Home | News | Generations of Fandom: The Lomma Family Another in a series featuring tales of the most passionate Wolves fans One of Joe Lomma’s favorite memories growing up was bringing his mini-sticks to each Wolves game 2-year-old Lomma bounced around the hallways of the then-called Rosemont Horizon pretending he was scoring a big goal or reenacting a play he had seen from one of his favorite Wolves players believing there was no bigger fan in the world Thirty years and five Wolves league championships later there is a new super fan: Lomma’s soon-to-be-3-year-old son The sport and team that Joe’s parents instilled in him at a young age created a lifetime passion that is now followed by the third generation Before most Wolves games during the 2023-2024 season made sure not to leave the house without two essential items for Luca: diaper bags and a mini-stick “It’s crazy because my son is now doing the same exact thing as me,” Joe said we’re up in the corner or outside our section playing hockey And sometimes during the game he will go over to us and kind of motion or look upstairs like it’s time to go up.’ It’s kind of funny how it’s all kind of come full circle.” Colleen and Mike purchased season tickets for the Wolves in 1995 after sitting in almost every section to find a ‘special place.’ The family originally bought an account for Sec 216 but gradually moved to 113 to be down by the glass to appease Joe’s desire to be closer to the players Their interest in the team didn’t just stop in Chicago As the Wolves traveled to games on the road Colleen and Mike would pull him out at times to plan through the Wolves’ schedule and base their family vacations on where the team was playing The one caveat: The Lommas didn’t fly and traveled state-by-state via car Joe spent the hours occupied by a collection of NHL video games and the movie “There were some trips where I would just be gone for like a week at a time and we would just be tailing along with the Wolves,” he said Road trips took place in Orlando to see the Wolves play the Solar Bears as well as to Wilkes-Barre Colleen remembers when she and Joe were on the East Coast trip when Joe was in middle school and happened to be staying at the same hotel as the team they stumbled into former Wolves forward Dan Snyder on the elevator Joe was shy back then and was timid about being face-to-face with one of his idols Snyder reached his hand out to introduce himself Joe’s love for the Wolves grew to another level,” Colleen said Joe took over the account when he was in college and has had it since Colleen and Mike decided to get a second account a few years ago and are three rows behind Joey They love to look down and see their grandson waving or making funny faces at them “It’s a big family thing with us,” Colleen said They welcomed us with open arms and my son has carried that passion with his own family.” The relationships and bonds the Lommas have made through the years at Wolves games are significant One section over is another family that they met and were invited to their wedding where Colleen was a matron of honor There have been at least five weddings they’ve attended through relationships made at Wolves games “We have made so many friends traveling and at games that I am so grateful for,” Colleen said “Joe literally grew up with the Wolves It was very important to me as my son was growing up that we would find a family activity that the three of us could bond over Joe was a goalie growing up because of the Wolves my husband was a goalie and now Luca wants to be a goalie.” loves watching the players up close on the glass during warmups They sit by the Wolves goaltenders and Luca’s eyes are laser-focused on their movements “Our son cares about it 10 times more than we do already but I think that’s what keeps us there and what has been really driving us to keep renewing our tickets,” Joe said “It’s all about the relationships we’ve made along the way but just being able to share that passion with my family is one of the best things I can say.” Have your own special Wolves fan story? Tell us about it here. ChicagoWolves.com is the official website of the Chicago Wolves The Chicago Wolves and chicagowolves.com are trademarks of Rosemont Hockey Partners All Chicago Wolves logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the Chicago Wolves and may not be used or reproduced without the prior written consent of Rosemont Hockey Partners The Chicago Wolves do not sell tickets directly through ChicagoWolves.com the website owned and operated by Rosemont Hockey Partners All Chicago Wolves tickets are sold through Live Nation Entertainment's website commonly known as ticketmaster.com Crafted in the slot by TimeZoneOne Quick wits saved a man’s life last month when a crane boom came down onto him in Nanjing UK rental company Clear View has ordered three Ruthmann truck mounted platforms US crane rental company Crane Service Inc has ordered another Liebherr LG 1800-1.0 wheeled lattice crane Haulotte has appointed Guillaume Van Hoeck as managing director Europe Czech crane rental company AG Transport has ordered an 800t LR 1800-1.0 lattice crawler German sales and rental company Kunze has added Elma cranes to its portfolio A Mamaroneck woman serving 25 years to life in prison for killing her young daughter the day after the father was awarded custody is seeking to have her sentence reduced claiming she was the victim of domestic violence contends the 2019 state Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act applies to her case based on years of abuse she claims to have suffered at the hands of her father two boyfriends and eventually Stephen Boyd when facing a court order removing Gabriella from her custody she suffered a "mental breakdown during which she believed the only way to keep her daughter safe and at peace was for them both to die," according to court documents Westchester County Judge Melissa Loehr ruled last week that Arce had provided enough evidence to get a hearing on whether she qualifies for a reduced sentence Arce must prove that: at the time of the crime she was a victim of substantial physical sexual or psychological domestic abuse; that the abuse was a significant contributing factor to her crime; and that her sentence was unduly harsh Loehr wrote that Arce had submitted evidence demonstrating that she had been physically psychologically and emotionally abused by her father throughout her childhood and also that she was subject to abuse by Boyd in the years leading up to Gabriella's killing But Assistant District Attorney Shea Scanlon Lomma while not doubting Arce had suffered abuse as a child that led to her struggles with mental health and addiction argued that none of it was contemporaneous or significant enough to have contributed to the crime Lomma acknowledged that the DVSJA does not require the domestic abuse to be at the exact same time as the crime But she argued that there has to be some ongoing abuse and that Arce's allegations of verbal abuse and some physical aggression by Boyd nearly three years before the killing does not meet that requirement Lomma cited a meeting she and another prosecutor had with Arce and her lawyer at Bedford Hills prison in November 2024 They were seeking to learn if there was anything beyond what Arce had put in her motion that would justify revisiting the sentence She wrote that Arce acknowledged being high on marijuana at the time of the killing and that she likely would not have killed her daughter if she had not been so high but said she was motivated to kill Gabriella because she feared her drug addiction and parental failures would lead to Boyd gaining custody "She killed Gabriella because she was losing custody of her," Lomma wrote 2018 death of tiny Gabriella Maria Boyd stunned MamaroneckGabriella Maria Boyd was living with her mom and maternal grandmother on Chestnut Avenue in Mamaroneck on April 27 when Stephen Boyd obtained a court order granting him temporary custody of Gabriella over concerns that Arce posed a danger to herself and the girl Boyd asked police to accompany him to the house to enforce the order but police did not go in or demand the child be turned over concerned they did not have the authority to do that Westchester County child-protective workers later went to the house Arce canceled Boyd's scheduled visitation with Gabriella Arce's mother returned from work early that afternoon to find Gabriella lying unconscious on a bed surrounded by her stuffed animals and Arce in a bathtub full of bloody water When police arrived and tried unsuccessfully to revive the child Arce attacked two of them with knives before a third officer shot her Arce pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted aggravated assault in 2019. She was sentenced to the maximum 25 years to life for her daughter's murder and 10 years for each attack on the officers with those running at the same time as the murder sentence The judge said at sentencing that Arce was in a "special category of evil" and that he hoped she was never released Arce would be resentenced to no more than 15 years in prison She had been scheduled Wednesday for a conference to plan the hearing but the case was adjourned Stephen Boyd established the Gabriella Boyd Memorial Foundation which helps educate and assist those who don't feel they have a voice in custody situations said they were unaware until a reporter's query that Arce had made the motion to get her sentence reduced Boyd denied abusing Arce and said the documents Arce was able to submit to bolster her claim were false allegations she submitted years ago to ensure she kept custody he would not have been given joint custody and regular weekend visitation with Gabriella He called her effort "shocking and disheartening" and said he would gladly testify at the hearing if called A wrongful death lawsuit alleging village police and county child-protective workers should have removed Gabriella from her mother was dismissed Arce's is the 11th DVSJA motion brought in Westchester In only one have prosecutors consented to a resentencing a New Rochelle woman who fatally stabbed her abusive live-in boyfriend She had her 12-year sentence for manslaughter reduced to five years One of the other cases was withdrawn when the defendant did not have corroborating evidence Related: 11 Westchester defendants who have sought reduced sentences under NY domestic violence law there was a hearing held over the DA's objection But Carla Scott was denied a new sentence for killing a romantic rival in 2015 by driving over her when a judge ruled it was not clear that past abuse she had suffered was a significant factor in her crime and that a history of violence toward rivals meant the original sentence was not too harsh Scott is appealing that decision and remains at Bedford Hills serving her 25-year prison term for manslaughter Two of the seven petitioners who were denied hearings have also appealed Receive emails when new obituariesare published to our website the Williams-Kampp/Woodward Funeral Home has taken these words seriously while providing funeral services in their Wheaton location and throughout the Chicago metropolitan area Our family owned business has been passed down through four generations with each dedicated to providing the integrity and compassion that has become our tradition our family expanded to include the West Chicago area with our Williams-Woodward Funeral Home which has been servicing the area for over forty years We offer a complete range of quality services from funerals to cremation and are experienced at servicing families of different faiths and customs We invite you to contact us with your questions and we are glad to arrange a tour of our well-designed facilities It is our goal to support you through this difficult time; we will guide you through every step of the funeral process and help pay tribute to the special memory of your loved one The Family and Employees of Williams-Kampp and Williams-Woodward Funeral Homes Williams-Kampp Funeral Home(630) 668-0016430 E Williams-Woodward Funeral Home(630) 231-1300Williams-Woodward Funeral HomeServices are now being handled at our flagship funeral home in Wheaton only © Williams-Kampp Funeral Home Crafted with care by Frazer Consultants & TA Your browser may not work with certain site. 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A name painted in big, bold yellow letters on the side of a crane that collapsed high above Midtown on Wednesday – LOMMA – was also attached to a pair of Manhattan crane disasters in 2008 that took the lives of nine people was the owner of New York Crane & Equipment the company that owned the crane that caught fire and collapsed at 550 10th Ave One of the 2008 collapses involving another New York Crane machine landed Lomma in Manhattan Supreme Court on manslaughter charges and brought a civil lawsuit that helped push him into bankruptcy A judge found Lomma not guilty in 2012 of the manslaughter charges brought in the deaths of Donald Leo and Ramadan Kurtaj, who died in a May 30, 2008, crane collapse at 333 E. 91st St. Leo was operating the crane when it fell 200 feet from its tower was on the ground when the crane collapsed on him New York Crane also owned a 300-foot crane that collapsed on March 15, 2008 Construction workers Anthony Mazza, Santy Gallone, Brad Cohen, Aaron Stephens, Clifford Canzona, and Wayne Bliedner were killed In that case, master rigger William Rapetti was acquitted in Manhattan Supreme Court of seven counts of manslaughter. Rapetti was accused of using too few slings to attach a steel collar to beams on the condo being built His lawyer argued that the accident was the fault of a poorly constructed and repaired tie-in beam In January 2016, Lomma filed for bankruptcy Lomma, a lifelong Staten Islander, died in July 2019 at age 73. “His cranes helped build most of the major cities in our country and around the world,” said his obituary in the Staten Island Advance Lomma is gone – and the lawsuits against him have ended – his name lives on in the companies he founded and New York Crane & Equipment of Long Island City Equipment owned by both companies is emblazoned with the Lomma name The companies’ current ownership is not evident from public records staffers at New York Crane did not immediately comment on the Midtown collapse who represented Leo’s family in the lawsuit over the E said the trial showed that Lomma maintained his equipment poorly Panzella and other lawyers for the Leo and Kurtaj families argued that Lomma hired a Chinese company to make a major repair to the collapsed crane on the cheap “The lack of maintenance on these cranes was well documented at his trial,” Panzella said Cross Country Construction LLC was the operator of the crane that collapsed Wednesday and Valjato Engineering was the crane engineer Cross Country did not respond to a request for comment A woman who picked up the phone at Valjato said: “We’re not at liberty to discuss.” The general contractor at the site is Brooklyn-based Monadnock Construction “We are fully cooperating with all regulatory agencies and are available for any assistance that is needed,” Monadnock said in a statement “It’s never good when a crane collapses,” said Panzella Cranes are a danger to the public as well as construction workers “To this day I do not walk under the scaffolding of a building that has a crane attached,” said Panzella “I cross a lot of streets and get my steps in.” Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens TDS Telecommunications continues expanding its high-speed all-fiber internet network into more Spokane-area neighborhoods © Copyright 2025, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker 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 Information on COVID-19 Funeral Assistance through FEMA \u003ca href=\"/resources/funeral-assistance\"\u003eRead More\u003c/a\u003e Lomma created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories © 2025 John Vincent Scalia Home for Funerals Inc. Made with love by funeralOne The crane that collapsed and toppled to the ground at a construction site on 10th Avenue near West 40th Street in Midtown Manhattan Wednesday is owned by a New York City company that is also owned by a crane company based in South Kearny The one that collapsed nearly 50 stories to the ground was owned and operated by New York Crane & Equipment Company Reports indicated that company was led by James Lomma Lomma reportedly also owned and operated Lomma Crane & Rigging with two other locations — in Pittsburgh and Pineville FDNY First Assistant Commissioner Joseph Pfeiffer was the first battalion chief on scene at the North Tower of the World Trade Center terror attacks spoke at a news conference on the scene after the incident and after remarks from New York City Mayor Eric Adams (The Observer’s trusty old friend Skyler Whitehead was at the scene standing two people away from Pfeiffer and provided incredible coverage of the incident and Pfeiffer’s remarks.) “This incident could have been a lot worse,” Pfeiffer said of the fire and crane collapse we got a report of a fire in the engine compartment of the crane — we’re talking about the engine compartment of a crane above the roof line about 45 stories up we had a collapse … where a 16-ton load collapsed to the ground there were four injuries to civilians and two to firefighters One of our firefighters was having chest pains and was transported to the hospital.” The FDNY later told The New York Daily News a total of nine civilians and three firefighters were injured The News also reported the the fire may have started by a “hydraulic leak from the engine compartment onto a heated metal plate.” said the FDNY worked quickly and in unison to evacuate the buildings in the immediate area to prevent further injuries What we know about Lomma Crane & Rigging The South Kearny company was founded in 1968 according to available business records The company offered its own description of what it does on a daily basis and the kind of equipment it operates “Lomma Crane & Rigging is the premier provider of tower cranes heavy transportation and rigging in the Northeast,” the company wrote on its website Lomma continues to grow to meet with the demands of the ever-changing construction industry We strive to provide the highest quality of service to ensure we exceed our customer’s expectations “With one of the largest rental fleets in the country can provide you with the right equipment or services to help get the job done successfully.” Lomma Crane also reportedly operated cranes when the new 1 World Trade Center was built in Lower Manhattan and has had cranes used in projects at the Pulaski Skyway in our neck of the woods and John F One was used remove the Space Shuttle Enterprise which was flown to JFK Airport atop a NASA Boeing 747 in 2012 Attempts to contact the Kearny- and Queens-based Lomma crane operations were unsuccessful Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email Please use this form even if you've subscribed previously using one of our other platforms — like Mailchimp Signing up here will ensure you'll be notified whenever we post something new .. or you may choose a different delivery frequency Looking for an old issue of The Observer? Our online archive goes back to 2013 — and by clicking here please contact the Kearny Public Library at (201) 998-2666 You must have JavaScript enabled to enjoy a limited number of articles over the next 30 days Click Here to Complete ENR New York's Top Design Firms Survey Click Here to Complete ENR New York's Top Contractors Survey Click Here to Complete ENR New York’s Top Specialty Contractors Survey How to Participate More Videos Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing Some are necessary and we can’t switch them off Others help us to provide you with the best possible service We use cookies to personalise content and ads to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic We also share anonymous information about your use of our site with our social media By accepting cookies you will be helping us to continue to provide you with the best possible service KHL regrets to report the death of James F Lomma right after the end of the Second World War His long entrepreneurial career in the crane industry included ownership of JF Lomma Lomma cranes have been used to help construct many buildings in the USA Lomma was known for his humanitarian efforts but was never one to seek public recognition for them Immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York He is survived by daughters Jennifer Gabel and Lauren Lomma,  son James B Lomma brother Patrick Lomma and sister-in-law Gail Lomma James F Lomma died at his home on Sunday 14 July 2019 Donations in his memory can be made to Saint Benedict Abby Swedish startup Solar Power Accelerator has hit the ground running The company has announced that it’s just commissioned its first greenfield microgrid in Lomma Solar Power Accelerator is a Swedish microgrid developer that installs commercial utility scale rooftop solar It’s expected that the Lomma microgrid will immediately generate revenue for the company as it sells surplus electricity to the spot market or through power purchase agreements using a photovoltaic solar-as-a-service model the electricity from the company’s microgrid can be used by the building’s owner or by neighboring properties The installation also includes Milepost AB’s electric vehicle (EV) hypercharging infrastructure “We implement our ecosystem vision to improve energy efficiency by simultaneously addressing shortages both in the power grid and the transportation system and road network This is achieved through the enabling of charging of electric vehicles with rooftop based solar electricity from our microgrids at an optimal pricing point,” said Pär-Olof Johannesson Located on the roof of a commercial industrial building along route E6 a busy European highway that runs between the Swedish cities of Malmö and Helsingborg the microgrid includes a 0.2-MW rooftop solar array which includes roughly 1,000 square meters of solar panels direct current to alternating current inverters from SolarEdge and a battery that will be used for power balancing The building is owned by real estate developer Er-Ho Bygg AB but Solar Power Accelerator has the right to use the electricity generated by the microgrid under a 25-year lease agreement Solar Power Accelerator will also manage settlements and a power purchase agreement with both the national and regional power grids The company’s mission is to install 1 TWh of rooftop solar across Sweden with its microgrids supplying at least 5% of the country’s electricity within the next five years It has plans to roll its business model out in other European countries in the coming years I work as a writer and special projects editor for Microgrid Knowledge I have over 30 years of writing experience working with a variety of companies in the renewable energy I have a BFA in Media Arts from the University of Arizona and a MBA from the University of Denver 404Page Not FoundLooks like we can't find this page THE COLLEGE REPORTER The independent student newspaper of Franklin & Marshall College By Christa Rodriguez || Campus Life Editor William Morris Endeavor agent Jonathan Lomma ’99 presented at Common Hour last Thursday on what he has learned through working in the entertainment business. Lomma’s clients include a innovative business leaders like Jimmy John Shark multitude of screenwriters and playwrights who originally was scheduled to speak at Common Hour Lomma graciously offered to talk in her place in English and Theater from Franklin & Marshall from American University’s Washington College of Law One of his current projects involves Stephen Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story among many others he remarked he “would give anything to go back in time” to the “best four years of my life,” referring to his time as an undergraduate being the cartoonist for The College Reporter as well as the support from all his teachers including advice he wished someone had explained to him earlier in life He emphasized that these are just his personal views “Do what you love,” answering the three questions: 1) What do you love? He suggested mentally creating a “Venn diagram of three circles” and see where they intersect to figure out a career path he stated that he thought of this retrospectively and did not actually write out a Venn diagram his epiphany about becoming an agent stemmed from the intersection of these three questions The fourth recommendation was to be an assistant especially when entering the entertainment business you are in the door and have access to connections and experience essential to moving up Lomma recalled that people thought he was “nuts” for spending five years as an assistant with a law degree he described working as an assistant as the “best kind of graduate school.” Fifthly, he suggested that one know their job, “but know even more than that,” meaning that one should learn as much as they can about the business they want to enter so that they can “display a deep level of knowledge about it.” Make sure you spend less as much as possible. To know how, visit businessenergyuk.com the sixth word of advice was that nobody knows anything The seventh idea he imparted was to embrace failure separate “failure from the feeling of failure.” The eighth recommendation was to “build it before you need it,” emphasizing the importance of kindness and diplomacy especially as the entertainment industry is a business of relationships he advised the audience to “take massive action,” meaning to carefully do as many things you can at once and “see what sticks.” Finally Lomma imparted that “life is not a dress rehearsal he meant that we can easily predict and control certain situations from job interviews to important meetings He encouraged the audience to “start exercising that control.” Lomma stated that it “really takes a village for anyone to get anywhere,” recognizing that he would not be where he is today without all the support he had in his life Senior Christa Rodriguez is the Campus Life Editor Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application He graduated from Boylan Catholic High School in 1970 and a volunteer at Sportscore 1 for many years Alayna Earlywine; his great nieces and nephews Timothy Earlywine; special friends Frank and Merylen Young and the staff at Sportscore 1; and all his many pets A memorial visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m memorials to Poor Clare Collettine Nuns or NAMI of Northern Illinois Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors TrendingNew YorkA“King of Cranes” James Lomma declares bankruptcyHe owes Azure collapse victims’ families $96 million the self-styled “King of Cranes” – who was ordered to pay $96 million to the families of two of men killed at a construction site – filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Wednesday The New York Crane and Equipment Corporation owner initiated four separate proceedings Susan Karten, an attorney representing their families, condemned Lomma, accusing of him of trying to avoid paying damages James Lomma has done everything in his power to manipulate the system in his ongoing efforts to deprive the Kurtaj and Leo families of justice and closure in the death of their loved ones,” she told the New York Post Last month, Karten accused Lomma of trying to transfer some of his companies’ assets to another firm owned by his daughter Court documents listed the value of Lomma’s assets as between $4 million and $40 million and of his debts as between $40 million and $200 million He owns a home on Staten Island worth $1 million Lomma reportedly owes $7.8 million to a business parter In October, a judge rejected Lomma’s contractor licence renewal application, citing his “poor moral character.” [NYP] – Ariel Stulberg Crane owner cleared in deadly 2008 collapse in NYCThe Associated PressNEW YORK — A construction crane owner was acquitted of manslaughter and all other charges Thursday in the May 2008 collapse of a 200-foot-tall rig that snapped apart killed two workers and fueled concerns about crane safety James Lomma sat expressionless and looking frozen as a judge announced his verdict in the only criminal trial stemming from the accident on Manhattan's Upper East Side Lomma chose not to have a jury in the two-month trial The slain workers' relatives shook their heads as Lomma and his two companies were acquitted their lawyers and a city councilwoman called the verdict an alarming signal for the safety of those who work and live around cranes Lomma's lawyers had said the case misconstrued an accident as a crime and wrongly blamed him for it called the outcome "a bittersweet day because it remains true that two young men were killed in a crane accident." "But a conscientious judge found rightly that the fault was not Jimmy Lomma's," said Shechtman The case marked Manhattan prosecutors' second bid to hold people criminally responsible for two deadly crane collapses that came within two months of each other in 2008 Two manslaughter trials have ended in acquittals but a mechanic who worked with Lomma pleaded guilty to a lesser charge the fallen cranes killed nine people and spurred new safety measures in New York and in some other cities — scrutiny recently renewed after another Manhattan crane collapse killed a worker this month "Although we are disappointed with the judge's verdict each case we have brought in this area has put increased scrutiny on the construction industry as a whole and has had a cascading effect on safety practices," Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R The crane was starting work on the 14th floor of what was to be a 32-story apartment building when the top portions of the rig came off crashed into a building across the street and plummeted to the ground a sewer company employee who was working on the ground was pulled from the wreckage and died at a hospital "The judge took a knife to our family's heart by letting this man walk away," said Kurtaj's cousin The verdict also reverberated at City Hall Council member Jessica Lappin — whose district encompasses both the 2008 crane collapse sites — said she feared "this verdict will send the wrong message" about crane and construction companies' safety responsibilities Prosecutors said the crane fell because Lomma had gotten a bargain-basement welding job to repair a crucial component: the turntable which lets the upper parts of the rig swivel Lomma and mechanic Tibor Varganyi got estimates from known manufacturers But to save money and repair time on a crane Lomma rented out for $50,000 a month they instead hired a little-known Chinese company over the Internet even after the company expressed reservations to Varganyi about its ability to do the job according to prosecutors and testimony at the trial Lomma didn't follow city inspectors' requirements for the repair and the weld ultimately was too weak and poorly done to handle the crane's work who pleaded guilty last year to criminally negligent homicide testified that he was told Lomma wanted to save time and money Varganyi is due to be sentenced in May and could be spared prison time it failed and sent the crane's upper parts flying "The tragic deaths of two young men in this case showed the serious and fatal consequences that can result when profit is put ahead of safety," Vance said Thursday Lomma's lawyers said that he had gotten the repair done and tested responsibly — and that regardless The weld was strong enough for its workload according to the defense lawyers and their engineering experts the crane toppled because Leo let the heavy "headache ball" — the ball that weights the line used to hoist materials — get reeled into the tip of the crane a problem known in the industry as "two-blocking." With the crane at a fairly high angle that day the impact of the ball sent the crane's long arm over backward and caused the collapse Prosecutors "missed the actual cause of the accident because they had blinders on Lomma (and his companies) acted properly," Lomma lawyer James Kim said in an opening statement Conviser announced his verdict but didn't explain his reasoning blasted the idea that the operator played a part in the collapse "It's just another low blow," said Leo's mother prosecutors charged a crane rigger with manslaughter and other counts Another judge acquitted the rigger of all of them in 2010 Haley Grayson Koch and John William Lomma II are engaged Miss Koch is the daughter Tobin and Endsley Koch of Sturbridge She is a graduate of Tantasqua Regional High School and is pursuing a certificate of arts management at the University of Massachusetts the son of Mary Anne and Ralph Lomma of Palmer He is a web developer employed by Edgar Online .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Mark D. Stein | stein@siadvance.comSTATEN ISLAND -- They're steeling themselves for a reprise of the superstorm the deep-pocketed owners of two South Shore estates have pooled their resources to erect a gigantic steel wall to defend their properties against future hurricanes "We lost every window and door on the water's side," said Gail Lomma of Wakefield Road in Eltingville "The whole first floor was demolished." are in the process of installing a steel barrier approximately 13 feet high and 240 feet wide to protect their luxury homes The steel itself accounts for half the cost said he has been building walls like the steel sheeting bulkhead for more than 20 years If he weren't in the business of doing such work their home wouldn't be protected by a structure of this magnitude "You really only see this for the city or federal government," said Lomma "No one can afford to pay this [price]." Major work in the backyards of three Wakefield properties began in June There's equipment on the barge that drives the steel sheeting into the ground -- "it's like a pile-driver," said Lomma An ancillary concrete wall holds steel rods that go from that structure to the steel wall to hold it in place There's a lot of work that goes into it," said Lomma who added he has built several of these defense mechanisms for city and federal government But the million-dollar question for the million-dollar wall lingers: Is it legal "We've had everybody down here from both departments: [The Department of Environmental Conservation] and [the Department of Buildings]," said Mrs According to the city Department of Buildings website two official complaints about lack of permits and work contrary to or beyond approved plans and permits were made about the property The agency inspected both complaints in early September; no violation was warranted There are no DOB permits associated with the project The agency website declares the Wakefield properties in the Tidal Wetlands Map and Coastal Erosion Hazard Area Map applicants who are conducting work affecting ground covering on certain coastal water-sensitive areas must provide the [DEC] with additional required items." or other work in both tidal wetlands and coastal erosion hazard areas "The homes on Wakefield Road all applied for a Sandy reconstruction General Permit and submitted Notices of Intent," said DEC spokesman Rodney Rivera "There is no issue with them using steel but an inspection is being scheduled to evaluate the work including any issues related to the height and placement of the structures." Rivera said an inspection date has not been set The DOB site claims the deck at 80 Wakefield Rd It also says "they [are] doing environmental conservation work with [the Department of Environmental Protection]." but the DEP maintains the agency is not involved with the project "We don't have anything to do with this We certainly haven't issued any permits," said spokesman Chris Gilbride which regulates construction of certain structures in waterways and wetlands "We don't have a record of an application but there are a variety of categories and reasons that smaller individual projects may not need an individual permit," said spokesman Chris Gardener The Army Corps of Engineers may look into whether the work would require a special permit or whether it's of the scope and nature that it would not require a specific permit from the Corps The Lommas expect their steel wall to be completed within two months They said their house isn't worth anything unless it's protected "It'll protect [the homes] to the point where the wall should hold but if the water comes higher," said Lomma 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 \n m_gallery = \"to_defend_future_storms_a_pair_of_staten_island_homeowners_install_massive_steel_barrier_along_waterfront\";\n m_gallery_id = \"13710077\";\n m_gallery_title = \"To defend future storms a pair of Staten Island homeowners install massive steel barrier along waterfront\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4499\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Monday 1:11 PM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.silive.com/4499/gallery/to_defend_future_storms_a_pair_of_staten_island_homeowners_install_massive_steel_barrier_along_waterfront/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.silive.com/photogallery/4499/13710077.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n a pair of Staten Island homeowners install massive steel barrier along waterfront Lomma and the United Space Alliance work crews methodically hoisted the 196,400-pound shuttle off of the 747 Shuttle Aircraft Carrier (SAC) “You cannot describe what it’s like to be part of space shuttle history,” said Frank Signorelli field service representative for Terex Cranes who was on site to support Lomma on the lift “It was a one-of-a-kind experience.” planning for this job started nearly two years ago when company officials first considered bidding for the job NASA was very specific in what equipment was required for the work “The bid called specifically for the Terex CC 2800-1 as the primary crane to do the pick as well as all of the other supporting cranes and equipment,” Signorelli said Part of the reason for this lies with NASA’s experience with this crane model for a similar pick decades ago When the 747 SAC transports the space shuttle to a place other than a space center there is a need for crane and rigging equipment since NASA already has a shuttle removal method in place at each space center,” Barnett explained NASA had the rare need to hoist a shuttle from the 747 SAC and a Terex legacy brand was selected for the job “A Demag 2800 crawler crane was used in that project as the primary crane,” mentions Jim Creek Terex Cranes’ senior product manager for crawler cranes – North America “NASA has a history of successful lifts with this crane.” offers a 660-ton capacity at a 32.8-foot radius more than enough to handle Discovery’s weight It features a maximum 196.9-foot main boom length and a variable 100-foot radius Superlift attachment to boost lift capacities “Superlift offers an additional 4,000 to 600,000 lb (1,814 to 272,155 kg) of counterweight on the tray which enables the crane to lift more weight further from the crane’s base,” said Creek The shuttle project consisted of not one but two shuttle hoists The first lifted the Space Shuttle Discovery off of the 747 SAC for the shuttle’s eventual spot at the Smithsonian The second loaded the Space Shuttle Enterprise onto the carrier It took Lomma nearly three months to prepare for and arrange the pick “We had conference calls with NASA two times a week,” Signorelli said “Communication was often and thorough between our company and NASA.” Lomma purchased the CC 2800-1 two years ago the crane was rigged to make sure the right components were in place for the job “We ran the crane in our yard,” Signorelli said “The (IC-1) computer screen is extremely user friendly and self-explanatory It’s not a complicated crane to operate.” Lomma disassembled the crane and sent the components to the jobsite Lomma’s crews spent three days at Dulles rigging the CC 2800-1 and a fourth day running through test lifts to make sure everything would go smoothly.  “NASA had everything marked out on the ground—positioning for the Terex crane The CC 2800-1 crawler crane was equipped with a 177-foot main boom and a 98-foot Superlift mast Lomma used 352,000 pounds of main counterweight with no central ballasts Superlift counterweight of 275,000 pounds was added to the tray 50 feet from the crane base a lift like this would require only 220,000 pounds on the Superlift but NASA’s additional safety factor required an extra 55,000 pounds on the tray,” explained Barnett The additional safety requirement stemmed from the need for workers to be under the live load while unhooking the shuttle from its 747 SAC “NASA required a 75 percent derate from the crane’s standard 85 percentchart which is a big safety factor,” said Signorelli when airport activities were at a lull and winds were calm Lomma and United Space Alliance crews began the removal of the shuttle supporting crane lifting the front of the shuttle and CC 2800-1 lifting the heavier back end were all positioned according to NASA’s layout NASA engineers used calculations from the CC 2800-1’s IC-1 controls to map out the final position of the crane “They wanted the connection between the shuttle and our crane to be at 112 feet,” said Barnett “and the actual distance in the field from the center of the crane to the hook was 111.9 ft (34.1 m) They were impressed with IC-1’s accuracy.” the pick began with the weight shifting and then transferring to the cranes as the brackets were removed from the shuttle and carrier After the shuttle hovered a safe distance over the carrier a pushback tug backed it from underneath the shuttle The shuttle was then lowered to within a few feet of the ground Auxiliary hydraulic power lowered the shuttle’s landing gear for a final time before the cranes lowered it to the ground “The subtle movements offered by the CC 2800-1’s hydraulic system definitely helped with this pick,” said Barnett “If the crews only needed 0.5 inch of movement the crane was able to give it to them.” Discovery was towed to the Smithsonian and replaced the Space Shuttle Enterprise which had been on display inside the James S This prompted a second pick and final move of the Enterprise to its new home in New York this time to reverse the process and load Enterprise on the 747 SAC the second pick of the Enterprise went equally as smooth as the Discovery effort “Enterprise was actually much lighter than Discovery so we had no issues,” said Signorelli Enterprise never made a trip to outer space It was constructed in the mid-1970s as a prototype tester for what became the final space shuttle design NASA engineers ran it through a number of flight and landing test simulations to prove the validity of the concept While NASA initially intended to retrofit Enterprise for space travel several final shuttle design changes kept it grounded took off from Dulles on April 27 for its final home in New York City and landed at JFK International Airport the CC 2800-1 crane components were derigged and loaded onto trucks and trailers heading for New York Originally scheduled for the morning hours of May 14 the Enterprise pick was moved up due to inclement weather “Projected wind speeds were predicted to approach NASA’s 10 mph which was the wind speed limit for removing the shuttle from its carrier,” said Signorelli Even though the CC 2800-1’s configuration for the Enterprise pick was rated for a maximum wind speed of 25 mph NASA’s tighter wind threshold was followed they moved the pick up two days to start on May 12,” he added Under clear weather conditions and wind speeds flirting with NASA’s threshold Similar with the Discovery project at Dulles careful planning and constant communication allowed the pick to be completed successfully Enterprise was loaded onto a special wheeled transport and moved into a hangar at JFK It embarked on a three-day journey on the Hudson River in early June Lift & Access serves North American rental companies contractors and related businesses in the aerial and lifting equipment industry with a singular focus on access-related products and services 1-800-247-2000 info@liftandaccess.com Catalyst Communications Network Copyright © 2025 | All Rights Reserved Lift & Access is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family Stay up-to-date with Lift & Access print and digital editions Subscribe to track trends and best practices in the industry TrendingNew YorkA“King of Cranes” to pay $96M to victims of Azure collapseJames Lomma found partially responsible for the fatal accident Found liable for the 2008 crane collapse that left two construction workers dead a Manhattan jury ordered crane magnate James Lomma to pay an additional $48 million to the victims’ families one of the victims of the Azure condiminium accident Lomma and the construction industry at large.”  Contractors who use faulty equipment will be punished and receive swift punishments, she said. The jury last week ordered Lomma found 61 percent liable for the fatal accident SIGN UPThe New York Daily News reported that Lomma will personally have to pay $29 million in punitive damages James Lomma LLC and New York Crane and Equipment Corporation A critical piece of the crane was damaged and not properly repaired Lomma was “greedy” when he outsourced the repairs to China Lomma was acquitted of all criminal charges related to the incident in 2012 when his attorneys successfully argued the accident was caused by Leo Trafikverket announced that on December 13 the first passenger train operated on the Pågatågen interurban railway line between Malmö Central and Kävlinge which has always been for freight transport is a single-track 19 kilometres in distance and will allow the development of commuter traffic throughout the western region of Skåne The passenger train will operate in the southern part under Skånetrafiken regional public transportation authority and operator in Skåne You have read all of your free premium articles for this month. Please become a subscriber to keep reading Log in Take advantage of our exclusive offer to get full access to all premium content As the first of its new passenger trains arrives after a two-decade hiatus on buying fresh rolling stock Romania is continuing to invest: this month What flies through the Buckinghamshire night Not your favourite yet-to-be-commissoned high-speed railway project The approaches to London Victoria have to deal with traffic levels that are anything but Victorian The fifth busiest station in the UK needs split second train planning… Log in through one of the following social media partners to comment Receive the latest news from the railway sector directly into your mailbox (AP) NEW YORK - A construction crane owner was acquitted of manslaughter and all other charges Thursday in the May 2008 collapse of his 200-foot-tall rig that snapped apart and killed two workers as a judge announced his verdict in the only criminal trial stemming from the accident on Manhattan's Upper East Side The victims' relatives shook their heads as Lomma and his two companies were acquitted The case marked Manhattan prosecutors' second try at holding someone criminally responsible for two deadly crane collapses that came within two months of each other in 2008 the fallen cranes killed nine people and spurred new safety measures here and in some other cities — scrutiny recently renewed after another Manhattan crane collapse killed a worker this month each case we have brought in this area has put increased scrutiny on the construction industry as a whole and has had a cascading effect on safety practices," Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R "Construction companies must do everything in their power to protect the safety of workers and the thousands of New Yorkers who live near or walk by a construction site every day The tragic deaths of two young men in this case showed the serious and fatal consequences that can result when profit is put ahead of safety," said Vance Lomma and mechanic Tibor Varganyi got estimates from known manufacturers but instead hired a little-known Chinese company over the Internet "The defendant's actions in this case were criminal in every sense of the word," Assistant District Attorney Eli Cherkasky said in an opening statement "He was content to risk other people's lives so he could collect $50,000 a month in (crane) rental fees." Lomma's lawyers said he had gotten the repair done and tested responsibly — and regardless "This case is about a rush to judgment," Lomma lawyer James Kim said in an opening statement "missed the actual cause of the accident because they had blinders on Lomma (and his companies) acted properly." the crane toppled because Leo let the heavy "headache ball" — the ball that weights the line used to hoist materials — get reeled into the tip of the crane have blasted the idea that the operator played a part in the collapse .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Eddie D'Anna | danna@siadvance.comSTATEN ISLAND -- A court ruling will allow the families of victims to go after the personal assets of a wealthy Huguenot equipment owner after a deadly Upper East Side crane collapse seven years ago The ruling will allow a jury to decide whether James Lomma should be held personally liable for the deaths of two men including crane operator and Grant City native Donald Leo Lomma lives in a $1 million home and owns a yacht Lomma was acquitted of manslaughter and all other charges stemming from the May 30 crane accident on 50th Street near Second Avenue in Manhattan Leo was operating the 200-feet-tall construction crane when it snapped in two Leo was starting work on the 14th floor of what was to be a 32-story apartment building when the top portions of the rig came off as was a 27-year-old sewer company worker on the ground Prosecutors said the crane fell because Lomma had gotten a bargain-basement welding job to repair a crucial component: The turntable Lomma's defense blamed the accident on operator error Leo's family has filed a lawsuit against the city \n m_gallery = \"2008_crane_collapse_kills_stat\";\n m_gallery_id = \"17974624\";\n m_gallery_title = \"2008 crane collapse kills Staten Island native\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4499\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Monday 11:50 AM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.silive.com/4499/gallery/2008_crane_collapse_kills_stat/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.silive.com/photogallery/4499/17974624.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: 2008 crane collapse kills Staten Island native but hopefully this verdict changes the way this man does business," Ms but now he can rest knowing the people responsible have been held accountable." died in May 2008 when a crane owned by James Lomma collapsed while the two worked at a construction site on East 91st Street in Manhattan which began listening to the evidence last October ordered Monday that Lomma and his companies pay the families of the victims another $48 million in punitive damages the jury awarded $47.8 million in compensatory damages to the families The jury gave the Leo family $15.7 million for her son's pain and suffering, and $32 million to the family of Kurtaj, who survived for hours after the incident with devastating injuries, the Daily News reported. "This jury sent a strong message that workers need to be protected," said attorney Bernadette Panzella "Lomma didn't even bother coming to court Lomma and his attorneys had argued that it was operator error and Leo who was working the 200-foot-tall construction crane at the time of the incident the families' attorneys said the crane fell because Lomma sent the crane to China to quickly and cheaply repair a turntable "It was important that this jury found the truth," Ms They realized they were blaming the person who couldn't defend himself My son had nothing to do with the collapse He trusted those who had to make sure the crane is safe." who has attended every day of the trial the last 10 months said going forward she would like a voice in talks about bringing safety changes to the industry but I don't want to dismiss the pain of the families of the other countless people injured," she said They (Lomma) will continue fighting the verdict They sat and listened to all the evidence and understood what was presented to them It renews my faith in the criminal justice system a judge acquitted Lomma of manslaughter and all other charges in connection with the deaths after a two-month non-jury trial Lomma could not be reached for comment Tuesday Construction Week Online Home » Products and Services » Fatal crane incident costs contractor $47.8m A New York jury in a civil suit has ordered Jimmy Lomma to pay $47.8m in damages to two men who died in a 2008 tower crane collapse – an incident resulting of shoddy repair work on the crane involved The jury ordered Jimmy Lomma and his companies to pay $15.8m to the family of Donald Leo and $32m to the family of Ramadan Kurtaj who was crushed by the falling crane superstructure The collapse occurred when a repaired weld on a slew ring mounting bracket gave way – a failing attributed by lawyers to Lomma for allowing the part to be repaired in China by a company that was unqualified to carry out such a repair Lomma was acquitted of manslaughter and other criminal charges in 2012 pled guilty to criminally negligent homicide and was sentenced to a year of community service The trial began last October after a six-month delay the families won the right to pursue Lomma personally for damages in the civil courts