Chesterfield supervisors recently approved a contract for road improvements in the Moseley area With a trio of new schools teed up near Moseley Chesterfield has approved a contract for nearby road improvements intended to increase connectivity in the growing area of the county The Board of Supervisors earlier this month OK’d a $43 million contract to Shirley Contracting Co to design and build a north-south road to connect Westerleigh Parkway The project involves the construction of a four-lane north-south road with a bridge over Horsepen Creek Also included in the project is a widening project on the nearby section of Duval to make it a four-lane road a roundabout at the future intersection of the new road and Duval and shared-use paths for pedestrians and bicyclists Shirley’s bid beat out four proposals the county received Dubbed the Western Area Infrastructure Improvements Project it is designed to improve connectivity in the growing western portion of the county and provide access to the new elementary middle and high schools to be built to accommodate that population increase “It’s really a result of the growth in the area,” Chesterfield Transportation Director Chessa Walker said of the project “A lot of rooftops have been approved out this way.” The Western Area Infrastructure Improvements Project would create a new roadway to connect Westerleigh Parkway and Duval Road The transportation improvements come amid work underway at the upcoming school facilities. Construction is in progress on a new middle school fronting Westerleigh and county officials last week broke ground on an elementary school at the north end of the road project site A high school is planned for property near the future intersection of Duval and the upcoming new road The road project involves the construction of a roughly 1.5-mile stretch to connect Westerleigh (Route 7495) and Duval (Route 668). The North-South Collector would run through the 700-acre eastern portion of the Upper Magnolia Green site that Chesterfield supervisors rezoned in 2022 The road would run parallel to Otterdale Road and the proposed extension of the Powhite Parkway to the west A shared-use path is planned to run along the north-south road and a shared-use path is also planned for the section of Duval subject to the project The bridge that’s planned for the north-south road would be 200 feet long and also have four traffic lanes and the shared-use path would traverse the bridge The installation of water utilities and drainage are also included in the project the construction contract includes an additional turn lane at the Woolridge and Otterdale intersection The road project would extend Westerleigh Parkway The upcoming elementary and middle schools are on the north side of the project area The approved design-build contract accounts for most of the overall project’s anticipated costs Walker estimated that the entire project would cost around $60 million a figure that includes the $43 million road construction contract as well as design work done by the county The road project is being funded with proceeds from a county bonds sale earlier this year devoted to transportation projects Construction is expected to kick off spring 2025 with an anticipated completion date of August 2027 The North-South Collector would be built in two phases to keep pace with the schools’ opening schedule The middle school is expected to open first and is targeting a summer 2025 completion date This story is for our paid subscribers only Please become one of the thousands of BizSense Pro readers today Renew now by choosing a subscription below YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR A 1 YEAR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL AT THE RATE IN EFFECT AT THAT TIME UNLESS YOU CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP BY LOGGING IN OR BY CONTACTING SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM ALL CHARGES FOR MONTHLY OR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS ARE NONREFUNDABLE EACH MEMBERSHIP WILL ONLY FUNCTION ON UP TO 3 MACHINES ACCOUNTS ABUSING THAT LIMIT WILL BE DISCONTINUED FOR ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP PLEASE EMAIL SUPPORT@BUSINESSDEN.COM Jack joined BizSense in 2020, covering startups, retail, healthcare, public companies and nonprofits. He previously reported for the Virginia Gazette and Tidewater Review. He is a graduate of Christopher Newport University. Reach him at jack@richmondbizsense.com or 804-554-6545 Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" I really wish they would add a sidewalk or shared use path to Otterdale Road between Old Hundred and Duval In that if you don’t build the sidewalk now it will cost tens of millions later which was the mistake they made in Chesterfield in the 1970’s Also Chesterfield needs to be careful to preserve the Tidewater and Western narrow gauge railroad bed that is with in a mile or two of this site and does follow Duval Road for two miles before going into the Chesterfield mega site It could one day be a spur of the Fall Line… Read more » © 2025 Richmond BizSense - All Rights Reserved Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now × DEP: 718-595-6600, DEPPressOffice@dep.nyc.gov DOT: 212-839-4850, press@dot.nyc.govDDC: Denisse Moreno, MorenoDe@ddc.nyc.gov 2024) The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced today the completion of a $4.7 million infrastructure project in Westerleigh Staten Island that upgraded water mains and sanitary sewers added new storm sewers to combat flooding in the area as well as improvements to roads and sidewalks which was finished on time and $1 million under budget “This specific project was initiated by residents reporting chronic flooding conditions to 311 and an investigation by our engineers found that there was an opportunity to add dedicated storm sewers to the area which would create additional drainage capacity and relieve flooding conditions,” said DEP Commissioner Rohit T “We are planning to invest more than $800 million for drainage upgrades on Staten Island over the next decade and when our partners at DDC complete these projects under budget that means there’s more funding for additional work!”    “Improving critical pedestrian infrastructure upgrades on one of Staten Island’s busiest commercial corridors has long been a top priority for DOT and we are pleased to have collaborated with our sister agencies to bring this project to fruition,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and crosswalk markings along Forest Avenue which will enhance accessibility and public safety for the community and we thank local residents and stakeholders for their advocacy.” which was completed on time and $1 million under budget will help curb major flooding issues that have affected this area including water ponding in crosswalks,” said NYC Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Thomas Foley “Improved street conditions make it safer for pedestrians and motorists alike while upgrades to the area’s water mains and sanitary sewers mean homeowners and businesses will have long-term reliable service We are delighted to complete this project successfully for the people of Westerleigh.” which started construction in December 2021 was created to alleviate the flooding issues on North Avenue between Livermore Avenue and Neal Dow Avenue as well as on Forest Avenue between Livermore Avenue and Marianne Street Over 1,300 feet of new storm sewers of up to three feet in diameter were installed to help carry out excess rainwater from the area Over 3,600 feet of cast iron distribution water mains and a total of 1,032 feet of 10-inch sanitary sewers were upgraded to increase capacity 10 new catch basins were installed and eight were upgraded The project also included the upgrade of 13 fire hydrants and a total of 16 corner pedestrian ramps were upgraded about half a mile of sidewalk was restored in the vicinity next to a shopping area Nearly 10,000 square feet of asphalt road pavement were restored with new high-visibility pedestrian crosswalk markings for safety “These infrastructure and sewer improvements will address flooding and enhance the quality of life for Westerleigh residents and businesses,” said New York State Senate Deputy Minority Leader Andrew Lanza “I would like to thank DEP Commissioner Aggarwala DDC Commissioner Foley and the numerous workers for their dedication and hard work to bring these projects to fruition and under budget.” “Westerleigh deserves state of the art drainage and stormwater management,” said Councilmember David Carr “For too long residents dealt with flooding in their homes and neighborhood during a storm but today we can proudly say that is no longer a reality I would like to thank to Department of Design and Construction and Department of Transportation for their coordinated efforts to bring relief to Westerleigh.” and over 350 million linear feet of markings NYC is a trademark and service mark of the City of New York Privacy Policy. Terms of Use.  We recommend you upgrade your software or view our website on an alternate device or browser To sign up to play or for help with your People’s Postcode Lottery account, call our Customer Experience team on 0808 109 8765 or email us at info@postcodelottery.co.uk. Luke and his mum Maria will share the whopping windfall just a fortnight before Christmas after going halves on the ticket Maria only started chipping in after her gran - Luke's great-gran - Betty Smith passed away in 2018 Luke revealed that a photo of the 93-year-old - who died almost six years ago to the day - popped up on his phone 10 minutes before he got a call to say he'd won A photo of Gran popped up on my phone memories It's a very emotional day and very good at the same time I think she would have been over the moon - thrilled so she would have been getting it out tonight and having a few drinks." He added: "We lost my great-gran in 2018 - this is for her "She saw an advert for Postcode Lottery and said my mum said she'd pay half if I still wanted to carry on playing Luke celebrated with eight other neighbours in the quaint village of Westerleigh after BS37 8QS scooped our weekly £1m Millionaire Street prize today but two neighbours doubled their windfalls with two tickets Now Luke is planning to finish transforming the end-terrace house he bought with his girlfriend Luke - who has been given the all-clear after undergoing treatment for an aggressive form of skin cancer - said: "This has made my life This is the sort of money you don't come across that often and are unlikely to ever again "I just bought the house with my girlfriend two years ago and have kept at it slowly but surely He added: "A nice holiday maybe and a new car will take more time to consider what to do with their half of the pot Retired Maria said: "This is indescribable It's nice for myself and my husband to win but for these two to win as they set out on their journey is just fantastic." Part-time bakery worker Rob added: "It's very exciting news We'll sit on it for a while until we decide what we're going to do." shocked IT manager Fraser Clark told pals he had a better chance of winning the lottery after his home was wrecked in a lightning strike 20 years ago - now he's had both Fraser told us how the thunderstorm blew tiles off his roof into his conservatory and even sent a workman flying As he was presented with a cheque for £90,909 he said: "All the roof tiles blew up and landed on the conservatory "I thought I would have more chance of winning the lottery than my house being struck by lightning He added: "My mum persuaded me to sign up for the lottery I've never had anything like this in my life." Fraser told us that the family - his wife Michelle and son Alfie - have already booked the trip of a lifetime on Boxing Day They'll travel to Canada's Lake Louise and Banff for a skiing holiday before flying to Las Vegas then home from LA He said: "We're going on holiday to Canada on Boxing Day It was my wife's 50th and my daughter's 18th this year then drive to LA in a convertible - it'll definitely be a convertible now - and we'll fly home from there." Fraser had kept news of the impending win a secret from his wife - but she found out Lawyer Michelle said: "He decided to keep his win a secret from me but he did tell our daughter Postcode Lottery were coming "We were travelling back from seeing Sam Fender in Manchester and I had Fraser's phone while he was driving and when I went to search the last search was 'what number called me' and it said People's Postcode Lottery came up to me and started singing the Postcode Lottery song and let slip that she'd received a call from someone at the lottery." mum-of-three Heather Harding knows exactly what she'll spend her £90k on - a new hairdo and two bottles of Baileys for Christmas screamed and started sobbing when Danyl revealed her cheque Grandmother Heather said: "Things like this don't happen to me I'm going to get my hair cut and get rid of my grey But the win might never have been if Heather had followed through with plans to ditch playing Postcode Lottery supported by former lorry driver husband Chris I'd won £10 three times and was even excited by that And two bottles of Baileys this Christmas!" Dad-of-two Matt Hewer's already dreaming of sunnier climes after banking £90,909 The car auctioneer said: "This is a pretty good Christmas present Somewhere in Europe and somewhere warm and not so windy." He added: "It'll be a good Christmas for the kids She's had her Seat Ibiza for eight years and is due an upgrade." Julie Weaver's family started shouting "champagne!" after she said they'd have a good Christmas as she accepted her £90,909 cheque Julie said: "I can't believe it is actually real "We're going to my daughter's for Christmas and will have a good Christmas There'll be champagne and a lot of celebrating I'll most likely take my family on holiday The school supervisor said she wouldn't rush into big spending plans but she has lined up a couple of treats for herself She said: "I'm not going to make any rash decisions I'd like to go on a Caribbean cruise - St Lucia and around that area I'd also like a new iPad and an Apple watch "But I'll bide my time and make the right decision for the rest." I just didn't think this would happen to me Near neighbour Sandie Bradley told us how she'd spent the morning watching episodes of the TV mystery thriller Lost to distract herself from what she might win My stomach's been churning for a few hours Now mum-of-two Sandie and bus driver hubby Paul are dreaming of exotic holidays The retired systems trainer said: "I'm elated New Zealand or Canada - any one of those places "A cruise to Singapore and the islands would be good Ex-Army Lance Corporal Paul laughed: "I'll go in the hold Sandie added: "We're helping our daughter get a house The couple mentioned how they started playing Postcode Lottery to help charities Sandie said: "I started playing because of the charity aspect The idea is to support good charities by paying a little bit of money to win a lot." Sandie was delighted to learn that local charities have also benefited from her postcode's Millionaire Street win And one local organisation, Paul's Place, has been awarded £75,000 by Postcode Community Trust The charity aims to enrich the lives of physically cognitively and sensory disabled adults across Bristol The idea for Paul's Place was first formed in 1995 when a group of friends created a social club where physically disabled adults could meet Paul's Place has had to move premises twice to match increased demand but our current premises has a capacity of up to 30 people a day depending on need "We are at a point where our demand drastically outweighs our supply we will be moving to our biggest space yet "It's an incredibly exciting time for us as the development has everything for our service users - sensory rooms we need to make sure we can keep our current offering going." there are 16 million disabled people in the UK Eighty per cent of those acquired a disability in later life through events such as trauma injury or stroke and have nowhere to turn when that happens It is vital that charities like Paul's Place are accessible to communities so that they can support individuals when they need it most we are feeling the squeeze of the cost-of-living crisis "The funding will play a key role in moving Paul's Place forward and allow us to continue to keep our arms open to the community in the meantime." Other local organisations who have been awarded funding include: All funding was awarded by Postcode Community Trust With 33% of the ticket price going to charities and good causes, players of People's Postcode Lottery have raised more than £1.4 billion for thousands of deserving causes and projects across Great Britain and around the world Our players are making a difference every day for a wide range of amazing organisations With fabulous Prizes announced every single day, it's a great time to become a People's Postcode Lottery player. Take a look at How It Works and, if you're feeling lucky, sign up to play New dad Dave Lowe told how he won a whopping £404,048 on People’s Postcode Lottery - because of his newborn baby daughter Eight neighbours in a block of flats are celebrating together after sharing a £1 Million prize on People’s Postcode Lottery A son won three times more than his dad on People's Postcode Lottery after he kept playing with his parents' address - despite moving out… One of the Westerleigh Little Guys & Gals first girls' teams .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Cormac Gordon | gordonc@siadvance.comThe Westerleigh Little Guys & Gals field doesn't look much different now than it did 50 years ago when the vest-pocket baseball league first began in that slap-dash first season the 101-loss Mets and one-win Giants -- there were just four boys' teams and a total enrollment of 50-something and they played each other in a low-key setting where winning and losing didn't mean as much as being part of something fun and healthy "No one needed a car to get to the game," one-time league president Vic Licatese was saying the other day in a phone conversation "They just walked down the block or around the corner." And that - by plan and good fortune -- is pretty much the same as it is this weekend as the league opens another season with its usual mini-parade Long-time Westerleigh president Vic Licatese at long-ago opening day ceremonies at the North Avenue field That came about in 1977 after three young ladies tired of watching the boys have all the fun rushed around one afternoon with a petition demanding games for themselves A real Helen Reddy "I am Woman" moment Laurie Tritini and Lori Beyer thought back then of their accomplishment The boys have expanded to 16 teams over the half-century and the total number of kids involved has sprouted to something close to 250 "We have tried to keep it as family-friendly as possible," said league commissioner Mike Morales and we're not trying to make it into something like that." "It's more about having fun than winning and losing," Morales said Which seems to be more than just fine with the folks who participate at the little field tucked away on North Avenue "It's a community thing," Bonnie Donovan Williams was saying Donovan Williams has two children in the programs at Westerleigh "It's tight-knit," she said "Everyone involved knows just about everyone else from somewhere There isn't any screaming at umpires or the volunteer coaches There was a great magazine piece done a few years back about some youth baseball that had sprung organically in a little town They simply showed up at the ballfield of an underused public park a couple of days each week in the summer and played designated one of their own as umpire and .. and more and more young people began showing up The kids managed it all as best they could and liked the new activity so much they'd go home in the evening after playing all day and enthusiastically tell their parents about the games One day a father stopped by the field to see what was going on being a grownup and so much smarter than the kids So he told his son and his son's friends how much better it would be if they had someone a little older to do the umpiring and he had played a little ball himself as a youngster to help the kids with their hitting techniques Another parent had the idea that the youngsters should split into regular rosters and play a kind of schedule the grownups had improved and organized things so well that when they arrived at the field to see what more they could do they noticed fewer and fewer kids were showing up had basically loved the whole notion to death with all their attention That's never happened at Westerleigh Little Guys & Gals not since parents like Ralph Lamberti and Charlie McClaughry were first getting things off the ground A 1970s Westerleigh Little Guys & Gas picnic "It's always been a shining example," says state assembly member Mike Cusick there was a family named Callahan that lived behind the ball field But he had children and nieces and nephews who liked to play So he'd often get up in the morning and walk over to the field right behind his house or put new chalk down along the foul lines Sometimes with the other neighborhood parents Then he'd slide behind the wheel of his car and head into work Where he was the commanding officer of an NYPD narcotics unit chasing down drug dealers all over the city It's the same sort of community involvement you still see today Westerleigh Little Guys & Gals has come a long way in a half-century 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 = \"staten_island_little_leagues_o\";\n m_gallery_id = \"22523308\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Staten Island Little Leagues open for 2017 season\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4499\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Saturday 11:27 AM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.silive.com/4499/gallery/staten_island_little_leagues_o/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.silive.com/photogallery/4499/22523308.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: Staten Island Little Leagues open for 2017 season .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Virginia N. Sherry | sherry@siadvance.comSTATEN ISLAND -- Before Westerleigh was developed as a neighborhood of one-family homes in the late 1880s its bucolic landscape featured farmland and surrounding woods 11-acre farm was located on land bounded by what is now Jewett Avenue An idyllic scene in Keiber Farm's orchard in Westerleigh (Courtesy of Westerleigh Improvement Society) The farm was run by Georg Frederick Keiber and his wife Margaret Click here for a gallery of 11 priceless historic photographs including ones of Keiber farm's fruit orchards and the family's clapboard home Here are some other historic facts about Westerleigh as published on the website of the city Department of Parks and Recreation: Westerleigh Park and the neighborhood of Westerleigh take their name from the Westerleigh Collegiate Institute of Staten Island once located nearby and founded at the end of the 19th century First purchased in 1848 by John Vanderbilt the property that is now is Westerleigh Park was sold by his daughter Sarah to Christopher S Williams and Boole bought the property on behalf of the National Prohibition Party 3. By July of the next year, the National Prohibition Campground Association had built a large camping facility -- complete with ballfields and a spring -- to provide months of productive relaxation to members of the Party and followers of the Prohibition Movement This period was the height of the anti-alcohol movement and religious services in addition to more recreational activities The number of visitors to the camp declined slowly but steadily as the 1880s came to a close Westerleigh made the transition from a tent-dotted summer community to a real neighborhood with year-round residents and the Dutch Colonial and Victorian houses that are still characteristic in the area were built Westerleigh Collegiate Institute on College Avenue (Courtesy of Staten Island Historical Society) Westerleigh Collegiate Institute was founded in 1895 It was the first school on Staten Island to provide a complete kindergarten-to-college education previously called National Prohibition Park The site of Westerleigh Park -- bounded by Maine and Willard avenues -- was donated to the City in 1907 by the National Prohibition Park Company it was a part of the 15-acre "picnic grove," or "pleasure grove" of the National Prohibition Park complex The property was donated with the understanding that it would be used for public recreational purposes and events the Staten Island Parks Department constructed a large octagonal bandstand in the Westerleigh park Children's plays were also performed at the bandstand \n m_gallery = \"sights_and_scenes_in_westerlei\";\n m_gallery_id = \"17205693\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Sights and scenes in Westerleigh\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4499\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Sunday 10:00 AM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.silive.com/4499/gallery/sights_and_scenes_in_westerlei/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.silive.com/photogallery/4499/17205693.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n 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 LONDON – Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan ("Ontario Teachers'") and Universities Superannuation Scheme ("USS") today announced the acquisition of Westerleigh Group ("Westerleigh") from Antin Infrastructure Partners ("Antin") The transaction is expected to close by year end Westerleigh Group has grown to become the leading developer and operator of crematoria and cemeteries in the UK caring for over 30,000 funerals per year across its 22 sites It has a significant and successful track record of developing new crematoria Crematoria form an essential piece of social infrastructure in the UK with over 75% of deaths cremated each year said: "We are grateful for Antin's backing over the past three years and are delighted to have new long-term pension fund investors to support the Group through our next phase of growth." Ontario Teachers' Senior Vice-President Infrastructure and Natural Resources commented:  "We are very pleased to partner with USS an institution with which we have tremendous alignment and with Richard Evans and his outstanding management team to continue to drive Westerleigh's growth This is a unique business that has established a strong position in the UK market Their stable revenues and resilient operating model align well with our long-term investment requirements." Head of Real Assets at USS Investment Management said: "We are delighted to be investing in Westerleigh which plays such a critical societal role in the UK his team and our partners Ontario Teachers' to continue to grow Westerleigh as an essential social infrastructure provider and to maintain its reputation for a high quality of care." Ontario Teachers' is the largest single-profession pension plan in Canada Ontario Teachers' invests and administers the pensions of more than 316,000 active and retired teachers in the Province of Ontario Ontario Teachers' had net assets of C$171.4 billion (£104 billion) invested across a mix of equities (public and private) real assets (real estate and infrastructure) and absolute return strategies Ontario Teachers' infrastructure portfolio was valued at approximately C$15.7 billion (£9.5 billion) as of December 31 For more information on OTPP please go to www.otpp.com Universities Superannuation Scheme was established in 1975 as the principal defined benefit pension scheme for universities and other higher education institutions in the UK It has around 375,000 scheme members across more than 360 institutions and is one of the largest pension schemes in the UK with total fund assets of approximately £53 billion (as at 30 June 2016) The scheme's trustee is Universities Superannuation Scheme Limited a corporate trustee which provides scheme management and trusteeship from its offices based in Liverpool and London The trustee company delegates implementation of its investment strategy to a wholly-owned investment management subsidiary company - USS Investment Management Limited - which provides in-house investment management and advisory services For more information on Universities Superannuation Scheme please go to www.uss.co.uk Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More The Saratoga meet is winding down and that means Mike Stango's mornings are booked solid Stango is the co-owner of Westerleigh North one of several equine transportation companies moving race horses out of Saratoga as the summer comes to a close “Going back is a little bit more intense because everybody is looking to get out within the same two or three days,” Stango said of closing weekend A former thoroughbred trainer in the 1970s and 80s Stango started the van company almost 30 years ago "I wanted to stay in the game and the business and I managed to find a way," Stango said Westerleigh North makes between 15 to 20 runs a summer between Saratoga and tracks all over the country “Some of the biggest names in the business that I’ve been servicing for 25 to 30 years now.” Some of his equine passengers are the sport's biggest stars.  “I don’t want to know if I’m moving a $1 million horse or a $2 million horse I just want to take care of every horse the same.” Stango's big vans carry eight horses at a time while the smaller have room for four “Each horse has its own compartment and there are a lot of safety measures that are built into it," Stango said The cargo hold is setup like a traveling barn with everything geared toward safety and comfort.  they are going to get to where they are going less stressed out," Stango said who used to drive his own vans before he hired more staff “The one thing I tell my drivers is pretend you have a bunch of loose eggs in the back of your truck and your objective is to get where you are going without breaking one egg That’s how I want you to drive your horses.” With three decades and countless miles behind him “Coming around here and being around the horses and the people I enjoy hanging out and having a good time and getting the job done,” Stango said While hundreds of horses will leave Saratoga over the next few days many will stay at the Oklahoma Training Track well into the fall To see our coverage of Saratoga's racing season, click here. One of the UK’s largest operators of crematoria and cemeteries has completed a £282 million refinancing deal Owned by majority shareholders Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and University Superannuation Scheme (USS) organises approximately 72,000 funeral services every year generating an annual revenue of more than £80m will allow Westerleigh Group to grow and develop additional crematoria to add to its current portfolio of 40 locations across England The group’s growth will also create a significant number of new jobs across the country to support its crematoria said: “This finance agreement will enable us to continue to expand into new locations across the UK serve even more people in our communities and welcome new team members into our growing business we have been committed to delivering exceptional care in peaceful tranquil settings so that people can remember and celebrate the lives of their loved ones in a way that is uniquely personal to them “We meet families during the most challenging time of their lives and it’s a privilege to be able to provide an element of support – no matter how small “We’re incredibly grateful for the backing of our lenders and we look forward to continuing these relationships during this new period of growth.” co-head of corporate structuring at Barclays said: “We have long recognised the importance of Westerleigh as a UK business and we are proud to be able to support them in the expansion of their facilities across the country “This is another example of our continued support in funding promising opportunities to grow the UK economy.” said: “This deal is an important milestone in Westerleigh’s growth plans and continued expansion across the UK from its Bristol base “It also paves the way for new jobs and will allow the business to support even more families at their time of need.” Westerleigh Group was advised by Gleacher Shacklock (corporate) and Clifford Chance (legal) Lenders were advised by Latham & Watkins (legal) naming College Avenue the prettiest block in Westerleigh Nominations were requested in a story posted June 19, and readers responded enthusiastically "I have lived in Westerleigh for 41 years," wrote Jeff Christensen in an email "When you come up College Avenue toward Manor Road right when you get to New York Avenue and see the big Victorian homes on all corners "The large Victorians are so well-kept and always make you wish you lived in one of them!" I would purposely make my jogging route to Clove Lakes and I remember the people there being very friendly." HectorMorality also nominated College Avenue describing the street as "very picturesque." Protective zoning regulations are one of the reasons why Westerleigh has maintained its historic residential character "The right zoning (single-family homes) -- and residents who really care about the community -- make Westerleigh the wonderful place it is to live in Many streets are picturesque and it is hard to choose the best one." Urged by a reporter to name his top-three favorite streets "The whole Island could have been like this with the right zoning and if builders had good taste," lamented incomudro Kingsley Avenue came in second place in our informal neighborhood competition Love that block," enthused Dannyboy10301 I would drive down this street even though it was a little out of my way It was even prettier when it was a cobblestone street Westerleigh is one of the prettiest areas in the North Shore that's why I moved here but once you venture out you know you're not home anymore." Other streets garnering votes included Cambridge "Just wanted to send these [two] pics of Cambridge Avenue that have a nice patriotic feel as we sip lemonade and await the 4th of July," emailed susie81900 fully restored old homes," ImAllWhite added and will focus next on a neighborhood on the South Give us your suggestions in the Comments section below to help us choose the next neighborhood \n m_gallery = \"prettiest_blocks_in_westerleig\";\n m_gallery_id = \"15261645\";\n m_gallery_title = \"\\\"Prettiest\\\" blocks in Westerleigh\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4499\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Saturday 7:31 PM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.silive.com/4499/gallery/prettiest_blocks_in_westerleig/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.silive.com/photogallery/4499/15261645.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: \"Prettiest\" blocks in Westerleigh A DEVELOPMENT of more than 2,000 new homes could be built close to the villages of Henfield and Westerleigh The development of 2,050 homes and 18 hectares of employment land has been named North Lyde Ecotech Village and is included in the final version of South Gloucestershire Council’s draft Local Plan.  The homes are south of Henfield and the Kendleshire golf club Westerleigh Road and the railway line serving the Westerleigh fuel depot at the eastern edge of the site Much of it is currently farmland but it also includes the Windmill Leisure Golf and Activity Centre South Gloucestershire Showground and Tulip abattoir Details of the places where new housing developments could be built across South Gloucestershire are set out in detail in the final draft of the council’s Local Plan The plan also includes proposals to allow 2,400 homes near the M4/M5 interchange between Almondsbury and Winterbourne and 385 homes on smaller sites around existing Frome Valley villages ABOUT 2,050 homes and 18 hectares of employment land extending the Bristol & Bath Science Park have been proposed south of Henfield and the Kendleshire golf club The area to be developed is bounded by the M4 A total of 2,050 homes have been proposed for the site; between 1,050 and 1,350 would be built before 2041 and the rest afterwards The development would include shops and cafes The development has been named North Lyde as it is on the immediately opposite side of the M4 to the Lyde Green estate Another 453 homes at Lyde Green Farm and Lyde Green Road are included in the plan next to existing housing development sites A TOTAL of 2,400 homes would be built on land east of the Almondsbury M4/M5 interchange north west of Winterbourne effectively moving the edge of the existing Bristol urban sprawl north beyond the motorway from Bradley Stoke at least 250 of which will be “age-friendly” for older people The nearby bridge across the M4 will be widened for pedestrians while an outdoor sports complex will be built east of Hortham Brook About 330 homes will be built at two sites north of the new village and 170 to the south Coalpit Heath and Iron Acton have largely avoided major development sites under the proposals However some places in each village have been included as potential sites for new homes where an area of land west of Winterbourne Hill and south of homes on Beacon Lane is earmarked for 100 homes by 2041 and a second field north of the railway line between Mill Road and Bristol Road is earmarked for 70 homes just north of the railway line and south of a recent housing development has been allocated as a site for 95 new homes The former Watermore school site in Woodend Road while 60 homes could be built between Bristol Road and Perrinpit Road Land between York Gardens and the Fromeside Gymnastics Club in Winterbourne is suggested as a site for 20 homes land at Holly Hill Farm has been suggested as suitable for 20 homes The plan also includes new traveller sites at Beech House Swan Lane and Northwood Park in Winterbourne Frampton Park in Frampton Cotterell and Latteridge Road The final draft of the Local Plan is now open for public comments Full details will be found on the plan website, localplan.commonplace.is Anyone who is not online can call 01454 868009 for help Protesters voiced their anger at the proposed “decimation of the Green Belt” as councillors approved the 15-year blueprint for the future of South Gloucestershire The council’s Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors voted in favour at council meeting on February 12 The joint administration insisted that although some decisions had been painful it would provide new homes in places that could be supported by infrastructure such as schools They said that if the plan was not published by March 12 new government housing targets would apply and mean having to add an extra 5,000 homes Campaign group Save Our Green Spaces South Gloucestershire (SOGS-SG) has criticised the authority for allocating huge swathes of the greenbelt for development Opposition Conservatives voted against the plan and demanded changes Top picture: SOGS-SG protesters outside a South Gloucestershire Council cabinet meeting in February .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Advance/SILive.com Sports DeskWesterleigh Little Guys & Gals Baseball and Softball League kicked off the 2018 season with the parade of players The parade began at Westerleigh Park Gazebo and proceeded down to the field in Northerleigh Park Players from the Westerleigh Little Guys & Girls League enjoy opening day ceremonies on Saturday Opening season first pitches were tossed by Michael Morrell President of The Westerleigh Improvement Society NYC Parks Chief of Staff Borough of Staten Island Councilman Steven Matteo and Kendall Spiller Borough Director to NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer The 2018 season officially began with six divisions of baseball and softball teams consisting of nearly 400 players from five to 13-years-old "We pride ourselves as being one of Staten Island's top community-based family-orientated leagues where memories are made and kids have fun while learning the fundamentals of the sport and playing competitively," said league representative Sam Benedetto "We are looking forward to another wonderful fun-filled season with some of the community's most wonderful kids — Chesterfield leaders broke ground Wednesday at the site of what will be the county's newest middle school "The three-story school is being built in the Matoaca District on 105 acres next to Westerleigh Parkway," a Chesterfield spokesperson wrote about the county's 13th middle school The yet-to-be-named school will accommodate up to 1,800 sixth The grade levels will be on separate floors is much bigger than a typical middle school but is also an efficient use of land and resources it's easier to lock up these buildings and make sure that they're safe for people I think that's a big aspect of this too," Board of Supervisors member Christopher Winslow said at a groundbreaking ceremony not far from Hull Street and Otterdale Road "That was actually one of my first thoughts," mother Arielle Cummins said of the floor plan designing for active shooter situations is a huge part of designing schools now It's awful to have to think that way but I can't say it didn't cross my mind." The school is scheduled to open in August 2025 will mostly be funded by Virginia Public School Authority bonds I understand the energy and the excitement that a new school brings to the community," Ryan Harter Chesterfield County School Board member representing the Matoaca District "Each 'grade house' contains 19 regular classrooms and five science labs teacher workrooms and offices," a county spokesperson continued an exploratory wing offers electives in such courses as art The School Board will redistrict its middle schools once construction is complete Do you know about a good news story happening in your community? Click hereto email WTVR.com and the CBS 6 News team .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a} The Westerleigh Folk Festival brought over 3,000 Staten Islanders to Westerleigh Park this Saturday for a family-friendly tradition Three stages were set up inside the park to hold over 16 acts face-painting and henna art were just some of the activities the festival included it was strange seeing their local park so full face-painting and henna art were just some of the activities the Westerleigh Folk Festival had for Staten Islanders and their families a born and raised Staten Island graphic designer created the logo for the Westerleigh Folk Festival t-shirts an artist coming from Portland to play the festival that was near and dear to his heart growing up on Staten Island posing with his father who ran the food portion of the event Sue Daily holding up this year's Westerleigh Folk Festival shirt as her husband The 10th annual Westerleigh Festival took place on September 16 ,2017 says West Fest’s Technical Director Scott Caddell who worked hand-in-hand with Director Jim Indelicato “We have so much talent here and today is a way for us to showcase and celebrate it.” This music-loving Staten Islander wants people to know he’s not in this for a paycheck — his passion and love for his community motivates him to keep coming back “We don’t get an incentive,” Scott continued “Having a great turn out is pay-off enough.” Joan Caddell & Midnigth Choir with special guest Jim Indell Pictured are The Lisa Scherma Band playing at the tenth annual Westerleigh Folk Festival on September 16 Organizers say The Westerleigh Folk Festival had the most vendors they've ever had in years past Pictured is Pinot's Palette hosting a painting class at the festival The Lisa Scherma Band performing at the tenth annual Westerleigh Folk Festival in Westerleigh Park on September 16 the festival was founded in the name of music But it has become so much more for the community “[West Fest] has taken on a life of itself,” said Joan Caddell “We had so many volunteers and helping hands in this process We’re just happy to keep the tradition going.” “There are some kids here who grow up with this festival That’s how we want it to be,” Joan said with a smile FYI: When she's not rocking out to thousands Over 3,000 Staten Islanders showed communal support at the Westerleigh Folk Festival on September 16 Sharon Ostrov playing the Westerleigh Folk Festival on September 16 Treats from Duzer's Local at the Westerleigh Folk Festival on September 16 Hamburger and hot dogs at the Westerleigh Folk Festival on September 16 Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis stopped by the festival to greet Staten Islanders Westerleigh Park is located at the corner of Neal Dow & Maine Avenue off Jewett Avenue .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Tevah PlattPhoto Courtesy of Mark AndersonLocal historians Mark Anderson and Lou Motola map out the past at Westerleigh Park a spring and two duck ponds were once a gathering point.WESTERLEIGH Residents of Westerleigh — the section of the North Shore founded by 19th-century reformers as “Prohibition Park”— have for generations been dedicated stewards of their neighborhood history But the recent efforts of native son Mark Anderson director and founder of the recently established “Westerleigh Talks,” have filled in gaps in Westerleigh’s archival records and created new buzz about the area’s past His research has confirmed the existence of two duck ponds that had been gathering points at Westerleigh Park when it was known simply as “The Grove of Big Trees.” His door-to-door explorations have matched up unidentified historic photographs to existing addresses and his abilities as an amateur computer animator have literally brought yellowing maps and Prohibition-era portraits to life Westerleigh locals gathered in August to unveil a new wooden sign marking the entrance to the “town that temperance built” at the corner of Jewett and Maine avenues the vice president of the Westerleigh Improvement Society walked home the veteran civic leader Daniel Rieu who regaled him for more than an hour in Westerleigh Park with stories about the organization’s history had prompted the reinvigoration of the Westerleigh Improvement Society in the 1960s Neighbors got together to help a family who lost its home they realized the Improvement Society had an existing bank account and a viable constitution Rieu became one of the first new officers of the Society serving for decades as the editor of the historic Voice of Westerleigh newsletter Anderson interviewed Rieu on videotape to create an oral history that he shared at the inaugural “Westerleigh Talks” meeting in the fall; borough historian Thomas Matteo spoke at the second meeting in December The two talks that followed in February and March centered on a special map that Anderson acquired in January Anderson came across a map from a California dealer that had been produced in 1897 by the National Prohibition Park Co. presumably a prospectus used to sell lots to temperance reformers all over the country roughly bounded by what are now Jewett Avenue shows which lots had been built up and which had been rented; at the time many of the lots were occupied in the summer by reformers who rented wood-floored tents for $6 a week Half of the built-up lots were home to public buildings with a lighted stone fountain at Maine and Fiske avenues the Collegiate Institute on College Avenue The center of town from 1891 to 1903 was the open-air Prohibition Auditorium and speeches from national reform leaders and politicians including then-gubernatorial candidate Theodore Roosevelt A 19-year-old arsonist destroyed the auditorium in April temperance institutions and leading reformers Championed in large part by middle-class Protestant women the cause of sobriety became a popular and powerful turn-of-the-century movement It combined nativism (frequently linking alcohol to immigrants and poverty) moral idealism and appeals by women lamenting that saloons lured their husbands away from the home The climate of Staten Island’s temperance grounds was changing in 1897 residents voted to change the name of the town to Westerleigh on the theory that the political label was deterring potential land purchases A faction of Prohibitionists vowed to sue to prevent the name change Prohibition Park was a place,” said Anderson “Through collecting articles [of that era] we can begin to see why it may have changed.” But while fires destroyed many of Westerleigh’s public meeting spaces and the vigor of Prohibition dissipated the neighborhood retains 53 of the historic houses marked on Anderson’s 1897 map These include Anderson’s own home on Jewett the 92 Waters home of the celebrated poet Edwin Markham The map helped Anderson and Motola to discover on foot the addresses and conditions of the houses that had been recorded Anderson matched those structures up with unidentified photographs and architectural descriptions the Society had on file from the Scientific American’s Builders Edition the local historians invited everyone with a home on the map to come to the “Westerleigh Talks” preceding the monthly Improvement Society meetings sharing historical tidbits and scouring the maps and other primary sources that Anderson is gradually cataloguing online Anderson animated an aerial-view lithograph sketch of the neighborhood and made a photograph of Emma Boole—the Westerleigh suffragist and one-time president of the World Christian Temperance Union— wink at the audience will be the history and evolution of Westerleigh Park was the site of two duck ponds in the 19th century Anderson had seen an artist’s sketch depicting swan-studded ponds The existence of these natural waterways has helped explain groundwater problems that still plague the park The historian’s long-term goal is to create a digital archive so that residents can scroll through historic maps and through records of Westerleigh’s development The Internet has allowed local historians to find new sources of data that fill gaps and make up for records lost in the auditorium fire of 1903 Westerleigh residents have been thrilled to learn about the history of their houses and have been proud to receive magnets from Anderson designating them as historic homeowners with the line “Our house is on the map of National Prohibition Park.” Come to next 'Westerleigh Talks' Mark Anderson is a historic preservation architect who restores and rehabilitates commercial exteriors neighbors come together to share collective knowledge about the town “It’s like a free form exchange of information that uses a multi-media and multi-sensory experience as tools to most effectively study anything and everything that is Westerleigh It’s LIKE eavesdropping on a few neighbors’ conversation while sitting on a park bench at the bandstand in Westerleigh Park.” The Westerleigh Talks meetings take place at Immanuel Union Church and topics will include the shrinking of the park Visit the Westerleigh Improvement Society at wisonline.org and click through to Anderson’s blog under the heading “Westerleigh Talks.” have been involved with the girls' softball program in the Westerleigh Little Guys and Gals neighborhood little league for kids housed between the trees and one-family homes that surround the intersection of North and Neal Dow avenues They have a lot to be proud of as the league has grown in numbers and has continued to keep its neighborhood feel made a run through two Babe Ruth softball tournaments that made everyone proud The team captured the Metro New York State championship with three straight victories to advance to the Mid-Atlantic Regional in La Plata the Westerleigh club dropped a heart-breaking 8-6 semifinal decision to the Waretown Thunder in the last inning Not making it to the World Series in Wilson but it hardly took the luster off the girls' accomplishments "This is a group of kids who don't play travel ball for one reason or another but want to play who came together for a really nice run," said Michelle Devlin who coached the team along with her daughter Rebecca and John Curatolo who was instrumental in the league extending its program from the grammar-school level to high-school age girls who had been playing together 4-5 years and after they finished eighth-grade John suggested we continue and let them stay together," said Michelle The loop roughly accommodates 45 high-school girls from which the "Westars" teams are formed "The team is called Westars because all of our teams at Westerleigh begin with W's seven of the original girls were still together That number was reduced to three – Mary Curatolo (St Jamilynn McGowan (Petrides) and Shawn Reilly (Curtis) – on this year's squad During the tournament MVP awards were given to players by the opposing coaches Centerfielder Tatiana Perone (diving catch to end the game and preserve a one-run victory) catcher Ariana Trembone (two RBIs and for throwing out four runners trying to steal) Serena Zinsely (lone hit in the team's pool-play loss) Curatolo (defense and a 5-for-5 day at the plate) and Ms.McGowan in the semifinal loss John Curatolo won the coaches home-run derby fought its way out of the losers' bracket to capture the Metro New York Tournament before losing three straight games in its regional The 14s hosted the Metro tournament but were defeated by the Kingsbridge Divas of the Bronx How many members should have access to the subscription Westerleigh Parks Coalition hosts its annual Christmas tree lighting in Westerleigh Park on December 15 N.Y.-- Celebrating Christmas 10 days early the Westerleigh Parks Coalition held its annual tree lighting Saturday night Dozens of local families came out to support the neighborhood park with performances by the PS 29 chorus and the Port Richmond High School Marching Band "We want to keep the tradition going," Brian Whalen Vice President of the Westerleigh Parks Coalition This event is always a great reminder for people to engage in their community." Pictured are six-year-old Chloe and four-year-old Mikaela Antabi waiting for the tree lighting Santa came and brought presents for the children Santa Claus was escorted in an NYPD car to Westerleigh Park where he took photos with a long line of children at the gazebo in the middle of the park Presents were donated by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7172 Keep scrolling for more photos of the evening Elizabeth Patterson and two-year-old Dylan Patterson getting ready for the event Santa was ascorted in an NYPD car to the lighting with presents for the children in attendance Pictured are the PS 29 chorus performing at the event The Port Richmond Marching Band performed at the event Pictured are Stacy and Antonio Garcia with Linda Rann The Port Richmond High School Marching Band performs at the event Pictured are Sunjani and Nethaya Senanayaka waiting for the tree lighting Pictured is two-year-old Sadie Young with Vanessa and Thomas Greci Pictured are Congressman-elect Max Rose with his wife Leigh Rose Presents were donated by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7172.  Home > News By Simon Hacker | 21st June 2024 A Bristol crematorium and burial firm which has grown to run 40 sites across the UK has its sights set on a new address close to Junction 13 of the M5 Reported to be on earmarked land to the west of Eastington village which would be close to Forest Green Rover's intended new Eco Park stadium Westerleigh Group has confirmed to Punchline-Gloucester.com that it will imminently ask Stroud District Council to consider a bid for the new facility on 9.2 acres of farmland The move comes in the wake of a recent consultation Westerleigh held with local funeral directors and members of the public at Fromebridge Mill in nearby Whitminster where it mapped out the outline of the project and discussed the potential details which the company says would address logistic challenges for Stroud funeral companies who often have to arrange cremations considerably further afield Now one of the UK's largest independent owners and operators of crematoria and cemeteries which is believed to be adjacent to the Apple Tree Park Holiday Homes site would be accessed from J13 of the motorway and via the A38 A Westerleigh Group spokeperson said that the greenfield site had been selected in accordance with access criteria for residents in the Stroud and south Gloucestershire area secluded and tranquil" with a series of open spaces that would lead visitors to the main chapel a year-round garden space would also be designed where mourners would be able to meet and pass time in quiet contemplation Based in King's Stanley and in operation for more than 50 years independent funeral directors Allen-White said that the new site would be a big improvement for local families it would be very helpful because it would be only five minutes away we find that many ceremonies here have to travel to Westerleigh's site near Yate so it's a significant benefit to create this here in the Stroud area." to add burial facilities as part of the bid: "We have a growing problem in terms of burial space here in the Stroud area as have many other locations nearby.Westerleigh have told us they will look into this possibility." insurer SunLife reported on an observed rise in the popullarity of direct cremation While just 3% of funerals were direct cremations with no service in 2019 the number rose to 20% last year amid what some media has reported on a "cost of dying" crisis The insurer calculated the average funeral cost as having risen to £4,141 and said "pauper's funerals" arranged by the local council for someone who has died without relatives and left no funds Opinion marks early verdict on Labour amid Shire Hall shakeup The project has been more than a decade in the making and could see 620 acres of greenbelt transformed into a new town It has revealed plans to open a branch in town as part of a rapid expansion Forest of Dean venture shares its fears amid new burden Reproduction of any content is strictly forbidden without prior permission We use cookies to help make our website better. For more information on cookies and how to block them, visit https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/online/cookies/ By: 10:00 am on August 31 Staten Island-based property owner James Mangone has filed applications for two three-story two-family houses at 370-374 Crystal Avenue That’s a neighborhood just north of CUNY College of Staten Island Each of the buildings will measure 3,459 square feet there will be one unit on the ground floor followed by a second unit on the two upper floors They should average 1,198 square feet apiece Morri’s Staten Island-based architecture firm is the architect of record The 8,000-square-foot plot was occupied by a single-story house until that was demolished earlier this month Subscribe to the YIMBY newsletter for weekly updates on New York’s top projects Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates Like YIMBY on Facebook Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews Walk down from supertall to two three-story read about 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.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Erik Bascome | tbascome@siadvance.comSTATEN ISLAND The Staten Island Advance continues a series of "Green Scenes" -- this time highlighting Westerleigh Park The 2,889-acre park and surrounding neighborhood were named after the Westerleigh Collegiate Institute of Staten Island Neal Dow and Willard avenues -- with entrances at all four corners of the square space The diagonal paths leading in from each corner and meeting at a central gazebo evoke the feel of an old-fashioned town square the National Prohibition Party purchased 25 acres of land in Westerleigh Park and established a summer resort for members of the Temperance Movement Click the comment bubble near this story's headline to join in the conversation Staten Island's oldest Boy Scout troop will observe its 100th anniversary Saturday with a dinner celebration in Immanual Union Church returned from a trip to England where he met with Boy Scouts' founder Lord Baden Powell Van Cott began meeting with a group of young men from Westerleigh in a home on what is now Markham Place and organized Troop 114 with the formation of the Staten Island Council of the Boy Scouts of America Meetings were held at Immanuel Union Church The troop continues to meet weekly in the church said Troop 2 is proud of its tradition in the Westerleigh community and in Scouting More than 35 young men of Troop 2 have earned the rank of Eagle Scout "Troop 2 believes its longevity is due to a number of factors including the support it has received from Immanuel Union Church over the years its strong outdoor and camping program which creates an opportunity for adventure unavailable to many young men and its roots in Westerleigh," Lynch said Many families have had generations of Scouts in the program with men who grew up in and around the troop returning as leaders together with more than 15 registered and trained parent volunteers the Scouts elect leaders from their membership twice a year Scouts must hold a leadership position in the troop to be able to advance to Eagle Scout rank The Troop has 37 boys registered as Scouts making it one of the largest troops on Staten Island Troop 2 sent two-dozen Scouts and chaperones on a two-week trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico which was the third time in 10 years it has sponsored a trip to the Boy Scouts of America's "high adventure" national camp Troop members participate in a variety of Scouting activities during the year including an annual Delaware River canoe trip summer camp at Ten Mile River Scout Camp in Monticello The Troop has ventured on weekend trips to Washington D.C with a new road trip on the horizon for 2012 Troop 2 will kick off its anniversary festivities Saturday at 1 p.m with a "mini-jamboree" in the church hall at 693 Jewett Ave Scouts will demonstrate various skills and exhibit photographs and artifacts from the troop's past A sit-down buffet dinner and accompanying program will begin at 6 p.m Tickets are available for $20 per person from Troop 2's website at the troop will host its annual "Scout Sunday" services at 10:30 a.m .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.comSTATEN ISLAND -- Sometimes the pre-parade party is just as good Ask anyone who has ever attended the Staten Island St especially that of Rob and Kerry Falcone and their children Dillon and Annie of Westerleigh The Falcones have hosted their pre-parade breakfast at the their Egbert Avenue home for the past 17 years to the delight of their family with Kerry's delicious feast of homemade traditional breakfast favorites and Irish fare and a continuous live performance of traditional Irish music by Liz Wotjal in the Falcone living room holding baby) is surrounded by friends in her Westerleigh home during her 17th annual Staten Island St Patrick's Day pre-parade breakfast party "Our house is an open house of sorts," said Kerry  "It's an invite to all who have done good to us hence why we have so many people at our home The much-anticipated soiree started at 9:00 a.m to give attendees enough time to walk to and watch the parade on Forest Avenue Brisk temperatures in the 30's did not freeze the merriment of partygoers the elegantly but warmly appointed home was a sea of green welcoming a continuous stream of guests who feasted on corned beef and Irish soda bread in the dining room some spilling out to the back yard to catch up with old friends or to the front yard to shoot some hoops with the kids But mostly the 130 guests -- many Blessed Sacrament families -- stayed indoors as lively conversation abounded and good times rolled and plenty of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages in their Westerleigh home during their 17th annual Staten Island St To celebrate their Irish heritage (even for those who were just Irish for the day) many adults and children alike donned traditional Irish sweaters and hand-knit scarves in green  There were belly laughs and a bit of dancing "Rob and I truly enjoy the pre-parade breakfast at our house is instilled and carried out," said Kerry Falcone From the broad smiles on the faces of her guests Check out the gallery of photos from the Falcone's pre-parade party and see for yourself \n m_gallery = \"new_gallery_name_83\";\n m_gallery_id = \"22230589\";\n m_gallery_title = \"The Falcones of Westerleigh host 17th annual pre-parade party\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4499\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Sunday 8:14 PM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.silive.com/4499/gallery/new_gallery_name_83/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.silive.com/photogallery/4499/22230589.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: The Falcones of Westerleigh host 17th annual pre-parade party .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Bob Nesteltrapasso.jpg Mary Trapasso of Westerleigh has been the swim coach at St Westerleigh resident Mary Trapasso knows a good thing when she sees it Trapasso just finished her 13th season as swimming coach at Brooklyn’s St but she remains attached to the girls’ high school in downtown Brooklyn “I grew up in Bay Ridge and swam at Fort Hamilton,” said the Wagner College graduate “I couldn’t picture myself coaching anywhere else While Archbishop Molloy and Notre Dame Academy have long dominated the CHSAA girls’ swim scene Trapasso’s clubs have built strong rivalries with the other three Island teams “Molloy and NDA are just about impossible to compete with,” said Trapasso we’re more concerned with the team dropping their times and qualifying for A Champs those are meets where both teams are very evenly matched — meets that either team can win,” said Trapasso but defeated Sea and Villa this season to capture the CHSAA B crown “That’s when it comes down to having the right lineups Despite only having 13 swimmers two seasons ago Trapasso’s club came in second in the B division the Pandas won the B crown for the second time who had two swimmers qualify for Junior Olympics this year “Our numbers are up and we should have a strong incoming freshman class Postal Service worker Lisa Sweeney have become close friends after Sweeney saved Boyer's life (Staten Island Advance/Thomas Erik Bascome) -- A life-threatening experience has brought two Staten Island women closer than they could have ever imagined was driving the same route she's driven for 13 years -- when she noticed something out of the ordinary had not taken in her mail or garbage cans in recent days -- two things that Sweeney knew the senior did on a  regular basis "That's when the red flag went up," said Sweeney The mail carrier decided to knock on the door The neighbors told Sweeney that they had just returned from vacation and that they hadn't yet seen or heard from Boyer That's when Sweeney realized she had to take action so I called 911 and explained the situation," recalled Sweeney Still needing to deliver the mail to the rest of her route sporadically driving past Boyer's Westerleigh home to see if the cops had arrived "I got a call that the cops had gotten to the house so I went back to see what was going on," Sweeney said The NYPD entered the house through the rear door and spent a significant amount of time inside with no indication of what was going on "Someone finally came outside and said 'she's alive,' and I was so happy I cried," recalled Sweeney Boyer was removed from her home on a stretcher She opened her eyes outside to see the caring mail carrier who had saved her life "I knew that you would know I was here because the mail was still in the box," Boyer told Sweeney before being placed in the ambulance It turned out that Boyer had fallen four days prior and had been trapped on the floor with no means of calling for help "I went upstairs with a pile of things and fell and couldn't get back up," said Boyer Boyer became so severely dehydrated that her lips began to peel and she suffered multiple bruises and sores on her back "I remember thinking that I didn't want to die that way I didn't want to die alone," Boyer recalled during a recent interview She has since recovered from her injuries and is living comfortably at The Esplanade Luxury Senior Residences in Graniteville And Sweeney and Boyer have become close friends and it's like we're best friends," said Sweeney watching television and eating ice cream from Eggers The new friends will even be spending Thanksgiving together as Sweeney has invited Boyer to join her family for the holiday -- Boudoir photography is derived from the French verb boudeur -- meaning a room to sulk or withdraw to This genre of photography can be quite provocative and surely we've all seen such sultry photos of women usually intended as wedding or anniversary gifts for their husbands or significant others What about "dudeoir" photography according to award-winning photographer Natalie Licini a Westerleigh resident and owner of Je Revele Fine Art Photography meeting the demand of males wanting portraits of themselves with soft lighting and relaxed poses boudoir photography was the biggest trend and it is still hugely popular dudeoir photography has skyrocketed," Natalie said Natalie's "dudeoir" images are so wonderful that she was recently featured on CBS News after executives read on her blog about her numerous females clients who'd posed for boudoir photographs and eventually referred their husbands and boyfriends for similar shoots "It was such an honor to be featured by CBS News," said Natalie "They came to my 'castle' photography studio in New Jersey and filmed two of my dudeoir sessions." Natalie said there are distinct similarities and differences in photographing women and men in this type of photography "Everyone has insecurities or things they love about themselves but women tend to be a little more nervous," she said "But the connection and bond I have as a photographer with women is greater "Both men and women are doing the shoots for themselves or for loved ones so in that way they're the same," Natalie said "The one thing they have in common is self-confidence After three children and not as much exercise as I should be getting (read: stretch marks in places unexpected and a few sizes upwards from my former size 4) I don't think I could ever pose for a boudoir photo session A highly filtered selfie is just fine by me Even people who are classically beautiful or handsome find some flaws in their appearance "It's surreal to me when clients return to see their photos and think their legs don't look perfect or their face isn't perfect The media does set unrealistically high standards as to what beautiful or handsome looks like Natalie rebranded her photography business in 2012 from a full-service studio to one that focused on creating timeless old-world masterpieces "My business evolved and has been on the same course since that time," she said "We do not just simply take photographs we capture moments in time that our clients treasure Our clients don't ask for digital images they want to hang and display portraits in their home "There are few moments in life that change us forever These are moments that well in our hearts and move us to tears They are moments that we want to hold onto forever pregnancy or going through a life transformation or loss in life documenting your life through photography allows us to remember and cherish and hold onto a piece of history." \n m_gallery = \"dudeoir_photography_becoming_a\";\n m_gallery_id = \"18775671\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Dudeoir Photography becoming a popular trend\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4499\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Thursday 3:26 PM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.silive.com/4499/gallery/dudeoir_photography_becoming_a/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.silive.com/photogallery/4499/18775671.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: Dudeoir Photography becoming a popular trend Westerleigh Park rocked last Thursday evening with a free performance of "Hair," the American Tribal Love Rock Musical enthusiastic and articulate group of graduating seniors and other students from Port Richmond High School's Musical Theatre Department "The songs of this show have transcended through time," read a flyer announcing the performance noting classics such as "Aquarius" and "Good Morning Starshine." Auditions at the high school started in January it was a first exposure to songs wildly popular long before they were born ("Hair's" music is from Silver Lake's own Galt MacDermot; the book and lyrics were written by Gerome Ragni and James Rado.) The students in the cast and production crew got a good dose of history as they geared up for the show including a trip to the grounds of the legendary August 1969 Woodstock concert in Bethel Woods in the Catskills region of upstate New York "As we began working on 'Hair,' we were not only preparing a musical but teaching the students about the culture and time period that (was) the 1960s," wrote directors Nancy Delaney The musical "makes a strong statement about a volatile time in history a time in which the hippie movement became prevalent and the anti-war movement was strong." first heard the songs from "Hair" when she was "8- or 9-years-old," she remembered last week said he "never knew that the (popular) Fifth Dimension hits were from 'Hair,' " adding that his favorite song from the musical is "Good Morning Starshine." took center stage in the role of George Berger the leader of the musical's free-wheeling hippie tribe and has a lot of charisma," he said about his character Cervoni is headed to the State University of New York at Oneonta to pursue a joint zoology and business major hoping some day "to run my own zoo." "I love the entire sound-track," said Port Richmond resident Kiersten Ettinger a soprano and graduating senior who will attend Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry in September as an occupational therapy major She played the role of the pregnant Jeanie "the character that you fall in love with the fastest" she said before the performance "He's the co-captain of the entire tribe Best friends Keane "Big Mike" Hayes came to the cast with vastly different experience "This is my first year doing musicals," said Hayes who lives in Clifton and starts his senior year in September "I've been singing my whole life and doing every musical since freshman year," said Ms a Mariners Harbor resident who is completing her junior year Milton performed in the role of Sheila Franklin took the spotlight when she sang "White Boys." She also had some "dialogue parts but I was really out there as one member of the tribe protesting the war." Entering her senior year in September "wants to stay in theater." She also loves to cook and hopes to find a college where she can earn a culinary arts major "He's a side character," he said modestly and wants to make love to (Rolling Stones star) Mick Jagger." One of Kostandy's favorite songs in the musical is "Ain't Got No Grass." moving on to study adolescent education and mathematics at the State University of New York at Oneonta "Chrissy is such an innocent character," she said "I fell in love with the music from 'Hair' the first time I heard it." He recalled that he first saw a performance of "Hair" in 1969 "Both performances were fantastic," said Thomas a volunteer with Friends of Westerleigh Park The Port Richmond High School cast performed 19 musical numbers in Act I "Hair" opened at the Biltmore Theater on Broadway on April 29 Then-New York Times theater critic Clive Barnes called it a musical "that marches to a different drummer." The show "is the first Broadway musical in some time to have the authentic voice of today rather than the day before yesterday." Port Richmond High School staged its first production of "Hair" in 1998 on the 30th anniversary of the musical's Broadway debut guidance counselor Nancy Delaney told the Advance In addition to the cast members mentioned in the accompanying story The show was produced by Pattie Borelli (PRHS alumna Vinnie Medugno served as musical director; Kiersten Ettiner was assistant student director; and Helene Dubois and Jessica Radenberg were responsible for choreography .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}Because We Can Sports filled the Holy Family R.C Church Monsignor Glynn Community Center gym to capacity Sunday showcasing basketball skills in Westerleigh BWC’s Team Black and Team White played its second game on the four-game season schedule while honoring their late teammate Devin McQueen and his family All of the players wore Devin’s number (42) in remembrance of the young favorite hoopster The Advance multimedia specialist Derek Alvez captured some of the action on the hardwood clicking that shutter button on his red camera Because We Can Sports Basketball Season II Devin McQueen's parents Derrick and Colleen McQueen of Great Kills are flanked by the Because We Can Sports basketball staff at Holy Family R.C Church Monsignor Glynn Community Center gym Action from the Because We Can Sports basketball game .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}Sal Fabozzi Peter’s product and head trainer at Because We Can Sports hosted his 6th Annual Coach Fabozzi Cares Integrated Basketball Holiday Clinic Sunday at the Holy Family’s Monsignor Glynn gymnasium Fabozzi calls the clinic  “The perfect opportunity for athletes with special needs to experience working with collegiate level instruction the athletes will be working in a safe environment with former/current well-educated college basketball players to develop fundamental skills.” check out the organization’s page at http://BWCSports.com Great youth pictures like this are featured right here on SILive every Monday at 11 A.M Founder Sal Fabozzi embraces a camp attendee during the awards ceremony Views from the 6th Annual Coach Fabozzi Cares Integrated Basketball Holiday Clinic from Holy Family R.C Church Monsignor Glynn Community Center Head trainer and founder Sal Fabozzi gives instruction during the three-hour clinic .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Diane C. Lore | For the Advance/SILive.comSTATEN ISLAND Long-suffering homeowners in the vicinity of PS 30 in Westerleigh may be getting a break from the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) In an effort to slow down motorists who speed through the narrow DOT has announced it plans to install speed bumps at five locations Three speed bumps are to be installed along Clinton B Fiske Avenue; two between Watchogue Road and Waters Avenue; one between Leonard and Lathrop avenues; one on Wardwell Avenue and a second bump on Wardwell between The Boulevard and Leonard Avenue that the DOT is not installing four-way stop signs at the intersections near the school The problem is particularly severe at the intersection of Clinton B a wrong-way driver pulled into reverse and struck another car a city Fire Department truck responding to a call collided with a vehicle near Bach's house Bach and the Westerleigh Civic Association decided to take their complaints public is that drivers use Waters and Fiske to avoid traffic on Watchogue Road but there's no accompanying stop sign on Fiske DOT has said it's assessed the traffic in the area and deemed no stop sign necessary The speeding has even prompted a letter-writing campaign from young citizens at PS 30 and delivered to the DOT by acting interim Principal The principal noted that most of his students walk to and from the school and that students have seen the recent accidents near the building and have expressed concern that a child could be injured Some of their concerns are given voice in their letters to DOT "Please put more stop signs around PS 30," wrote said children in the neighborhood are scared "Please put more stop signs around PS 30 Put signs around our school so children or teachers won't get hurt," she pleaded Oddo said the speed bumps are a step in the right direction but he would continue to press DOT for stop signs and additional measures We will continue to work with the community to fight for that these speed bumps are a step in the right direction," he said in a statement The DOT has said it will continue to monitor the intersection of Fiske and Waters avenues through the end of the school year WESTERLEIGH -- Three young Staten Island soccer players won state championships recently in the Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge at the United States Military Academy at West Point Through a scoring system that was based on each athlete taking 25 penalty kicks Westerleigh’s Vincent Wiedemann (14-year-olds) Rosebank’s Jason Couillard (12s) and Tottenville’s Vincent Pericone (13s) captured overall state titles in the afternoon after annexing downstate victories in the morning The goal was roped off into diamond-like sections with degree of difficulty determining the point total A direct straight-on kick from the 12-foot penalty-kick line was worth five points; one to the lower corners 10 and the upper corners 20 is a sophomore at Monsignor Farrell High School in Oakwood The Manresa Council representative is a member of the school’s soccer and track teams and participates in intramural basketball and flag football He is a Special Olympics volunteer and in the summer he is a member of the Hillside swim team and volunteer counselor at the Castleton Hill Moravian Church Vacation Bible School He plays on the Blessed Sacrament high school basketball team in the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) He also plays on the Country Awards spring and fall baseball teams in the Mid-IsIand IntraLeague Council representative plays soccer for the Richmondtown Mustangs in the U-13 division His favorite teams are the New York Red Bulls and Manchester United He likes to play tennis and loves to travel and has visited London He recently helped deliver food and supplies to the shelter at Petrides High School following Hurricane Sandy attends Totten Intermediate School where he is in the honors program Pee Wee Football league and is a big fan of the N.Y