naples High as a YRD officer Part of his job was to give presentations in classrooms and other Naples teachers suggested he become an educator Modugno took a year off to earn his teaching degree then became a history and social studies teacher at Naples in 1986 Modugno was named the state’s American History Teacher of the Year Modugno also holds the distinction of being the first varsity soccer coach in Naples High history but Fort Myers didn’t have a team when he was in school the boys soccer program at Naples moved from club to varsity when then-AD Roy Terry became a principal at another school asked the 34-year-old Modugno to take the position “That was a shocker to me,” Modugno said whether it’s creating a lesson plan or doing any other task I found out quickly athletic director is completely the opposite You’re constantly juggling things that are incomplete That created a lot of anxiety and cognitive dissonance early because I was a task completer.” While Modugno said the first year was rough he found his groove and learned to love it The athletic program also found success early under Modugno In addition to the girls cross country title in 1990 the Eagles’ softball team won seven state championships in Modugno’s first eight years “It’s very challenging every day,” Modugno said of his job very few instances where I said to myself in the morning I wish I didn’t have to go to work today.’” When Modugno took over the Naples athletic department nine of the 15 high schools in Collier County didn’t exist Now the Golden Eagles are tasked with replacing all that Modugno has given the school for four decades “His role as an activities coordinator does not fully capture the impact he has on our school,” said Burkett Modugno not only leads our athletics and activities he has also served as a listening ear and advisor to school administrators over the years.” The school’s administration will undergo another change next school year when current Lely principal Ellen Keegan takes the same position at Naples who was named the school district’s principal of the year this year Burkett doesn’t expect Golden Eagles athletics to suffer “The success of Naples High School is in our school community members,” the principal said and administrators who are dedicated to working hard When you pair that foundation with incredible parent and community support Keegan and our next activities coordinator even greater heights will be achieved.” He hopes to travel and spend time with his wife And he plans to be at as many Golden Eagles games as he can in the fall – only in the stands “It’s just been a joy to be here,” Modugno said “It’s been a fantastic experience and a privilege for me to be at a place like Naples High School where there are great people to work with very fortunate I’ve gotten to do something I’ve enjoyed for so many years and I don’t take that for granted.” Print Since it opened in 1988 Zinc Cafe & Market in Laguna Beach has been a hangout for locals and visitors who want to munch on a colorful salad or flaky croissant while sitting on an outdoor patio But the restaurant has also given people like Andrew Modugno a serving of hope a Laguna shelter and rehabilitation facility for the homeless recognized Zinc founder and owner John Secretan for their contributions to battling homelessness in the community Zinc has hired three people who have stayed at the shelter according to shelter marketing director Kristin Points Modugno handles hiring and scheduling and oversees daily operations at the cafe located at 350 Ocean Ave He was hired in January 2013 as a barista and worked his way up to supervisor and to his current role as manager The job provided staying power for Modugno who had succumbed to drug use and spent time in jail After graduating from Saddleback Valley Christian High School in San Juan Capistrano in 2008 Modugno enrolled in Santa Ana College’s fire technology program He completed the one-year program but his life began to unravel Modugno said he fell in with the wrong crowd and began experimenting with drugs Modugno was arrested for possession of a controlled substance in summer of 2009 and later that year he was caught trying to steal a DVD from a store His family suggested that Modugno get help and he spent 11/2 years enrolled in a recovery program out of state Modugno said he became sober and returned to Southern California in August 2011 But he returned to the same group of people and to drugs “Whatever I could get my hands on,” Modugno said It all came to a head in the spring of 2012 when Modugno was arrested twice in one week on suspicion of drug possession Modugno avoided prison through provisions of Proposition 36 an initiative passed by 60% of California voters in 2000 that requires people convicted of nonviolent drug possession to complete a licensed or certified drug treatment program instead of going to prison A judge expunged the charges against Modugno after he finished the program Modugno said he satisfied Proposition 36 requirements by participating in a Tustin drug and alcohol residential program Modugno needed another place to live when his insurance ran out He moved to a sober living house in Midway City but money problems continued to dog him and he knew he would need to find a job within two weeks Modugno called the city of Mission Viejo’s resource center “The only reason that popped into my head was because I used to work there,” said Modugno who was a community services specialist at the center Modugno said a woman answered his call and in the room with her was Mark Miller the Friendship Shelter’s current associate executive director [Miller] thought the shelter would be a good spot for me,” Modugno said Miller put him on the waiting list for a place in the 32-bed facility “I was lost; I had no idea what the next step was,” Modugno said He said that three months after moving into the Friendship Shelter the Orange County district attorney’s office charged him with two felony crimes stemming from the theft of $10,000 worth of gold coins from his aunt and uncle Modugno was arrested and spent a week in jail His aunt and uncle wrote a letter to the D.A. and Modugno said he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor grand theft “It showed me the power of forgiveness,” Modugno said “I would have been in jail for at least a year “It was right then when I turned the corner and started figuring out the road to recovery.” Friendship Shelter staff and volunteers provide meals case management and an array of support services aimed to overcome the causes of homelessness Residents are expected to earn an income and save money in order to leave the program with housing awaiting them Modugno applied for jobs all over town but got only one interview — at Zinc Modugno said potential employers might have been reluctant to take on a shelter resident Modugno’s case manager at the Friendship Shelter and a Laguna Beach resident knew of Zinc’s reputation and drove him to the cafe to apply for a position “He stood out as someone who wanted to better himself,” said Alyssa Mendez “I wanted him to feel like I could help him Modugno eventually filled Mendez’s role when she moved to Zinc’s Los Angeles location and became assistant general manager of that store Zinc also has a location in Corona del Mar “He likes to prove himself and never stops giving up,” Mendez said “This is a type of business where we’re much more interested in personality and whether they can do the job; skills can be taught,” Secretan said “All we look for is productive people willing to do the job.” Manolakas said the shelter provided fellowship Modugno needed who played board games late into the night,” Manolakas said “There was a sense of community and belonging Modugno now lives with two roommates in a house in Laguna Niguel He is taking classes at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo and hopes to transfer to a four-year college and possibly major in business “Without this program and John taking a chance on hiring me I do not know where I would be,” Modugno said Modugno said he is not ashamed of his past since it “has made me who I am.” “I had every chance to succeed in life,” Modugno said “My life path was created by my poor decisions I was lucky to have support of certain people helping me be where I am today.” 67% of the approximately 600 shelter residents have gained employment and secured long-term housing bryce.alderton@latimes.com Twitter: @AldertonBryce Bryce Alderton left Times Community News in 2018 education and public safety for the Daily Pilot Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map RANDOLPH – Nicholas Modugno grew up in Morristown dreaming about winning a county title But reality might be even better than Modugno's childhood dream to capture its second straight Morris County Tournament boys basketball championship on Saturday night Modugno shook his head as he looked around at his Green Wave teammates But it's unlikely any child's flight of fancy matched how the MCT final shook out as senior Michael Vaccaro sank two 3-pointers and Modugno added another The ninth-seeded Dodgers didn't even get on the scoreboard at County College of Morris until the final seconds of the first quarter when junior Jackson Maloney sank a three of his own as the Green Wave (20-4) held Madison to just five points: a 3-pointer and two free throws by sophomore point guard Evan Colao "We had to get out to a good start," Dodgers coach Joe Reel said Boys basketball: 2023 Morris County Tournament bracket, scores, schedule in the third quarter and went on a 12-2 run in the final five minutes and 41 seconds of the game Maloney led Madison with 14 points and four rebounds Dodgers junior forward Tommy Bland added 12 points and three rebounds This was the Dodgers' first trip to the MCT final since 2009 – their only appearance a loss to Mendham under coach Bill Librera They had already knocked off eighth seed Morris Knolls Delbarton, the No. 2 seed, has won eight MCT titles in 15 trips to the final – including a year ago when junior guard Lincoln Zimmermann was watching from the stands The Green Wave has won nine in a row heading into the NJSIAA Tournament next week a Mendham resident and the MCT Most Valuable Player "We know our defense allows us to get turnovers and able to push in transition That's what really helped us win the game." Girls basketball:Morris Catholic erases early deficit, beats Montville for 14th MCT title Modugno and junior Michael Van Raaphorst each scored 13 points in the final, and were named to the All-Tournament team. Colao and Madison senior Sean Mariani were also recognized by the Morris County coaches. Chatham senior Ryan Leskauskas, who scored his 1,000th career point in a MCT semifinal Lincoln Zimmermann's older brother, senior Nate Zimmermann, had been named the MVP as Delbarton soccer won the Morris County Tournament in October It feels good," said Vaccaro's 84-year-old grandfather Bill Kearns who lost only two football games while at Delbarton in the 1950s .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Al Jones | ajones5@mlive.comKALAMAZOO MI - Greenleaf Hospitality has made some changes in the front office operations of its Wings Events Center the longtime voice of the Kalamazoo Wings minor league ice hockey team and public relations director for Wings Stadium and the Kalamazoo Wings which owns the facility and the organizations did not say whether Modugno opted to leave or was terminated K-Wings Director of Sales Toni Daniels said "We thank Mike for his many seasons of service He is talented and has a bright future ahead of him I am excited to see the next chapter of his career." Attempts Thursday to contact Modugno, who apparently left the job on April 27, were not successful. Calls left with a spokeswoman for Greenleaf Hospitality drew no response Thursday In the release, Greenleaf stated it has a new direction that includes rebranding the operation at 3600 Vanrick Drive from Wings Stadium to Wings Events Center.Greenleaf said it intends to showcase the facility as one that is "focused not only on ice sporting events Wings Event Center is home to the Kalamazoo Wings and is marketing itself as a venue for concerts Modugno spoke fondly about his time with the organization but did not say what his plans are going forward "It was a pleasure being a part of the K-Wings third-ever championship team I still get goose bumps thinking about the fans greeting us at the airport in 2006 as we carried the Colonial Cup off the plane in Kalamazoo Seeing their reaction of utter joy will forever be ingrained in my memory." The organization lauded him as the longest-tenured broadcaster in K-Wing's history and for winning such awards as Broadcaster of the Year in the UHL during 2004 and for being a finalist for ECHL Public Relations of the Year in 2011 Kalamazoo Gazette/MLive Business writer Al Jones may be contacted at ajones5@mlive.com. Follow me on Twitter at ajones5_al Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Nick Modugno was the godfather of Valhalla's track and field program serving as the varsity head coach for nearly 40 years He was a father figure and inspiration to everyone representing the maroon and white as well, becoming a legend in the Viking community His legacy went beyond the painted lanes of a track or the school hallways Valhalla is mourning the loss of its former coach and physical education teacher Modugno passed away on Wednesday at the age of 91 due to complications from COVID-19. Generations of former runners and students took to social media following his passing memorializing their beloved coach and teacher by posting photos and stories "There were so many people that he had such an impact on by being around him that never ran track and it was people that had him in class," said Sandro Prosperino a 1987 Valhalla graduate who ran track for Modugno and now teaches and coaches the boys' soccer team at the school "He wasn't one of those one-dimensional people where he was just focused on his sport but on anyone that came across him whether it was in the classroom in the hallways. It didn't matter who you were he made you feel very valued and important to him." Affectionately known as "Coach D" — stemming from his original last name DiModugno, before he shortened it years ago — he guided the boys' track and field program to 14 league titles and 11 sectional championships during his time at Valhalla He also coached gymnastics and tennis there the new school track was dedicated and named after him.  TRIBUTE: Friday night lights salute the senior class, provide a glimmer of hope BASKETBALL: High school recruiting adapts to COVID-19 quarantine COMMITTED: Ursuline junior Sonia Citron gives verbal to Notre Dame Even after his official retirement in 2000 Modugno was regularly coming to meets and athletic events to show his support Through the highs and lows in coaching his team he remained consistent with his core values "He was the hardest worker I ever knew," former assistant coach and longtime Valhalla teacher Steve Reich said "He was the kind of guy where there were no obstacles in his way He would put his head down and go through it We had some tremendous jumpers and tremendous runners but they got treated no differently than the kids who were not studs He had the same expectations — show up for practice He also earned the respect of his runners and competitors asserting himself without ever saying a single swear word or swear word in his life," said Sonya Greaves a 1997 Valhalla graduate that ran for Modugno who now coaches her alma mater's girls' track and field team 'cheese and crackers.' Whenever he was upset 'Cheese and crackers!' or if you were late where he was a star athlete and was inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame He played baseball at Upper Iowa University and then enrolled into the army Modugno was stationed in Germany from 1954-56 and then played baseball in Europe for a brief period, before making his way back to the United States He graduated from Manhattan College and worked in New York City as a physical education teacher Christina and Christopher.  He is also survived by his ex-wife to see how many people really loved and cared about him," Diana said It makes it a little bit easier to know that so many people have such respect for my father." Follow Eugene Rapay on Twitter at @erapay5. Don't miss any of our exclusive content during the season. If you're not already subscribing, please click here to view our latest specials This work, Port Operations Sailor Named SPOM, by PO2 Tristan Lotz, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright 1958 was only two or three years after rock ‘n’ roll crossed over and changed the course of American culture And yet the biggest song of 1958 was a grandly hammy ballad about dreaming that your face is blue and that you can fly a little-known Italian singer-songwriter who’d later become a member of Italian parliament co-wrote “Volare” after having a weird dream and then he turned his song about that weird dream into a global smash it serves as a welcome reminder that popular taste has always been a strange and inexplicable thing “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)” won the main prize at Italy’s Sanremo Music Festival and it came in third in 1958’s Eurovision Song Contest but that doesn’t go far in explaining how it managed to capture the popular imagination in America I imagine that the real answer has something to do with immigrant communities which means that “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)” has a fascinating parallel in Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s 60-years-later smash “Despacito.” And if a random Italian song was going to blow up in America that year “Volare” is a pop chanson with an operatic sense of sweep but Modugno sings it with a hint of playfulness as if he knows the song’s sheer absurdity makes it at least a little bit funny is the kind of thing that can transcend linguistic barriers Orchestral swells don’t come much chintzier than that BONUS BEATS: Here’s David Bowie singing the song on the soundtrack of the 1986 movie Absolute Beginners: The most important stories and least important memes The below editorial features the opinions and views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of #escYOUnited as a whole If there is one thing that unites everyone on social media it’s complaining about who is nominated for and will likely win at the Grammy Awards the 62nd installment of which will air on Sunday in a televised ceremony live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles Whether it’s a past-his-prime Jethro Tull winning over an in-their-prime Metallica or Beck winning over Beyonce the Recording Academy rarely escapes criticism for its pick of nominees and winners And then there’s the charge this year especially in a scathing 46 page discrimination complaint filed in court by current (though suspended) Academy president Deborah Dugan that the Academy is “a good old boys’ club” with “secret committees” that steer nominations and cover-up bad behavior and sexual assault allegations Being out of touch and not having their fingers on the pulse of popular American music is not new for the Grammy Awards – it was also a criticism leveled at the very first Grammy Awards held on May 4 But despite the criticisms (which we’ll touch on later) Though he only came in 3rd at Eurovision 1958 with his ballad “Nel blu dipinto di blu,” Italian singer-songwriter Domenico Modugno went on to dominate the Summer of 1958 in the United States with his Eurovision entry and triumph in two major categories at the very first Grammy Awards 1928 in the Adriatic seaside town of Polignano a Mare in Apulia Modugno first came to prominence while in school having a small role in Italian filmmaker Eduardo de Filippo’s “Filumena Marturano.” While pursuing his acting career Modugno also honed his skills as a singer and songwriter being a singer-songwriter was considered unusual so Modugno’s first prominent credit as a musician came co-writing “Lazzarella” for Neopolitan actor and singer Aurelio Fierro and inspired the 1957 film of the same name directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia and starring Alessandra Panaro with a supporting role by Modugno and an early Terence Hill appearance On top of his own film roles, Modugno also discovered two “trashy” street performers from Palermo named Franco Franchi and Ciccio Ingrassia and managed them as they became a famous Italian comedy team churning out 38 “low brow” comedy films But it was Modugno’s next move that would thrust him into the limelight Working on his piano at home on a dark and stormy night Modugno got to thinking about a song about blue skies he’d discussed with lyricist Franco Migliacci Migliacci had come to Modugno with the idea of a song based on two paintings by Russian-French painter Marc Chagall In June 1957, Migliacci told Modugno of a dream he had where he was in flight The vivid dream was based on Chagall’s “Le coq rouge” and “Le peintre et la modelle,” and the song was originally going to be called “Dream in Blue.” the song underwent several versions with Modugno becoming more frustrated with each tweak As Gandolfi told la Repubblica in 2010 the refrain was “I painted myself blue to match the sky,” he said he was opening an opening there was so much wind that at one point the window opened wide Then came the musical phrase: first it was “I was flying oh oh,” then moved it to infinity eventually it became “flying oh oh.” He was happy one of the world’s most recognizable refrains “Nel blu dipinto di blu” is more commonly referred to in the United States as “Volare.” Modugno himself decided he was going to perform the song and he debuted his whimsical ballad with the odd name of “In the blue painted blue” at the Sanremo Music Festival on January 30 Trio Joyce and Tonina Torrielli on the night of February 2 1958 to win the 8th installment of the festival the juries remained in their own countries to listen in to the show had to perform “Nel blu dipinto di blu” again But it was a bigger disaster for Brokken as host entry that night on March 12, 1958. She was in joint-last place with Luxembourg’s Solange Berry, and it would only be until 2015 that a host would be in last place again (Austria’s The Makemakes’s “I’m Yours“) Modugno came in third place with 13 points Assia narrowly came in behind the winner in 2nd place with 24 points to victor André Claveau Claveau was the oldest winner of the contest until 1990 (Toto Cutugno was 47 when he won for Italy with “Insieme: 1992) his song’s journey would continue into the summer and rack up accolades in a place infamously allergic to Eurovision: The United States of America the United States was three years into the rock ‘n roll craze that had upended the entire post-war American music landscape The adults who were into big bands and country found themselves in a landscape where their kids enjoying the disposable income of the post-war economic boom were buying records by pioneering acts such as Elvis Presley not to mention a resurgence of jazz with the likes of Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald making the charts If this seems an unlikely landscape in which a song like “Nel blu dipinto di blu” could thrive the 1950s also saw an Italian-American renaissance as second and third generation Italian-Americans began to flex their own economic muscle yet also sought artistic inspiration from their Italian heritage and Bobby Darin performed songs that melded the old soft jazz and big band sound of the 1930s with what they were hearing being brought over from Italy Resort towns such as Atlantic City and Las Vegas featured these new Italian-American lounge acts and while the kids were shaking their hips in time to the King’s “Jailhouse Rock” and other such rock ‘n roll hits the adults got into the Italian-American sound and these songs went toe to toe with the rock ‘n rollers and jazz divas on the newly formed Billboard Hot 100 singles chart “Nel blu dipinto di blu” was already a smash hit in Modugno’s native Italy by the time Eurovision 1958 had rolled around so it was only a matter of time before the Italian-Americans would pick up on it Modugno released “Nel blu dipinto di blu,” and after debuting at Number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100 An appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show (a show which also famously introduced The Beatles to the United States) put the song over the edge “Nel blu dipinto di blu” was Number 1 “Nel blu dipinto di blu” sold 2 million copies (to date over 22 million copies of the single have been sold) “Nel blu dipinto di blu” would be Billboard’s Song of the Year for 1958 It would be the only song by someone outside of the United States and the United Kingdom to hold that honor until Swedish dance group Ace of Base’s “The Sign” in 1994 And it’s not like it was a weak year. Elvis Presley was still churning out hits. He himself got on the Italian-American train in 1960 with “It’s now or never,” an English language cover of the Italian “O Sole Mio.” Some of the songs directly competing with Modugno in the last weeks of the summer of 1958 most of which are well-remembered classics to this day: record executives from the established labels began fretting over the dominance of rock ‘n roll and wanted to create an artistic institution as a gatekeeper of quality in the music world With smaller labels beginning to cut into their profit margins executives consulted establishment acts such as Doris Day and big band act composers such as Paul Weston and Axel Stordahl and created the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences the very first Grammy Awards were held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills the Awards were the butt of jokes from most audience members As Los Angeles Times writer Randy Lewis wrote “Looking back at the recipients of the initial awards handed out during the presidency of Dwight D you’d never know the big bang called rock ’n’ roll had just exploded.Swing era icons Ella Fitzgerald Count Basie and Duke Ellington also took home Grammys that year the Recording Academy would have been battling a #GrammysSoDad campaign.” but you can’t argue with the success of Modugno’s song “Nel blu dipinto di blu” was a worthy recipient of the very first Grammy for Record of the Year Whether the much-ridiculed “The Chipmunk Song” deserved a nomination in the same category is the type of question you still hear in 2020 Frank Sinatra was a pre-show favorite with six nominations Peggy Lee’s “Fever” and Frank Sinatra’s “Witchcraft” was up against Modugno for Song of the Year but “Nel blu dipinto di blu” was the first ever Grammy winner for that category But the major performers of the day who were popular with the youth were conspicuous by their absence Elvis Presley would only win a Grammy in 1967 long after his rock ‘n roll revolution and during a mid-career slump No other song that was a Eurovision entry has won a Grammy since whose career also took off in the United States never received a nomination for any of their songs let alone for their Eurovision 1974 winning “Waterloo.” Gina G was nominated for Best Dance Record in 1998 for her 8th place at EUrovision 1996 entry “Ooh aah… Just a Little Bit,” but the wait for a Eurovision victor at the Grammys continues Modugno left America with the two biggest of the Grammy awards an artist can get Modugno returned to Eurovision in 1959 with “Piove (Ciao this time with Teddy Scholten and “Een beetje.” “Piove (Ciao ciao bambina)” was a minor hit in the United States for Modugno coming in at Number 95 on the Billboard Hot 100 And Modugno mined the fame from “Nel blu dipinto di blu” by starring in a film adaptation of the song in 1959 Modugno continued his dual career path of actor and singer though for the latter went in a more classical direction a stroke forced him to retire entirely from his artistic endeavors by 1986 Modugno had become a prominent voice for disabled Italians and in 1987 was elected to Italian Parliament as a member of The Radical Party Modugno passed away at the age of 66 in his seaside home in Lampedusa Born by the sea and taking flight in the blue sky to return to the sea What do #YOU think of “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu” and its legacy Do #YOU think Eurovision can ever send a song that conquers the United States if you want to hear more about the 3rd placed Eurovision entry that became the Song of the Summer of 1958 and scooped up many an American music industry […] You must be logged in to post a comment The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan) released Israel’s Eurovision … Juliet is your community news reporter covering the South Coast of Santa Barbara County The historic Refugio State Beach Park palm trees are in trouble This year 10 trees have been permanently damaged according to California State Parks representative Dena Bellman who says an additional six trees have been tagged as unstable "So there is a potential that we would have to remove any at risk of failure," said Bellman Bellman continues that Refugio State Beach has been plagued with erosion issues for the past several years and says climate change is to blame "The palm trees have been our erosion protection there for decades when you lose that then there is the potential to really lose that whole park," said Bellman the park also suffered damage and flooding from the recent storms something Bellman says are all being assessed "We’re actively assessing and analyzing the area seeing what solutions exist and what challenges we have," said Bellman Bellman says solutions will be presented to the public for comment before implementation local historian Tom Modugno says these problems are nothing new and action should be taken sooner rather than later those are all valued reasons but that doesn’t mean you can’t do something… it's been done before.. Modugno refers to when the trees were moved back several feet after a 1983 El Ninjo storm caused damage to the beach and he believes if nothing is done soon more and more trees will be lost.