NEW YORK – Eclipses Group Theater New York (EGTNY) presents The Greek Play Project New York, a series of public staged readings in collaboration with the Greek Play Project (www.greek-theatre.gr) and under the auspices of the Consulate General of Greece in New York, the A.S. Onassis Program in Hellenic Studies at NYU, and The National Theater of Greece.

The Greek Play Project New York features the U.S. premieres of four plays by four renowned Greek playwrights: In Chorus by Dimitris Dimitriadis translation by Theodora Papachristofilou-Loukas, directed by Ioanna Katsarou; Andromache by Akis Dimou, translation by Demetri Bonaros, directed by Ioanna Katsarou; Seaweeds by Penny Fylaktaki, translation by Penny Fylaktaki, directed by Demetri Bonaros; and Blind Spot by Yiannis Mavritsakis, translation by Christina Polychroniou, directed by Katerina Alexaki.

The production is a collaboration of EGTNY, a nonprofit organization that serves as a cultural bridge between Greece and the United States, and Ms. Irene Mountraki, dramaturg, Head of the International Relations Department of the National Theater of Greece, and creator of The Greek Play Project, an important platform, cataloguing modern Greek plays and promoting Greek playwrights.

All plays will be performed in English.

Production Team: Katerina Alexaki, Ioanna Katsarou, Demetri Bonaros, and Alexandra Skendrou.

Greek Play Project New York Program

Dr. Mountraki will provide introductory remarks about contemporary Greek theatre and each playwright.

May 5, 6 PM

Seaweeds by Penny Fylaktaki

Directed by Demetri Bonaros

Translation by Penny Fylaktaki

May 5, 8:15 PM

Blind Spot by Yiannis Mavritsakis

Directed by Katerina Alexaki

Translation by Christina Polychroniou

May 6, 3:15 PM

In Chorus by Dimitris Dimitriadis

Directed by Ioanna Katsarou

Translation by Theodora Papachristofilou-Loukas

May 6, 5:30 PM

Andromache or Landscape of a Woman in the Dead of Night by Akis Dimou

Directed by Ioanna Katsarou

Translation by Demetri Bonaros

Original music for the plays In Chorus & Andromache by composer Phytos Stratis.

Reception on Sunday, May 6 at 2 PM in the foyer of NYU KJCC Auditorium, 53 Washington Square South, Ground Floor, Room 113, in Greenwich Village, New York.

For tickets call 917-648-8343 and 718-581-6285

Tickets: $18

For more information on advertising, donations, sponsorships, and media please contact Alexandra Skendrou: 917-648-8343 or email: info@egtny.com

About the plays:

In Chorus: fifteen men and women are gathered outside the palace. Someone has called them, but they don’t know why. Time passes but no one is coming out of the palace. The palace is empty. What now? Why have the leaders left? Where are the Gods? Who is going to take action? This play transforms the stage of an Ancient Greek theater into the political landscape of our times. The citizens of the chorus must find a name and a fate for themselves. Theater once again can play a role in this process.

Andromache: The Princess of Troy, wife of the legendary Hector, uprooted and enslaved by the victors of the Trojan War comes to Greece. A woman’s monologue about the fate of a refugee and the agony of assuming a new identity.

Seaweeds: A father’s will promises the entire inheritance to the child who will invest it best within 24 hours. Returning for the first time in years to the beach house where they grew up, two estranged siblings vie fiercely for the inheritance. As old wounds are reopened and secrets exposed, the old house becomes the setting for a taut family drama.

Blind Spot: The play tells the story of a young woman named Nicki (in Greek Nicki means “victory”) who after the death of her husband stands wavering between a paralyzing depression and the need to go on living. Looking for a way out of her suffocating narrow world, she leaves her job at the bank where she worked and finds comfort in the noisy indifference of the city’s big streets. Her encounter with a woman at a traffic light reveals another reality and activates forces inside her, which until then she ignored.

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On Monday, April 16th, 2018, three Greek interns arrived at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Centre for Hellenic Studies at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada.

This cohort includes a Graphic Designer, a UI/UX Designer, and an Android Developer, each of whom were selected by the University through a competitive application process to support the “Rebooting the Greek Language” project. The initiative, which is supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), seeks to develop a state-of-the-art digital platform for Greek language learning within the Diaspora community. It will incorporate 21st century technologies including speech recognition, natural language processing, machine learning, and augmented reality. Each of the interns will play a meaningful role in the platform’s development.
Two additional cohorts of interns will arrive in Vancouver later this summer and fall to support the project.

The SNF has provided significant and longstanding support for the Simon Fraser University Hellenic Studies Program, including the creation and endowment of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Centre for Hellenic Studies at the University.

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ATHENS – Unafraid of jail after revealing CIA torture methods, former spy-turned-whistleblower John Kiriakou is back in the Greek capital where he worked to break up the notorious November 17 terrorist group and not afraid of anarchists as a book of his experiences is being released in Greek.

Fylakismenos Praktoras, by Patakis Publishers is the version of Doing Time Like A Spy: How the CIA Taught Me to Survive and Thrive in Prison, an account of his two-year sentence at a high-security Federal jail near Loretto, Pennsylvania.

He was the first CIA officer to be convicted for passing classified information to a reporter, although the reporter did not publish the name of the operative. Kiriakou had been instrumental in a number of key CIA operations and working as a counter-terrorism officer in Athens out of the Embassy after November 17 had killed five Americans, including the then CIA station chief Richard Welch in 1975.

Kiriakou, who was stationed here from 1998-2000 will highlight a panel on whistleblowing April 20 at Public Bookstore in Syntagma, also featuring noted journalists Tasos Telloglou and John Psaropoulos, Transparency International Greece Chairwoman Anna Damaskou.

It also highlights the work of University of Melbourne lecturer Suelette Drefyus, who has set up Blueprint Greece to track whistleblowing laws and corruption in a country with one of the worst records in the European Union and is an offshoot of her noted NGO Blueprint for Free Speech.

She is author of a kind of cult work in the field and Information Technology specialist who just appeared on Germany’s Deutsche Welle TV to talk about social media algorithm use on Facebook and other outlets.

Kiriakou has returned to Greece regularly and attained citizenship in 2010, including once with Dreyfus to work with the Greek Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of State for Anti-Corruption on a whistleblower protection law.  

“Unfortunately, nothing came of that work, although we are optimistic that, in light of the Novartis issue, the government will reconsider its opposition,” he told The National Herald, referring to the Swiss pharmaceutical company at the heart of an alleged scandal in which the ruling Radical Left SYRIZA has charged 10 rivals, including two former Premiers, with taking bribes to help the company fix prices, which the targets dismissed as a manufactured fraud to discredit government opponents.

Once a hit target of terrorists, he said he’s thought about whether critics would try to disrupt the book launch. “I consider myself to be “one of the good guys” and I ask myself what would the anarchists possibly hope to accomplish by disrupting my appearance here.  It would serve no purpose whatsoever,” he said.

But he added, “Anarchists make trouble for the sake of making trouble.  I remember meeting one young anarchist in 2000 after a major demonstration in front of the US Embassy.  I asked him what kind of anarchist he was. He looked at me blankly. I said, ‘Are you a Marxist-Leninist?  A Trotskyite? An internationalist? A labor anarchist? A Maoist?’”

The anarchist was dumbfounded, said Kiriakou. “He had no idea that anarchism – true anarchism – had an actual ideology.  He thought anarchism was just about fighting the police and setting fire to things. Ridiculous.”

He pointed out that his book is “not just a prison memoir,” and that half is based on his blog series Letters from Loretto that he wrote in prison and smuggled out through his attorney, winning the prestigious PEN First Amendment Award for it.

Was it worth going to jail and losing his career to reveal torture that supporters said was done in the name of saving the country and getting terrorists aimed at spreading even more?

“I said repeatedly that, although the price was very high, it was completely worth it.  Even going to prison was worth it in the name of truth-telling and human rights. That is the message that I hope to convey in Greece,” he said.

“The Greek people are demanding protection for whistleblowers.  It is only through whistleblowers that the government can truly reform itself and can root out corruption,”he added.

“Without any protections for those who would tell the truth, who would report on incidents of waste, fraud, abuse, illegality, or threats to the public health or public safety, Greece can never move forward politically, economically, and socially.  I hope to help them get there,” he said about his motives.

It could be hard in a country where envelopes carrying bribes are as common as crocuses in the spring, where many benefit from cheating on taxes, hiding income, and wrongdoing and seem reluctant to try to stop it.

If he wasn’t daunted by jail and terrorists, he’s not either by apathy or indifference. “I am confident that the country eventually will move in the right direction.  Every Greek with whom I speak acknowledges that there is a problem and that the only solution is new legislation that would protect those who would be guardians of the public trust,” he said.

The post Second Homeland: Kiriakou Greek Book Launch, Whistleblowing Talk appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – “I wanted to become a traveler and an artist, but I didn’t want to carry all the weight of my equipment in my backpack,” said Michael Papadakis, a Greek-American artist who uses the sun’s rays to “paint” remarkable works of art.

Related videos on social media have attracted millions of views. The technique is called “heliography.”

As Papadakis said in an interview with The National Herald, the roots of using the sun’s rays are centuries old. Archimedes, he noted, used them to create weapons. “We are now using this idea to create something peaceful and beautiful,” he said.

Mr. Papadakis is the founder of Sunscribes and as he describes it on his website at www.sunscribessolarprinting.com in 2012, he set out on a trip to Central Asia, from South Korea and eventually to Greece, where he discovered a hidden talent that he did not know: Patience.

Papadakis, told TNH, when asked about permission to republish his photos and videos, that he would be honored. He also said he is a nisioti (an islander), as his father is from Crete and his mother from Chios.

He was born in California and visited Greece in 2013, where he hopes to return this year. The Greek sun is also well-known for inspiring artists and may perhaps inspire Papadakis’ new creations with a “scent” of Greece.

As for the aforementioned patience, as he mentions on his website, this is his most important task, which was suppressed by a life under pressure. He came back when he left his safe zone and regained the bond with the sun, but also the ability to be patient.

Papadakis said on his website, “So, with a magnifying glass in one hand and a piece of wood in the other, I let the Sun be my guide as I travelled for 14 months across the high plateaus of the Pamir Mountain Range, making Sunlight Art for the local people. It was along this ancient trade route formally dubbed the ‘Silk Road’ where I experienced some of the sunniest moments of my life. And so it began…”

He continues, “After my return to the States in 2013, I moved to Colorado and began experimenting with different forms of Sunlight. To my amazement, I discovered that refracted sunlight (sunlight passing through a lens) and reflected sunlight (sunlight reflecting off a mirror) had very different characteristics of one another.

“It was as if they were polar opposites, like water vs. ice, or positive vs. negative.  These two forms of sunlight contradicted each other in every way, yet when in synergy, complimented each other beautifully.

“All this experimentation led me to believe that even sunlight can have multiple personalities, even if it comes from the same source. Nonetheless, I took this newly discovered knowledge and began to teach it to anyone who was willing to learn. I called it, ‘Heliography.’”

“In 2016,” Papdakis said, “I began sharing this Art form with the world and performing at live events and working with Big Brands to help them develop their voice with this unusual yet uniquely effective form of Branding. I’ve had the pleasure of working with R. J. Reynolds, GoPro, The Balvenie, Ruptly, Ripley’s Believe it or Not!, TedX Mile High and Campout for the Cause to name a few.”

The post Greek-American Artist Michael Papadakis “Paints” with the Sun appeared first on The National Herald.

BOSTON – In February 2017, Jimmy Pantelidis was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, a challenge he tackled full-on, as he does all the challenges of life. He vowed to beat cancer and also run the Boston Marathon the following year. Inspired by the marathon at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, Boston’s race is the world’s oldest annual marathon, begun in 1897, and one of the most famous.

On April 16, Pantelidis, having completed his last chemo treatment only 4 months before and after receiving a cancer-free diagnosis, ran the Boston Marathon, his 15th marathon. Nearing his 65th birthday in a few months, he is known as the “marathon man,” as the Greek Reporter reported.

The race itself was not the only challenge Pantelidis faced. The terrible weather, perhaps the worst in Boston Marathon history, made it an especially grueling ordeal. The wind chill made the temperature feel like 26 degrees F, heavy rain, and headwinds with gusts up to 35 miles an hour, left many runners with hypothermia and over 2,000 participants had to receive medical treatment. Pantelidis and running mate Mike Manatos were not deterred, however, and finished the race.

The hills make Boston one of the more difficult marathons to run, though 30,000-plus runners flock from all corners of the globe to participate. Half a million people also watch the marathon, “making it New England’s most widely viewed sporting event,” the Greek Reporter reported.

Pantelidis and Manatos were inspired by the Greek heroes of marathon history: ancient Greek Pheidippides who ran from Marathon to Athens to announce victory in 490 BC; Spyridon Louis who won the first marathon at the modern Olympic Games in 1896; and Stylianos Kyriakides who won the Boston Marathon in 1946.

Born in Paphos, Cyprus in 1910, the remarkable Kyriakides was a gifted runner winning races in the Pan-Cyprian Games before competing in the Greek national championships, winning the marathon, and representing Greece in the 1936 Berlin Games. He fought in the Greek resistance during World War II and barely escaped execution. Watching his fellow Greeks starving to death in the aftermath and also in the Civil War that followed, he decided to go to Boston and win the marathon and save his people in spite of the fact that he had not competed in 6 years. According to newspaper reports at the time, he sold his furniture to buy a ticket to the United States.

Boston Marathon officials asked him to sign a release form in order to participate because his emaciated appearance led them to believe he might die during the race. Massachusetts-native Johnny Kelley, a champion long-distance runner, ran alongside Kyriakides until shouts of “For Greece, for your children!” from the crowd spurred him on to win with a time of 2:29:27. Life magazine reported that Kyriakides shouted, “For Greece!” as he crossed the finish line.

After his victory in Boston, he toured the U.S. and raised $250,000 for the people of Greece, collecting tons of food and supplies as well. He received a hero’s welcome from over a million people lining the streets when he returned home.

On April 12, Pantelidis and Manatos met Kyriakides’ grandchildren- Maria Contos and George Contos at Massachusetts State Hall where the golden olive wreaths from Marathon, Greece were presented at the annual event hosted by the Alpha Omega organization in Boston. Since 1984, the wreaths crown the winners of the Boston Marathon. Nick Tsiotis, the author of Running with Pheidippides: Stylianos Kyriakides, the Miracle Marathoner, was also in attendance at the event.

During the event, Pantelidis and Manatos were also presented with replicas of the Kyriakides’ jersey from 1946 and wore them as they ran Boston.

During the race, Pantelidis and Manatos stopped at Mile 1 at the statue erected to Kyriakides which also features the figure of 1896 Olympic Marathon champion Spyridon Louis, and displayed the Greek flag. Crossing the finish line in the afternoon, the rain-soaked Manatos and Pantelidis held the Greek flag together, and shouted, “For Greece!”

Pantelidis’ daughter Marianna ran the New York City Marathon in November 2017 to honor her father and raised over $22,000 for Project Purple an organization dedicated to finding a cure for pancreatic cancer and improving the lives of patients through support, hope, and compassion. For the Boston Marathon, Pantelidis ran to raise funds for two charities, Project Purple and Cops for Kids with Cancer.

Pantelidis, is the co-founder, along with his brothers George and Peter, of Pan-Brothers Associates, Inc., a Real Estate Development, Management, and Brokerage company. A long-time member of the Leadership 100 Board of Trustees, he also served on the Board of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Manhattan. He lives in Manhattan with his wife, Stella, and their three children, Carli- 24, Marianna- 22, and Nicholas- 18.

The post Jimmy Pantelidis Beats Pancreatic Cancer, Conquers Boston Marathon appeared first on The National Herald.

PORTLAND, OR – The professional vocal ensemble based in Portland, Cappella Romana presents the extraordinary concert Venice in the East: Renaissance Crete for three performances beginning in Seattle, WA at St. James Cathedral, 804 Ninth Avenue, on Friday, April 27 at 8 PM. The second performance takes place at St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1716 NW Davis Street in Portland, on Saturday, April 28 at 8 PM, and the third at Our Lady of the Lake Parish, 650 A Avenue in Lake Oswego, on Sunday April 29 at 2 PM.

Italy meets Greece in Venice in the East, a sonic exploration of the Greek Islands when they were ruled by the Venetian empire. Cappella Romana is reviving Renaissance music from Crete, celebrating the island’s historical significance as a vibrant hub for Greco-Italian culture.

The program features thrilling Greek and Latin music for Eastertide, including a boisterous rendition of “Christos Anesti” (“Christ is risen”) for full choir. Alexander Lingas, Cappella Romana’s music director and founder, conducts.

Venice in the East is a commission of the Utrecht Early Music Festival (Netherlands), the largest early music festival in the world, where it was premiered by Cappella Romana in 2016.

Learn more about the music of Venice in the East at a free pre-concert lecture and discussion, one hour prior to each performance.

Tickets are available online at: www.cappellaromana.org.

Cappella Romana performs early and contemporary sacred classical music in the Christian traditions of East and West. The ensemble is known especially for its presentations and recordings of medieval Byzantine chant (the Eastern sibling of Gregorian chant), Greek and Russian Orthodox choral works, and other sacred music that expresses the historic traditions of a unified Christian inheritance. As noted on the Cappella Romana website, “Our vision is to give a glimpse of transcendence through the music of the Christian East and West.”

The post Cappella Romana Concert Explores Venice in the East: Renaissance Crete appeared first on The National Herald.

ASTORIA – The comedy Ta Filarakia – Bromance, directed by Lukas Skipitaris and with text adaptation by Giorgos Vouros, stars Stratos Tzortzoglou, Manos Pantelidis, and Tasos Karydis. The play opens April 27 at the Archdiocesan Hellenic Cultural Center, 27-09 Crescent Street in Astoria.

“There is no truth without passion, without error… the truth can only be achieved with passion” is just one of the themes explored in this dynamic, dramatic comedy or a drama written funny. Ta Filarakia – Bromance focuses on the issues of male friendship, devotion, the relationship difficulties between women and men, and the general value of friendship and truth.

“What is beautiful and great in this world has never been born of logical discussion,” the comedy highlights.

Anastasios (Tasos Karydis), divorced and separated from his child, has an outlet in “modern art” trying to escape from everyone and everything.

Stratos (Stratos Tzortzoglou) is married but has psychological problems and controlling tendencies. He butts head with Anastasios to preserve the notion of “male friendship” as he sees it.

Manos (Manos Pantelidis) tries to calm the situation, but is tortured by his two mothers, his future wife, and his friends.

A wild fight in a living room ensues that almost ends in a psychodrama among three old friends. Is the “male friendship” innocent and pure, or is it governed by selfishness, eroticism, and power?

Performances from April 27-May 27, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 4 PM, at the Archdiocesan Hellenic Cultural Center, 27-09 Crescent St. in Astoria.

For tickets by phone: 718-626-5111 and +1 917-579-3707 or email: info@hellenicculturalcenter.org

Sponsors: Hellas FM, ANT1.

A production of Stratosphere Art Inc NY in association with FAMA Theatre Group NY.

The post Ta Filarakia – Bromance, with Tzortzoglou, Pantelidis, Karydis, April 27- May 27   appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – The Hellenic Film Society USA (HFS) announced its first ever Greek Film Expo, a showcase for six outstanding Greek comedies and dramas, to be screened April 27-May 3 in the New York metropolitan area. The screenings will be held at the Directors Guild Theater in Manhattan, the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens, and the Bow Tie Manhasset Theater in Nassau County. HFS will host an opening reception on Friday, April 27 immediately following the premiere of Jamaica. Actors Spiros Papadopoulos and Nikoleta Kotsailidou and directors Vasilis Christofilakis and Dora Masklavanou are expected to attend the reception at Ousia, 629 West 57th Street in Manhattan. Tickets are required.

Jamaica, directed by Andreas Morfonios, is a bittersweet comedy about two estranged brothers at very different places in their lives. Actors Nikoleta Kotsailidou and Spiros Papadopoulos- host of the popular TV musical revue, Stin Ygeia Mas Re Paidia, are expected to attend all screenings.

The award-winning drama Polyxeni, directed by Dora Masklavanou, was nominated for 11 Hellenic Film Academy Awards including Best Picture. It tells the story of a young woman attempting to gain independence in a traditional society. The director is expected to attend the Manhattan and Astoria screenings of her film.

Blue Queen, directed by Alex Sipsidis, is a mystery that unfolds from four different points of view with intriguing plot twists that keep the audience guessing till the end. Sipsidis is expected to attend the screenings on April 27 and 29.

The comedy Too Much Info Clouding Over My Head, directed by Vasilis Christofilakis, focuses on a hapless film director whose career is sidetracked when he is forced to raise money to film a screenplay he detests. The director is expected to attend the screenings of his film.

Swing Away, directed by Michael Achilles Nickles, is the story of a discouraged golf pro who gets her groove back by reconnecting with her Greek roots.

Worlds Apart, directed by Christopher Papakaliatis is a major box office hit in Greece. Starring J.K. Simmons and Papakaliatis, it follows the dramatic unfolding relationships of three couples at a time of economic turmoil.

The Hellenic Film Society USA is a non-profit organization created to promote Greek cinema in America. Its mission is to share the richness of Greek films with a wider American audience, to promote Greek filmmakers, and to preserve the film heritage of Greece.

The organization, founded by Jimmy DeMetro and the team that presented the New York City Greek Film Festival for 11 years, was established to expand the reach of Greek film beyond a single annual festival. In addition to presenting screenings of new and classic Greek films throughout the year in cities across the U.S., the organization is embarking on programs to support aspiring filmmakers of Greek descent; foster relationships between Greek filmmakers and U.S. investors and distributors; and restore and preserve Greek film classics.

“We are passionate about our mission to present and support high-quality, well-crafted films, and we’re looking forward to presenting our loyal audiences with engaging films at the Greek Film Expo,” said president Jimmy DeMetro. “Film has a very a special way of revealing culture, so we don’t just project Greek films, we project Greece. What we do brings Greece closer to all of us.”

The Hellenic Film Society USA, a 501(c)(3) organization, receives funding from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and Nikos and Carol Mouyiaris, in memory of their son Alexis Mouyiaris. The Greek Film Expo in New York is made possible with generous support from the Onassis Foundation USA.

For further information, purchasing tickets for the Greek Film Expo and Opening Reception, or for information on how to become a Hellenic Film Society USA sponsor, visit hellenicfilmusa.org, email info@hellenicfilmusa.org or call 718-531-5074.

2018 Greek Film Expo Schedule

Screenings will be held at the following theaters:

Directors Guild Theater, 110 W 57th Street in Manhattan
Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Avenue in Astoria
Bow Tie Manhasset Cinema, 430 Plandome Road in Manhasset

Friday, April 27—Directors Guild Theater

7 PM Jamaica*

(Actors Nikoleta Kotsailidou and Spiros Papadopoulos are expected to attend the screening)

*Immediately following the premiere of Jamaica, the Hellenic Film Society will host an Opening Reception at Ousia, 629 West 57th Street – tickets are required.

9:15 PM Blue Queen

Saturday, April 28— Directors Guild Theater

7 PM Polyxeni

(Director Dora Masklavanou is expected to attend the screening)

9:15 PM Too Much Info Clouding Over My Head

(Director Vasilis Christofilakis is expected to attend the screening)

Sunday, April 29— Museum of the Moving Image

1:30 PM Polyxeni

(Director Dora Masklavanou is expected to attend the screening)

4 PM Jamaica

(Actors Nikoleta Kotsailidou and Spiros Papadopoulos are expected to attend the screening)

7 PM Blue Queen

Tuesday, May 1— Bow Tie Manhasset Cinema

7 PM   Too Much Info Clouding Over My Head

(Director Vasilis Christofilakis is expected to attend the screening)

9:15 PM Jamaica

(Actors Nikoleta Kotsailidou and Spiros Papadopoulos are expected to attend the screening)

Wednesday, May 2— Bow Tie Manhasset Cinema

7 PM Swing Away

9:15 PM Worlds Apart

Thursday, May 3—Bow Tie Manhasset Cinema

7 PM Blue Queen

9:15 PM Polyxeni

For further information or to purchase tickets, please visit hellenicfilmusa.org or call 718-531-5074.

The post Hellenic Film Society’s Greek Film Expo in New York (Photos) appeared first on The National Herald.

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Bill Cosby’s lawyers want jurors at his sexual assault retrial to hear from accuser Andrea Constand’s confidante before deliberations get underway next week — but they’re having trouble getting the woman to cooperate.

Sheri Williams has been unreachable, Cosby’s lawyers said Friday, asking a judge for permission to read parts of her deposition into the record just as prosecutors did with Cosby’s old testimony.

Judge Steven O’Neill appeared skeptical of the defense request, saying he wants to hear from a witness who can show the defense has made a reasonable effort to serve Williams with a subpoena to testify in person. O’Neill put off a ruling until Monday.

Constand testified at Cosby’s first trial last year that she and Williams were good friends and would speak “at all hours of the day: morning, noon, and night.” She said they were in touch as she went to police in January 2005 with allegations he drugged and molested her about a year earlier.

Cosby’s lawyers said they expected Williams’ testimony to refute Constand’s claims that she was unaware he was romantically interested in her. And they said the testimony would show that Constand “could not have been the unwitting victim” prosecutors have portrayed.

Constand testified at the trial that Cosby had never expressed any romantic interest, though she called the passes he made at her before the alleged assault — touching her thigh and trying to unbutton her pants — “a little bit absurd.”

“Mr. Cosby was just a little bit younger than my grandfather. He was a married man and I absolutely showed no interest in him. But I wasn’t threatened and I didn’t judge him,” she testified.

Williams’ deposition was part of Constand’s 2005 lawsuit against Cosby, who wound up settling for nearly $3.4 million. Cosby testified in his own deposition — also given as part of Constand’s lawsuit — that he had a romantic relationship with her.

Two weeks in, Cosby’s trial on three counts of aggravated indecent assault is rapidly winding down.

O’Neill told jurors Thursday that there are only a few more days of testimony. Cosby lawyer Tom Mesereau went into the case predicting it would last about a month.

A pair of drug experts — one for the prosecution and one for the defense — spent Thursday debating one of the case’s enduring mysteries: What drug did he give his chief accuser on the night she says he molested her?

Cosby has insisted he handed 1½ tablets of the over-the-counter cold and allergy medicine Benadryl to Andrea Constand to help her relax before their sexual encounter at his mansion outside Philadelphia. Constand testified he gave her three small blue pills that left her incapacitated and unable to resist as he molested her.

The experts agreed that paralysis isn’t known to be a side effect of Benadryl, though its active ingredient can cause drowsiness and muscle weakness, among other side effects.

Cosby’s expert, Harry Milman, said he didn’t know of any small blue pill that could produce the symptoms Constand described.

The “Cosby Show” star has previously acknowledged under oath he gave quaaludes — a powerful sedative and 1970s-era party drug that’s been banned in the U.S. for more than 35 years — to women with whom he wanted to have sex, but denied having the Quaaludes by the time he met Constand in the early 2000s.

Dr. Timothy Rohrig, a forensic toxicologist called by prosecutors, testified Thursday that quaaludes can make people sleepy. But he and Milman said the drug came in large white pills — not small and blue.

Prosecutors rested their case after Rohrig got off the witness stand.

Cosby’s lawyers are expected to call several people who worked for him, including an executive assistant and employees of his talent agency and publicity firm. It’s likely part of a bid to challenge the prosecution’s contention that the alleged assault happened within the 12-year statute of limitations.

Williams’ deposition testimony, which has been under seal, could provide insights into what led Constand to accuse Cosby and whether the encounter was a factor in her leaving her job a few months later as the director of women’s basketball operations at Temple University.

A private investigator working for the defense said he attempted to serve Williams at least six times at her North Carolina home before sending her a FedEx package containing a subpoena and instructions to call Cosby’s legal team.

The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done.

—
By MICHAEL R. SISAK and CLAUDIA LAUER , Associated Press

The post Judge Delays Ruling on Andrea Constand’s Confidante appeared first on The National Herald.

LOS ANGELES, CA – For the first time in many years the Greek community in Los Angeles had the opportunity to welcome the Ambassador of Greece to the United States.

Amb.Haris Lalacos and his wife, Anna, during their visit in Los Angeles attended a community celebration at St. Sophia Cathedral and he made a presentation at the USC Center on Public Diplomacy (USCCPD) about Greece’s efforts to reenter the international financial community and its role as a pillar of stability in the turbulent Mediterranean region.

The CPD is a research, analysis, and professional educational organization dedicated to study and practice global public engagement and cultural relations, which in 2008 received the Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Diplomacy from the U.S. State Department.

USC President C.L. Max Nikias in his welcoming remarks mentioned that the EU did not act as a partner to Greece in the financial crisis and that the EU organization should act and operate more like the government of the United States. President Nikias referred to Alexander Hamilton’s belief in a strong central government,who argued successfully that the implied powers of the Constitution provided the legal authority to fund the national debt and assume state’s debt by creating the government backed Bank of the United States.

Amb. Lalacos began his presentation by saying that Greece and the United States have a lot in common starting with the fact that “Modern Greece and America were created after revolutions against empires and have maintained democratic governments.” He said that the Greek economy,due to its government’s financial policies, had brought stability and a renewed confidence to foreign investors who are starting to see Greece as a potential prospect for investments. He noted that unemployment has been reduced to 21% today from 28% in 2013 and the deficit has been controlled. Greece is also attractive to foreign investors because “we have an educated and skilled workforce, each generation better educated than the previous one. But the crisis has forced our young scientists to migrate and only investment can bring them back.”

Notably, the United States for the first time, this year, will be the Honored Country at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF).

The U.S. Pavilion will highlight technology, innovation, and the new economy as giant of American corporations such as Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Google, Cisco, and Lockheed Martin will participate at the fair.

This can be beneficial in multiple ways as the American companies can explore expansion of their financial relations with the region of Northern Greece and it will highlight Greece’s strategic role as a hub in transports and energy pipelines. A fact that may surprise many people is that “Greek investments in the United States are double the American investments made in Greece. We definitely have to reverse that trend,”Lalacos pointed out.

With a degree in international relations at the School of Advanced International Studies from Johns Hopkins, Lalacos joined the Hellenic Foreign Service in 1986.

He spoke in Los Angeles about the two issues currently dominating Greece’s foreign policy: Turkish aggression in the Aegean and the issue of a new name for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

He regarded Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent visit to Greece, Lalacos said it was a “calculated risk. Not a smooth visit but it was better than none. Greece showed that it is committed to dialogue.”

The negotiations for the new name of  FYROM have been met with a very vocal opposition from the majority of the Greek people, who do not want the name Macedonia to be part of the country’s new name, as the massive demonstrations inside and outside of Greece have shown. Lalacos said that “agreements in negotiations are achieved by compromises; neither country can get everything they are seeking,” and Greece having one of the few stable democratic systems of governance in the region could play a role of stability. The recent military exercises involving Greece, Italy, Israel, Cyprus, and the United Emirates signals Greece’s increasing role in the region.

Lalacos reiterated Greece’s commitment to Cyprus’ continued campaign for total withdrawal of Turkish troops from the island and for religious pluralism in the Middle East. The Ambassador and his wife were well received by community; he was impressed their vibrancy and success, and he is expected to return.

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At the WE Day event in California, John Stamos, Lily Collins and Dierks Bentley discuss being inspired by the teen-organized gun control protests.

“They are using their voices in such a powerful way. It’s time that we listen to them not the other way round,” the Greek-American actor said. “Since I’ve had my son last week I’m more excited to be here, more,” Stamos said.

On April 15, Stamos and wife Caitlin McHugh welcomed their son Billy, named after Stamos’ late father.

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NEW YORK – A fascinating lecture was given by Professor Konstantinos Tsoukalas, President of the Hellenic Foundation for Culture, on The Greek Revolution as a Global Event (200 Years Later).

The event was held at the Greek Consulate in New York.

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ASTORIA – The presence of the Evzones, the Presidential Guard, who will be marching on 5th Avenue, as well as some of the official guests who will be on the official dais on Sunday, were the most distinct elements on April 19 at the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York’s final meeting prior to the April 22 parade.

Federation President Petros Galatoulas welcomed all those in attendance. In a festive atmosphere, there was barely a seat left in the Stathakion Center with attendance much higher than the previous meetings.

Immediately after the prayer by Archimandrite Nektarios Papazafiropoulos and the singing of the National Anthems, the 21 Evzones were presented, together with the officers and executives of the Presidential Guard accompanying them.

They stood at the front of the hall and gave their name and place of origin to the enthusiastic applause of the audience in support of their fellow Greeks.

Among the places the Evzones call home were Samos, Lesvos, Athens, Kalamata, Aegio, Drama, Heraklion, Chania, Amfilochia, Evia, Kastoria, Ioannina, Kozani, and Karditsa.

The Evzones are accompanied by the Commander, Colonel Rodolfos Demetroglou, Infantry Lieutenants Nikolaos Leontaris and Georgios Andrianopoulos, as well as the representative of the Military Office of the Presidency of the Republic, Konstantia Christodoulou and officer of the Presidential Guard, Dimitra Psychogiou.

“On Sunday, we want to… break the asphalt, hear the legendary Evzones throughout all of New York, across America, and around the world. Be heard up above where all our past heroes are who gave their lives for our homeland to be free and to see Greeks so strong all over the world. I am waiting to see all of you on 5th Avenue,” Mr. Demetroglou said, and conveyed the greetings of the Lieutenant-Guard, Gregorios Prezerakos, who, due to the circumstances, remained in Athens.

As has been pointed out, this year’s Evzone schedule is very tight since they will depart for Greece next Monday.

All of the speeches were characterized by the need for a big turnout on 5th Avenue, which was more urgent because of the key issues currently facing Greece.

“It is a great honor for me that the Federation has trusted me to organize and coordinate the greatest privilege enjoyed by the Greek community: the parade. It is the highest honor for us and it requires us to preserve it. All of us are involved. It is the only way to promote our issues, which are crucial both to the East and to the North,” said Parade Committee Chairman, Nancy Papaioannou, who thanked her associates in Atlantic Bank and also the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce for the support of their efforts.

New York State Senator Michael Gianaris, also said that “a few weeks ago we were all together at the UN for Macedonia. On Sunday, the weather will be better. We must all be on the 5th Avenue, to show our strength as a community and to give strength to our friends in Greece.”

The Consul General of Greece in New York, Konstantinos Koutras, offered greetings to the Evzones and the “color” they give the parade, inviting the whole world to 5th Avenue.

Comments were also made by the Mayor of Corfu Konstantinos Nikolouzos, Rear Admiral Vassilis Politis, Professor of Geopolitics Ioannis Mazis and other contributors.

The Archbishop was represented by the Archdiocese Director/Press Officer, Press Office – News and Media Relations, Stavros Papagermanos, who conveyed the greetings of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and handed over a check for the financial contribution on behalf of His Eminence. As he said, Archbishop Demetrios is in Constantinople and will return to New York on Saturday, so his presence at the Hilton that night for the Parade Gala is not confirmed.

Finally, Galatoulas welcomed the financial support of the Greek community, noting, however, that the expenses are covered by the generosity of the middle class and not by the community’s multi-millionaires.

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NEW YORK – The Pan Arcadian Federation of America launched its Arcadian Registry Project and a new website at a reception on Aril 20 at the Metropolitan Club in Manhattan. The informative event presented the project and website for a large gathering of Arcadians from across the country and from Greece along with the media and interested members of the community.

“With Greek roots, we flourish in the USA” and “We count ourselves because we ourselves count!” are the slogans for the effort which will connect the community across the United States, Canada, and globally, through a general census of expatriate Arcadians living in the USA and repatriates from the USA living in Greece. Hopefully, it will inspire other associations to launch similar registry projects.

Konstantina Letsos served as MC for the event and welcomed all the honored guests, including His Grace Bishop Sevastianos of Zela who gave the opening prayer and offered his congratulations and those of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios who could not attend. Bishop Sevastianos noted that His Eminence was in Constantinople but sent his blessings for the registry project and the new website.

In his letter to Pan Arcadian Federation of America President Andre Papantoniou, Archbishop Demetrios wrote, “I congratulate you and all the members of the Board of the Pan Arcadian Federation of America for undertaking this important initiative and for being at the forefront of many other efforts that promote and document the advancement of our precious faith and culture in the United States of America.”

“It’s time to meet, get to know each other, and get to know our roots,” said Pan Arcadian President Papantoniou, noting that “the great Arcadian family” in the U.S. “has already reached the fourth generation and above,” in some cases.

“The Pan Arcadian Federation will gather all the generations of the Arcadians with the aim, with this registry, to promote the ideals, values, and principles of Hellenism, the preservation of the Greek language, the cultural heritage, the Greek Orthodox Church, as well as the support of Arcadian charitable, cultural, and educational institutions,” he said.

The Consul General of Greece in New York Konstantinos Koutras shared his greetings and congratulated the Federation on the “very important” registry effort. He called on Arcadians of the younger generation, as he has done at many events in the Greek-American community, to participate in the political life of the United States. “You have to have a say in American politics,” Koutras said, especially in these difficult times, to continue to support Greece and the strong, historic ties between the two nations.

Chairman of the Organizing Committee George Reveliotis from Chicago, and the co-chair Stella Demos- Executive Member of the Board of Directors of Demos Pharmaceuticals S.A. from Greece, as well as Dr. George Kallins of Los Angeles, who brought his son Dimitri with him on stage, all shared their insights into this vital registry project and thanked all those in attendance for their support.

“The endeavor to record our Arcadian community is integral for the continuance of the astounding work by the Pan Arcadian Federation of America, its members, and Arcadians at large in promoting Hellenism,” said Reveliotis, adding that “this registry aims to be our contribution to preserving our culture and heritage for the generations to come.”

Journalist Filippos Sotiropoulos, head of organizing and planning for the Arcadian registry and the representative of the Pan Arcadian Federation of America in Greece, then presented the new website. He explained each section of the website in detail, the history of the Pan Arcadian Federation and the links between Greece and the United States, noting that the site will be viewed by Greek-Americans of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation and that is important to remember.

“Registering as many Arcadians as possible is a goal but also a means to increasing participation and communication about events, leading to greater engagement within the community and across the country and the globe. It is also a link strengthening relations between Greece and the United States. Arcadia, is the first prefecture to do so, among 55 prefectures in Greece,” he said.

Sotiropoulos noted that the registry includes not only the Arcadians in the U.S. but also Arcadians who have repatriated to Greece. He added that the user can click and fill out the form, sharing as much or as little information as they prefer. None of the sections are required, so users decide how much personal information they would like to share. Facebook and/or LinkedIn accounts can be added. The form is straightforward and includes basic demographic questions as well as questions about whether or not the user speaks Greek at home or follows contemporary Greek cinema.

More information is available online at www.panarcadian.us (or www.panarcadian.org).

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GARFIELD, NJ – The Greek American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey held its Annual Awards Gala, honoring the Chamber’s Past Presidents, at The Venetian in Garfield, on April 19. The honorees were: Anastasius Efstratiades, Savas Tsivicos, George Callas, Stefanos Nyktas, Mario Afram, Zenon Christodoulou, Nicholas Chingas and Stavros Antonakakis.

They all warmly thanked the Chamber for the honor, noting the Chamber’s important work and urging all Greeks to become active members of the organization.

Chairman of the Board & CEO Michael Hadjiloucas congratulated his predecessors on their valuable offer and service and thanked attendees and sponsors who honored the event.

The Consul General in New York Konstantinos Koutras congratulated the Chamber of Commerce for the promotion of the values ​​of Hellenism and also congratulated the honorees for their contribution to the Greek community. “The consulate,” he said, “will always be at your side, as an assistant, and sponsor of your efforts.”

The Consul General of Cyprus in New York, Ambassador Vasilios Philippou, congratulated the Chamber on the defense of Greek and Cypriot interests and expressed his gratitude to the honorees for their continued support on national issues.

New Jersey’s Democratic Senator Robert Menendez praised Hellenism for the progress and prosperity of the state and wished the Chamber to continue the important work it performs with the same zeal and dedication.

Governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, expressed his pride in the presence of such a large number of successful Greeks in the state. “The Greeks,” he noted, “are a very important part of our society. They contribute to the growth of the economy and at the same time teach us the values, the customs, the traditions, and the glorious history of Greece.”

Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ 6^th District) said one of the Chamber’s main objectives is to strengthen trade relations between the United States, Greece and Cyprus. “Support,” he observed, “that it provides to its members is necessary to develop and maintain successful businesses while preserving the principles and traditions of Hellenism.”

Congressman Christopher Smith (R-NJ 4^th Distrct) said that for many years he worked closely with the Greek community, which honored him with the “Alexander the Great” and the “Pericles” awards.

“Greece and Cyprus,” he said, “for many years have been close friends and allies of the United States. The relations of these three countries must remain strong and finally end the unacceptable occupation of Cyprus.”

Joseph Antonakakis was among those in attendance at the event, along with many members of the community who enjoyed the live music by Stavros Theodorou & Orchestra.

More information about the Greek American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey is available online at: www.greekamericanchamber.com.

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NEW YORK – Greek Independence Day is celebrated everywhere Greeks reside, across the globe. Parades have been a part of the commemoration since the first part of the 20th century in the United States. Towns and villages throughout Greece hold parades with schoolchildren marching in traditional costume and waving Greek flags.

The armed forces parade in Athens is also held annually to commemorate Greek Independence. The history of the parade in the U.S. could easily fill the pages of a book since it follows the rich history of the Greek community. While parades have been held in many U.S. cities over the years, some of the most popular annual parades are held in New York, Chicago, Boston, Tarpon Springs, Baltimore, Detroit, and Philadelphia.

The celebration of pride in our Greek heritage, history, faith, and language, along with the memories shared by family and friends lasts a lifetime.

The Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York held the first Greek Parade in 1938, but it wasn’t until 1951 that the Blue and White was seen waving proudly up Fifth Avenue. The Evzones first marched in the parade in 1949 and the oldest Evzone from that historic moment currently resides in Pennsylvania and is 90 years old.

According to TimeOut magazine, New York’s parade draws the largest gathering of Greeks outside of the motherland. With thousands marching and thousands watching, the parade is the culmination of the tremendous efforts by the Federation every year. With so many pre- and post-parade events, the celebration of Greek Independence is much more than just the parade itself.

Chicago’s first Greek Independence Parade was held in 1965, and as many Chicagoans will attest, it was a city-wide celebration with the route on State Street and Wacker Drive to the Eisenhower Expressway. In the spirit of the 60’s, the 1969 parade featured protesters carrying anti-junta signs. As the years went on, the parade grew and continued the march through downtown into the 1990s. By the mid-90s, the parade was moved to Greektown’s Halsted Street where it continues today.

The original Detroit Greek Parade began during World War II to raise money for war bonds for Greece, an important American ally in the fight against Fascism. The parade continued annually until the late 1960’s. Detroit’s Greek community decided to revive the parade and formed their current parade committee in 2000. An indoor celebration at the International Center in Greektown was held by the parade committee in 2001. The “resurrected” Detroit Greek Parade was held in 2002 and annually ever since.

The Boston Greek Independence Day Parade began in 1994. The 24th Boston Parade marches on Boylston Street from Prudential Tower to Charles Street and the celebration continues immediately following the Parade at the Parkman Bandstand, Boston Common with Greek folk dance performances, vendors and exhibitors, food, music, and children’s events.

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ASTORIA – The opening of the annual exhibition of students’ artwork and handicrafts was held on April 19 at the St. Demetrios Elementary School in Astoria, in the special room “Nikos Andriotis.”

Approximately 250 students, from nursery to the 3rd grade, put their imagination to work and created an impressive array of paintings and handicrafts.

“Children are constantly engaged in their lessons and studying. We wanted to give them the opportunity to have fun and show their artistic capabilities with paintings and handicrafts they like to do,” Betsy Sideris, Assistant Principal, told The National Herald.

The exhibition opened to the public from 3-6 PM on Thursday and on Friday morning. As Mrs. Sideris explained, this is an in-school activity that has no financial or charitable purposes, since the children themselves, when the exhibition is over, will take their creations home as a memento.

“We make the room look like a museum, and the parents have the opportunity to come and see what their children made. They will be able to take home what they made when the exhibition is over.”

Also, the handcrafted items make a wonderful gift for mom, especially with Mother’s Day approaching on May 13.

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GORITSAS, RAINA

WORCESTER, MA (from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, published on Apr. 7) – Raina Goritsas, 18, was called home to heaven on Sunday, April 1, 2018. Raina born and resided in Worcester, and lived many of her childhood years in Greece. She was the daughter of Dimitrios “Jimmy” Goritsas and Efthimia “Effie” Anifantis. Raina is survived by her father, Dimitrios “Jimmy” Goritsas and his wife Marina in Florida and her mother, Efthimia “Effie” (Anifantis) Baroud and her husband Matt of Worcester; her two brothers, Stergios Goritsas and Mikah Baroud; a sister, Aglaia Goritsas; A stepbrother, Kyle Baroud: her paternal grandparents, Stergios and Rena Goritsas in Greece and maternal grandparents Sotirios and Spiridoula Anifantis, Barry and Paula Baroud all of Worcester; She also leaves, many aunts uncles and cousins who loved her including, Jesse Anifantis and his wife Jill of Worcester, William Anifantis and his wife Sara of Spencer; Helena Baroud of Worcester; her cousin and best friend, Michaela Goritsas; extended family and friends. Rainas compassion and love for others was evident from when she was a little girl, and followed her through life. She cared deeply for her family, friends, anyone she encountered. Raina had a quiet and accepting soul who had compassion and empathy for others. Raina was expected to graduate from North High School this year and intended on pursuing a career in healthcare where her love for people would make a difference. She loved iced coffee and music. Her favorite color was purple. She loved fashion. Raina was always dressed up, her nails were always painted, her hair and markup were always just right…no matter where her destination. She will forever and always be her mama’s “Boozy Mou.” Raina’s Funeral service will be held Thursday, April 12th at 11:00 am in St Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, 102 Russell Street. Burial will follow in Hope Cemetery. A period of calling hours will be held in the church from 8:30 to 10:45 am prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial remembrances in Raina’s name can be made to St Spyridon Greek Orthodox church, 102 Russell St. 01610. The Mercadante Funeral Home & chapel, 370 Plantation St is honored to assist the family with arrangements. www.mercadantefuneral.com.

KOUKNAS, APOSTOLOS NICHOLAS “PAUL”

WHITEHALL, PA (from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, published on Apr. 10) – Apostolos Nicholas “Paul” Kouknas, Age 66, of Whitehall, passed on Saturday, April 7, 2018. Beloved son of the late Angeliki and the late Nicholas Kouknas; beloved father of Angela (Robert) Kouknas- Schafer and Athina (Dean) Kouknas-Mourselas; dear brother of Titika (Perry) Karakatsanis and John (Mari) Kouknas; loving grandfather of Will, Ava, and Melina Schafer and Gianni Mourselas; uncle of Smaro Karakatsanis-Caras, Angie Karakatsanis-Katora, and Niko and Andreas Kouknas. Visitation will be Wednesday, April 11, 2018, from 4-8 p.m. at English Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., 378 Maryland Ave., Oakmont, PA 15139 where a Trisagion Service will be held at 7 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held Thursday, April 12, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. in the Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church, Oakmont where visitation will be held beginning at 10 a.m. until the service. A private interment will be held at a later date in his village of Chrisostomos, Ikaria, Greece. Memorial contributions may be made to the Pan Icarian Foundation at PO Box 79037, Pgh., PA 15216. Online condolences may be made to: englishfuneralhome.com

MAGAFAN, SOPHIE

BOWIE, MD (from the Washington Post, published on Apr. 3) – Sophie Nezi Magafan (Age 85) died of a broken heart at her home in Bowie, MD on Sunday April 1, 2018. She was born in 1933 in Meligala, Greece. She survived many things including wars in which she lost her father, an earthquake, the loss of her husband Dimitrios and finally the loss of her beloved son Angelo. Sophie was a loving and caring wife and mother and she worked hard for the family business, Alpha Foods, Inc. She is survived by her loving daughter Eugenia and son-in-law Antony Stubos, one sister Panayiota Nezi Deligiannis and many beloved nieces and nephews. Family will receive friends on Wednesday April 4, 2018 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Beall Funeral Home, 6512 NW Crain Hwy (Rt. 3 South), Bowie, MD. Funeral services will be held at St. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 2747 Riva Road, Annapolis, MD on Thursday, April 5, 2018 at 10 a.m. Interment, St. Demetrios Cemetery, Annapolis, MD. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn, 38105. Please view and sign the family’s guestbook at: www.beallfuneral.com.

OTTOMANIELLO, CALLIOPE

INDIAN ORCHARD, MA (from The Republican, published on Apr. 5) – Calliope “Phylis” Ottomaniello, 86, passed away peacefully on Holy Thursday evening, March 29, 2018, at Agawam Health Care. Phylis is now reunited with her loving husband, Joseph and daughter, Jo-Ann in Heaven. Just as Jesus broke bread on this day and gave it to his disciples, uttering the words; “This is my body, which is given for you” Phylis’ loving daughters and family gave their mother back to God and to eternal life, her family surrounding Phylis with their love. Phylis was born on October 3, 1931 in Springfield, MA, the daughter of Peter Patrakis, an immigrant from Greece and Evelyn Casino of Springfield, MA. She grew up in Springfield and graduated from The High School of Commerce. She married Joseph F. Ottomaniello on February 3, 1952 and they settled in Springfield to raise their family. Phylis worked at Milton Bradley and at the former Zayre’s stores. She retired in 1972 and spent many years doting on her grandchildren and traveling with her husband to many USS Leedstown reunions and collecting ducks. She loved the beach and family gatherings. Her legacy will live on with her recipes for meatballs and Greek cookies. She was a devoted communicant of St. Catherine of Siena Church in Springfield. Phylis was sadly predeceased by her loving husband, Joseph Ottomaniello on August 2, 2005 and her cherished daughter, Jo-Ann on December 11, 1952. She leaves two devoted daughters; Marie E. Berthiaume and her husband Roland of Ludlow and Tina L. Frye and her husband Joseph of Springfield; her loving grandchildren, Craig Berthiaume and his wife, Dana, Carrie Berthiaume, Eric Frye and his wife Amy, Lisa Frye and her boyfriend Nick Alford and Daniel Frye and his fiancée, Kayla Brown and four cherished great-great grandchildren; Ashley & Courtney Berthiaume and Shane & Gabriel Frye as well as several nieces and nephews including Michael and his wife Jane. The family would like to thank the staff at Agawam Health Care, especially Val, as well as Beacon Hospice who treated our mother with dignity and respect as her health declined. We are grateful for their compassion showed to our family. The Family invites you to join them on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 1023 Parker St., Spfld. at 11:00 A.M. to celebrate the Liturgy of Christian burial for Phylis. The family will receive friends from 10-11 a.m. at the church. Phylis’ ashes will be interred in Gate of Heaven Cemetery following the mass. In lieu of flowers, donations in Phylis’ memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the charity of your choice.

POLYHRONAKIS, MATTHEW TIMOTHY

SANTA CRUZ, CA (from The Yuma Sun, published on Apr. 11) – Matthew Timothy Polyhronakis, 26, died tragically on April 2 in a single car automobile accident in northern California. Matt was born in Salinas on July 26, 1991, and spent his early years there. He moved to northern California in 2004, and then lived in Las Vegas and Yuma Arizona before returning to California. Along his short journey in this world, Matt touched many people with his beautiful soul, his humor, music, and smile. He was incredibly intelligent, and from a young age he could carry on a conversation about bugs, electricity or the universe. No matter the topic, Matt instinctively knew something about it. He never met a person he could not connect with at some level, and people who met him always remembered him. He spent a summer in Greece immersing himself in his Greek roots and visiting family. That trip and his time spent working at the annual Greek Festivals in Santa Cruz, brought Matt genuine peace and nourished his connections to his ethnicity and spiritual being. Matt is survived by his mother, Kimberly Polyhronakis (Adan Estrada), his grandmother Ellen Curtis, Grandmother Karen Rosaaen, great aunts Martha, Linda and Cathye, his brother Michael, sisters Calista Garcia and Mary Ellen (Aaron) North, aunts Sophie Polyhronakis (Rufino Madrigal), Dena Polyhronakis (Brian Murphy), Leah and Caitlin Curtis, uncles Cortlandt, Chris, Jeff and Matthew Rosaaen, Aaron, Damian and Garth Curtis, niece Athena North, nephews Glenden Polyhronakis, Desmond and Nathaniel North, cousins Frank, Jake, and Casey Gombos, and more friends and relatives than can be listed. Services will be held on Thursday, April 12 at 1:00 pm at the Prophet Elias Greek Church in Santa Cruz, and a reception will follow.

STAMOS, MARY

GLENVIEW, IL (from the Chicago Tribune, published on Apr. 3) – Mary “Daisy” Rafel Stamos passed away peacefully on April 2 2018 at the age of 88. She was preceded in death by her husbands John J. Stamos and Andrew C. Sotter. Adored mother of Cindy McGarrigle (Jack) Andrea Sotter and Dean Sotter (Carole). Dear aunt of Tony Rafel Cathy Edelman (Guy) and Barb Rafel (Patrick McGarrigle). Stepmother to James Stamos (Julie) Theo Stamos (Craig Esherick) Colleen Stamos and Jana DiMartino (Brian). Loving Yiayia of Neal Johnson (Libby) Alex & Lydia Fernandes Jane & Andy Sotter Jack & Mike Stamos Nicko & Zack Esherick. Great-Yiayia to George Johnson. She also leaves behind her devoted caregiver and friend Mari Rose Balladares. A lifelong resident of Chicago Mary worked for the American College of Surgeons during the early years of her marriage. After having her three children she realized a lifelong dream of becoming a teacher. She taught first second and third grades at Crestwood and Meadowbrook schools in Northbrook for 22 years. Her students remember her fondly and continued to visit her after her retirement. Mary had the ability to energize a room with her contagious laughter. She was delighted to see her beloved Chicago Cubs win the championship in 2016. Mary loved her Greek community and church and her family’s native island of Sifnos, Greece. She was an accomplished pianist and took lessons until the age of 84. Visitation 4:00-8:00 pm on Tuesday at Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home 1104 Waukegan Rd. Glenview. Family and Friends will meet on Wednesday at Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church 1401 Wagner Rd. Glenview for funeral service at 12:00 noon. Interment at Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the music therapy program at JourneyCare.org Hospice where Mary volunteered for many years.

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READING, PA – “Never underestimate the power of your character. You never know how many people are watching.” That was the essence of the message about the power of character that keynote speaker Dr. Len Marrella delivered at the Gust C. Kraras Chapter No. 61 of the Order of AHEPA’s Charter Dinner at Crossroads Restaurant in Reading on April 12. The Chapter celebrated its 93rd anniversary.

Dr. Marrella is a retired U.S. Army Colonel who served in Vietnam, at NATO, and at the Pentagon. He earned a BS in Military Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy, an MBA in Finance from the University of Oklahoma, and a DBA from George Washington University.

Having taught at numerous institutions of higher learning, and serving on West Point’s Thayer Leadership Development Group, he founded the Center for Leadership and Ethics in 1994, which offers seminars and keynote speeches to develop ethics, character, and leadership in both business and academia.

In emphasizing the importance of character, Marrella raised numerous examples throughout history: from Heracletus in ancient times to Olympic champion John Naber in the 1970s. He described how Naber, destined to become a world-class swimmer, had recently graduated from high school, was competing in the national championships, so as to land a spot on the upcoming Olympic team. In winning the swimming event comfortably, the official disqualified him because his hand didn’t touch the wall. Though his coach told him that if he protested, the decision could be overturned, especially since it was inconsequential to his win, Naber insisted that “I didn’t touch the wall. My parents didn’t raise a cheater,” Marrella described.

An excerpt from the chapter titled Truth from Marrella’s book In Search of Ethics: Conversations with Men and Women of Character (DC Press, 2001), about Naber’s story, reflects Naber’s own words on the topic: “for the victory to mean anything, it must be earned fairly…if winning is all that matters, then cheating becomes an option.”

Chapter President Dr. George J. Giovanis spoke glowingly about Marrella, the Chapter, and its namesake, 97-year-old Gust. Kraras, a World War II veteran highly decorated by both the United States and Greece for his service, an Ahepan for over 70 years, and a longtime stalwart and patriarch of the Sts. Constantine and Helen parish in Reading.

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NEW YORK – Inspiring and Educating Women to Make Better Decisions by “America’s #1 Phobia Relief Expert” Kalliope Barlis, author of the Phobia Relief: From Fear to Freedom, takes place on April 25. The event is hosted by Hellenic Professional Women (HPW) at Wells Fargo, 150 East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, and offers “an approach to making women smarter every moment – to make the right decisions at the right time so their future is profoundly fulfilled, more successful, and much happier as an individual, worker, spouse/partner and parent.”

Renowned expert Barlis will demonstrate “that thought has structure and how you can change your future by thinking more successfully now.”

A licensed Master Trainer of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Barlis, whose roots are in Chios, is the author of three best-selling books, a TEDx Speaker – Phobia Relief Expert, licensed NLP coaching trainer, professional speaker with the National Speakers Association, a Doctor of Acupuncture, and a golf improvement specialist.

More information is available online: www.kalliope.nyc.

Register on Eventbrite, search: Inspiring and Educating Women to Make Better Decisions.

Hellenic Professional Women Inc (HPW) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating and supporting professional opportunities for Greek-American women and students through networking, mentoring and education.

Inspiring and Educating Women to Make Better Decisions takes place on April 25, 6-8 PM, at Wells Fargo, 150 East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan.

Tickets are $20 for HPW Members and $30 for Non-Members.

Building security requires that everyone entering the building be registered for the event.

The post Helping Women Make Better Decisions Event in Midtown Manhattan appeared first on The National Herald.