BOSTON, MA – The growing popularity of the music of Epirus was in full evidence in Boston on April 29when an enthusiastic audience crowded the Tsai Performance Center, one of the city’s most prominent concert halls, to hear musicians from Greece play classic examples of what the New York Times has called “the world’s most beguiling folk music.”

Roaring applause and shouts of approval echoed through the concert hall with every song performed by the five musicians on stage. Petros Loukas Halkias on clarinet and singer Kostas Tzimas, who flew in from Greece especially for the concert, were joined by Vasilis Kostas on laouto,

The concert was sponsored by the Panepirotic Federation of America and the Greek Institute of Boston and the musicians were introduced by the president of the Federation, author Nicholas Gage. His remarks follow:

“Those of you who know something about the music of Epiros are going to have the pleasure of hearing it performed by some of the best practitioners of the art. Those of you who know little or nothing at all about this plaintive, stirring music are in for a unique experience and about to join a growing chorus of people who are not from Epiros, or even from Greece, who have become huge fans and promoters of these ancient and widely influential melodies.

“On Sept. 24, 2014, the New York Times Magazine published a seven page article by Amanda Petrusich, a professor at NYU, on the music of Epiros, which it called ‘the world’s most beguiling folk music’ and went on to explain how it has influenced all folk music in the West from ballads sung by troubadours during the Middle Ages to American blues.Like most folk music, the songs of Epiros are about love and loss, often the loss of one’s native land which Greeks call xenitia. The lyrics of most of these songs, backed by the wailing sounds of the clarinet and the laouto, touch the heart like a blade. One brief example cited in the Times article is the song Mariola, the lament of a young man returning to his native village from a long journey to find his wife freshly buried:

“Oh, rise Mariola, from the earth

From the dark soil, oh Mariola mine,

Turn your hands into shovels. Dig

Yourself out, Return to me.

“In a few weeks, a new book will be released by a major trade publisher, Norton, titled Lament from Epirus, that is entirely devoted to the music of the remote region, by a distinguished author, historian, musicologist and record collector named Christopher King. The book is about the history and the value of what is proclaimed on the cover  as ‘Europe’s oldest surviving folk music’ and is described by one critic as an exploration ‘into musical traditions so old they must be considered part of what makes us human.’

“Now we would a gentleman scholar from Virginia like Mr. King write a whole book about the music from the most remote region of Greece. As a record collector he picked up an album recorded almost 100 years ago called ‘The Sounds of Epirus’ and was so moved he traveled to Epirus to learn more about its music. That did it, as he writes in his book: ‘The people of Epirus have imparted in me an understanding of music I never had before. The simple act of sharing transcends hospitality and courtesy. It, like the rare music of this region, transforms us and makes us whole.’

“Mr. King will present his book here in the Boston areaon June 8 at Harvard’s Paine Hall, sponsored by the Greek Institute, and I urge all of you to try to attend.I want you all to note one other date, a bit into the future, where you will hear the influence of Epirot music in full measure.An opera oratorio is currently being composed by a professor of music at Yale, Christopher Theofanidis, based on my bookEleni that will rely considerably on the music of Epirus. It will have its premier at Carnegie Hall on March 25, 2021, the 200^th anniversary of Greek independence, and then be performed in Greece and many other venues throughout Europe.”

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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — State Sen. Michael Gianaris says he’s not going to enter the race for New York attorney general.

The Queens Democrat says Thursday that he won’t seek the party’s nomination at next week’s Democratic state convention on Long Island.

His dropping out of consideration, first reported by NY1, comes a day after New York City Public Advocate Letitia James became the first Democrat to officially launch a campaign for attorney general. Gianaris says he supports her candidacy.

The attorney general’s job opened up when Democrat Eric Schneiderman suddenly resigned last week after four women told The New Yorker magazine that he had assaulted them while they were dating.

Solicitor General Barbara Underwood is serving as acting attorney general. The Legislature will appoint someone to serve the remainder of Schneiderman’s second term.

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NEW YORK – The Hellenic American Educators Association/ United Federation of Teachers (HAEA/UFT) hosts the informative presentation Good Posture Means Good Health by guest speaker Dr. Baron Lonner- Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center on Friday, May 18, 5 PM, at UFT Headquarters, 52 Broadway in Manhattan.

Dr. Lonner is an eminent surgeon who specializes in scoliosis, disc herniation, and stenosis. He will share important information about the treatment of back and neck pain. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions for Dr. Lonner. Admission to the event is free and refreshments will be provided.

According to its website, the Hellenic American Educators Association of the UFT represents members of the Greek community working in the New York City public school system. HAEA/UFT was established in 1975 with the enthusiasm and vision of its founder, Dr. Nikos M. Spanakos, who brought together a group of educators of Greek descent for the purpose of uniting Hellenes with Phihellenes to promote Hellenic ethnic identity in the mainstream of American education. HAEA/UFT is dedicated to actively serving our students and the educational community with pride and vision while fostering Hellenic ideals.

The goals of the organization are too, “Raise the ethnic consciousness of educators through cultural exchange, lectures, and workshop; Serve as a liaison on educational issues pertinent to the Greek-American Community: Arrange professional activities through cultural and academic studiesOffer guidance to college students interested in entering the teaching profession

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NEW YORK – On Thursday, May 17, 2018, the New York Public Library (NYPL) honored the SNF Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) at their annual Spring Dinner in New York City for their support of NYPL’s branch programs and education initiatives.

The dinner also honored Yvonne and Arthur Koenig, and Julie Sandorf and the Charles H. Revson Foundation.

The SNF has a long-established relationship with the New York Public Library, supporting educational programs and exhibitions that make the work and collections of the Library more accessible to all. In 2017, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) announced a landmark gift of $55 million to support the complete renovation and transformation of The New York Public Library’s Mid-Manhattan Central Circulating Branch. The gift will also establish an endowment to support the branch’s public programming.

Follows Speech by Andreas Dracopoulos, Co-President, SNF

Source: SNF

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SANTA FE, Texas (AP) — A law enforcement official has identified a person in custody in the Houston-area school shooting as 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis.

Pagourtzis plays on the Santa Fe High School junior varsity football team, and is a member of a dance squad with a local Greek Orthodox church.

A woman who answered the phone at a number associated with the Pagourtzis family declined to speak with the AP.

She said: “Give us our time right now, thank you.”

Father Stelios Sitaras of Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Galveston, Texas, said he met Pagourtzis when the young man danced with a group as part of an annual festival in October. He said the Pagourtzises are members of a nearby parish.

Sitaras said he had never heard of the teen being in any sort of trouble.

“He is a quiet boy,” the priest said. “You would never think he would do anything like this.”

Tristen Patterson is a junior at Sante Fe high School, where at least eight people were killed in the shooting Friday morning.

Patterson says Pagourtzis didn’t show signs of being bullied, but that he rarely talked about himself.

He says Pagourtzis would sometimes enter the classroom “acting a little bit down or sad. A little bit sluggish. … But he never talked about why.”

Pagourtzis reportedly opened fire at a Houston-area high school Friday, killing eight to 10 people, most of them students, authorities said.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said he could not be precise about the number of deaths at Santa Fe High School, which went on lockdown around 8 a.m. One person was in custody, and a second person had been detained, he said.

An unknown number of possible explosive devices were found at the school and off campus. Authorities were in the process of rendering them safe and asked the public to call 911 if they see anything suspicious.

It was the nation’s deadliest school shooting since the February attack in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people and re-energized the gun-control movement after surviving teens launched a campaign for reform.

The district confirmed an unspecified number of injuries but said it would not immediately release further details. A school police officer was shot, officials said, but there was no immediate word on his condition.

“We hope the worst is over, and I really can’t say any more about that because it would be pure speculation,” Assistant Principal Cris Richardson told reporters at the scene.

Aerial footage showed students standing in a grassy field and three medical helicopters landing at the school in Santa Fe, a city of about 13,000 people roughly 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Houston.

School officials said law enforcement officers were working to secure the building and move students to another location. Students were being transported to another location to reunite with their parents.

One student told Houston television station KTRK in a telephone interview that a gunman came into her first-period art class and started shooting. The student said she saw one girl with blood on her leg as the class evacuated the room.

“We thought it was a fire drill at first but really, the teacher said, ‘Start running,'” the student told the television station.

The student said she did not get a good look at the shooter because she was running away. She said students escaped through a door at the back of the classroom.

Authorities did not immediately confirm that report.

The shooting was all but certain to re-ignite the national debate over gun regulations. In the aftermath of the Feb. 14 attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, survivors pulled all-nighters, petitioned city councils and state lawmakers, and organized protests in a grass-roots movement.

Within weeks, state lawmakers adopted changes, including new weapons restrictions. The move cemented the gun-friendly state’s break with the National Rifle Association. The NRA fought back with a lawsuit.

In late March, the teens spearheaded one of the largest student protest marches since Vietnam in Washington and inspired hundreds of other marches from California to Japan.

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By MICHAEL BIESECKER, JEFF HORWITZ and JUAN A. LOZANO , Associated Press

Biesecker and Horwitz reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington and John Mone in Santa Fe contributed.

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NEW YORK – Elena Baltzoglou, Conceptual Innovator and Creative Director, recently spoke with The National Herald about her life and work. The Athens-native has brought her expertise to New York where she is already making her mark with impressive fashion projects. From a major British multinational retailer to fashion tech startups from Hong Kong, Chile, Israel, Vietnam, and Wales, to international innovative designers located in the epicenter of retail in the USA, Baltzoglou has been contributing to the success stories of fashion players, stepping up their game by crafting impactful marketing campaigns and developing strong and effective content strategies. 

Baltzoglou told TNH, “I was born and raised in Athens, Greece, where I also did my undergrad in Management Science and Technology at Athens University of Economics and Business. After that, I worked for the global fashion retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) in the Marketing Department, and at the age of 24, I managed to become the External Communication Manager for Greece and the Balkans.” 

“After almost 4 years at M&S,” she continued, “Parsons, the #1 arts school in the USA and #2 in the world, invited me to New York and offered me a scholarship to do a Master of Arts in Fashion Studies with a focus on second-hand clothing markets and buy-sell-trade retail schemes. While I was studying there, I was working at XRC Labs, an innovation accelerator that brings together entrepreneurs, investors, brands, and retailers to foster rapid innovation and unlock new opportunities in retail.”

“Now, I work independently,” Baltzoglou told TNH, “as a Conceptual Innovator in New York, providing consulting services to bespoke brands and fashion tech startups. My expertise involves different aspects of strategic communications that help conceptualize promotional content in a manner that hits all the right chords with the brands.”

Baltzoglou’s research, during her academic career, encompasses many aspects of Fashion, Memory, and Time, and includes Marking Time in Contemporary Fashion and Martin Margiela’s Practice in Defense of Slow Fashion, among other papers. 

Of her current ongoing collaborations, Baltzoglou is working with the American Abstract artist Peter Reginato and DZ Zone producer Daniela Zahradnikova. “We launched a limited edition handbag collection epitomizing the idea of Wearable Art in February that was featured on Arise Entertainment TV early in May (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xdtgS7WgOU) and in the latest issue of New York Magazine,” she said.

Another unique project she is involved in is “Cement Chemistry: a jewelry brand that aims to disrupt the main idea of concrete and offers necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings in bold shapes and beautiful colors (https://www.instagram.com/cement_chemistry/). 

“We just received the Silver A’ Design Award in Jewelry, Eyewear and Watch Design Category, 2017 – 2018, and we couldn’t be happier about it,” Baltzoglou said.

“Also, there are many Greek brands these days that have approached me to help them expand their business and start selling in New York. DeGRwear, YFOS, Aelia Selection, Aquadose, and Sher Makesh are some of them, and there are more in the pipeline for next year,” Baltzoglou told TNH.

“Last but not least,” she said, “as an advocate for sustainable practices and a great supporter of circular economies, I started a series of fashion reuse events called Discover. Connect. Swap, where guests are invited to relax, mingle, get pampered, and swap clothes and accessories they no longer need or wear.” 

“The idea is to contribute to the revolutionizing approach of fashion recycle and reuse, while connecting with friends. Any items no one wants will be donated to Coalition for the Homeless. The next Fashion Reuse event takes place on May 20 in Soho, at the whimsical and colorful penthouse of the artist Peter Reginato, where guests will have the opportunity to meet the artist in person and get an exclusive preview of his ‘Day to Night’ exhibition that’s coming up at the Westbeth Gallery this June,” Baltzoglou said.

Her recent work for the Carnival of Love Foundation’s 10th Anniversary Gala was a resounding success, helping to raise $45,000 to benefit families living with autism or special needs in our local community.

More information about Elena Baltzoglou and her work is available online at: www.bael.co and www.instagram.com/bael_co/

The post Elena Baltzoglou Talks to TNH about Her Life, Work appeared first on The National Herald.

ASTORIA – The Partisans of Athens, a documentary about the Resistance during the Nazi Occupation of Athens, will be screened on Friday, May 25 and Saturday, May 26, 7:30 PM, at the Greek Cultural Center, 26-80 30th Street in Astoria. The film features the recollections of fourteen people who lived through that period and is about collective memory and an entire people’s struggle against Italian Fascists, German Nazis, and their Greek collaborators.

Based on the testimonials of those who took part in the resistance, The Partisans of Athens sheds light on stories of struggle from the time of the great famine of 1941-42 to the liberation of Athens. The fourteen protagonists create a mosaic of experiences, struggles, and expectations of men and women who chose to stand against defeatism and collaboration with Nazism. Including rare archival material, the original music score of drog_A_tek, and footage of historic neighborhoods in today’s Athens.

Historian Eleni Drivas who has met many of the people in the film will be present for a Q&A following both screenings which will then be followed by refreshments and more discussion.
RSVP by phone: 718-726-7329 or email: info@greekculturalcenter.org.
Donation: $10.

The Partisans of Athens (2018, 72 minutes, Greece)
Screenings: Friday, May 25, and Saturday, May 26, 7:30 pm
Greek Cultural Center
26-80 30th St. in Astoria
718-726-7329

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SANTA FE, Texas (AP) — The suspect in the Texas school shooting began his attack by firing a shotgun blast through an art classroom door, sending panicked students to the entryway to block him from getting inside, witnesses said.

Dmitrios Pagourtzis fired again through the wooden part of the door and fatally hit a student in the chest. He then lingered for nearly 30 minutes in a warren of four rooms, killing seven more students and two teachers before exchanging gunfire with police and surrendering, officials said.

Freshman Abel San Miguel saw his friend Chris Stone killed at the door. San Miguel got grazed in the stomach by another volley of shots. He and others survived by playing dead.

“We were on the ground, all piled up in random positions,” he said.

Galveston County Judge Mark Henry, the county’s chief administrator, said he did not think the attack was 30 minutes of constant shooting, and that assessment was consistent with other officials who said law enforcement contained the shooter quickly. But authorities did not release a detailed timeline to explain precisely how events unfolded.

Junior Breanna Quintanilla was in art class when she heard the shots and someone say, “If you all move, I’m going to shoot you all.”

The 17-year-old Pagourtzis walked in, pointed at one person and declared, “I’m going to kill you.” Then he fired.

“He then said that if the rest of us moved, he was going to shoot us,” Quintanilla said.

When Quintanilla tried to run out a back door, she realized Pagourtzis was aiming at her. He fired in her direction.

“He missed me,” she said. “But it went ahead and ricocheted and hit me in my right leg.” She was treated at a hospital and spoke with a brown bandage wrapped around her wound.

“It was a very scary thing,” Quintanilla said. “I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to make it back to my family.”

In their first statement since Friday’s massacre, Pagourtzis’ family said the bloodshed “seems incompatible with the boy we love.”

“We are as shocked and confused as anyone else by these events,” said the statement, which offered prayers and condolences to the victims.

Relatives said they remained “mostly in the dark about the specifics” of the attack and shared “the public’s hunger for answers.”

Zach Wofford, a senior, said he was in his agricultural shop class when he heard gunfire from the art classroom across the hall. He said substitute teacher Chris West went into the hall to investigate and pulled a fire alarm.

“He saved many people today,” Wofford said of West.

The mother of one slain student said her daughter may have been targeted because she rejected advances from Pagourtzi, who was an ex-boyfriend of her daughter’s best friend.

Sadie Rodriguez said her 16-year-old daughter, Shana Fisher, repeatedly told him no, and he “continued to get more aggressive.” The week before the shooting, Fisher “stood up to him” by embarrassing him in class, Rodriguez said.

The Houston branch of the FBI tweeted Saturday that 13 people were wounded in the attack, up from 10 previously. Hospitals reported treating 14 people with shooting-related injuries Friday, and the reason for the discrepancy still was not clear.

In addition to a shotgun and a handgun, Pagourtzis also had several kinds of homemade explosive devices, but they were not capable of detonating, Henry said.

Investigators found a group of carbon dioxide canisters taped together, and a pressure cooker with an alarm clock and nails inside. But the canisters had no detonation device, and the pressure cooker had no explosive material, Henry said.

“They were intended to look like IEDs, but they were totally non-functional,” Henry said, referring to the improvised explosive devices common in the early years of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Authorities have offered no motive, but they said in a probable-cause affidavit that the suspect had admitted to carrying out the shooting.

The gunman told police that when he opened fire, he avoided shooting students he liked “so he could have his story told,” the affidavit said.

From first word of the shooting, at 7:32 a.m. Friday, until confirmation that the suspect was in custody, the attack lasted about half an hour.

Dispatch records indicate that law enforcement first entered the building about seven minutes later after learning of the assault. The suspect was said to be in custody at 8:03 a.m.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the assailant got a handgun and shotgun from his father, who owned them legally. But it was not clear whether the father knew his son had taken them or if the father could face prosecution. State law makes it illegal to give a gun to anyone under 18, except under the supervision of an adult for hunting or sport shooting.

Pagourtzis, who appeared to have no prior arrests or confrontations with law enforcement, made an initial court appearance on capital murder charges Friday. A judge denied bond and took his application for a court-appointed attorney.

The shooting in Santa Fe, a city of 13,000 people about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Houston, was the nation’s deadliest such attack since the Parkland, Florida, massacre that killed 17 and energized the teen-led gun-control movement. It was also the deadliest assault in Texas since a man with a semi-automatic rifle attacked a rural church late last year, killing more than two dozen people.

Meanwhile, students were being let back inside Santa Fe High School to gather belongings they abandoned when the gunfire began.

The school’s roughly 1,400 students were to be allowed inside in groups of no more than 10 accompanied by officers, said Walter Braun, the school district’s chief of police.

___

Associated Press Writer Will Weissert in Austin contributed to this report.

The post Pagourtzis Blasted through Door, Lingered for Almost 30 Minutes appeared first on The National Herald.

SANTA FE, Texas (AP) — The Texas student charged in the school shooting at Santa Fe High School described planning the attack in private journals, including a plan to kill himself, posted an image on Facebook of a “Born to Kill” shirt and used his father’s shotgun and pistol in the rampage that left 10 dead and 10 wounded, authorities said Friday.

A motive wasn’t immediately clear, but Gov. Greg Abbott said Dimitrios Pagourtzis, 17, wrote about planning the attack in journals on his computer and in his cellphone that police obtained. That was inconsistent with the portrait painted by his friends — a reserved young man, an athlete who had discussed wanting to own guns but who was said not to have given warning signs of impending violence.

“Not only did he want to commit the shooting but he wanted to commit suicide after the shooting,” Abbott said, adding that Pagourtzis told authorities he “didn’t have the courage” to take his own life.

President Donald Trump ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff in honor of the victims and their families.

Pagourtzis was held without bond in the Galveston County jail on charges of capital murder, said the county sheriff, Henry Trochesset. Abbott said the two guns used in the attack were owned legally by the suspect’s father. It was not clear whether the father knew his son had taken them.

The governor also said explosive devices including a Molotov cocktail had been found in the suspected shooter’s home and a vehicle as well as around the school and nearby.

Abbott said at a news conference that “unlike Parkland, unlike Sutherland Springs, there were not those types of warning signs.” He was referring to the Feb. 14 school shooting in Florida and one in November inside a church in a town near San Antonio. Abbott said the early investigation showed no prior criminal history for Pagourtzis — no arrests and no confrontations with law enforcement.

That same Facebook profile that included pictures of the “Born to Kill” shirt described Pagourtzis as planning to enter the U.S. Marine Corps next year, but the Marine Corps told The Associated Press it has reviewed its records and found no one by that name as either a recruit or a person in their delayed entry pool.

A woman who answered the phone at a number associated with the Pagourtzis family declined to speak with the AP.

“Please don’t call us. Give us our time right now, thank you,” she said.

Classmates described Pagourtzis as quiet, an avid video game player who routinely wore a black trench coat and black boots to class. He had played football on the school’s junior varsity squad and danced as part of a church group. Those who know him expressed shock he might be involved in the killings.

In addition to Pagourtzis, a second person was detained in relation to the attack. That person was not identified.

Branden Auzston, 17, a junior at Santa Fe High School, said he was sitting in his history class watching a movie when he heard the fire alarm. At that moment, he thought it was just a fire drill, so he and his girlfriend, Daisy Sullivan, walked outside the building with other students. But Auzston said he thought it was odd the school was having another fire drill after having had one about two weeks ago.

“We go outside like normal. We’re told to get in the grass,” he said.

Auzston said once he was outside, he heard two bangs but thought it was either a door slamming or the lid of a dumpster slamming down.

Then he heard three more bangs, and panic set in.

“Then I see Mr. Vaughn run hysterically and screaming, ‘Just run.’ At that point you have 500 students just running off to get as far off as possible.”

Daniel Vaughn is a history teacher at the high school.

David Marshall, the University of Texas Medical Branch’s chief nursing officer, said Santa Fe school resource officer John Barnes, the first person to engage the suspected shooter, was in surgery for injuries from a gunshot wound to the arm. The shot damaged the bone and a major blood vessel around his elbow.

Tristen Patterson, a 16-year-old junior at Sante Fe, considered Pagourtzis a friend. He said Pagourtzis was into video games that simulated war, and that he sometimes talked about guns — firearms that he liked or wanted to get. “But he never talked about killing people or anything like that,” Patterson said.

He said Pagourtzis didn’t show signs of being bullied but also rarely talked about himself. In one of their classes, Pagourtzis would sometimes enter the room “acting a little bit down or sad. A little bit sluggish,” Patterson said.

“But he never talked about why,” he said.

Father Stelios Sitaras of Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Galveston, Texas, said he met Pagourtzis when the young man danced with a group as part of an annual festival in October. He said the Pagourtzises are members of a nearby parish.

Sitaras said he had never heard of the teen being in any sort of trouble.

“He is a quiet boy,” the priest said. “You would never think he would do anything like this.”

Michael Farina, 17, said he grew up with Pagourtzis and would play video games with him. He said Pagourtzis knew a lot about guns and remembered him asking which one he should get when he was older.

“I’m kind of dumbfounded. We didn’t get any warning,” Farina said.

He said a black trench coat and black boots was Pagourtzis’s regular outfit to school. “I guess you could say it was his kind of style,” Farina said. He said he wasn’t someone who got into trouble and described him as a “run of the mill” student.
___
By MICHAEL BIESECKER, JEFF HORWITZ and JUAN A. LOZANO , Associated Press

Biesecker and Horwitz reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington, Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas, and John Mone in Santa Fe, Texas, contributed.
___
Follow Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseck and Horwitz at http://twitter.com/JeffHorwitz

The post Dimitrios Pagourtzis is Said to Have Used Father’s Guns appeared first on The National Herald.

SANTA FE, Texas (AP) — The Latest on the mass shooting at a Texas high school (all times local):

5:30 p.m.

The mother of school shooting victim Shana Fisher says she thinks her 16-year-old daughter was intentionally targeted by Dimitrios Pagourtzi.

Sadie Rodriguez says Pagourtzi repeatedly made advances toward Fisher in the four months leading up to the shooting. She says Pagourtzi was an ex-boyfriend of Fisher’s best friend.

Rodriguez says: “He kept making advances on her and she repeatedly told him no,” but the advances got more aggressive.

The week before the shooting, Rodriguez says that her daughter “stood up to him” by embarrassing him in class.

Rodriguez described her daughter as a “shy and sweet” girl with a passion for video games. She shared a video of Fisher from 2015, in which the teen contemplates whether or not she’ll continue making gaming videos because her computer keeps crashing.

___

4:15 p.m.

Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott says three days of round table discussions on how curb school shootings will begin Tuesday.

Abbott, a Republican, tweeted Saturday that the meetings will seek “to craft policies to better protect students & teachers & schools.”

A 17-year-old student is accused of opening fire inside his high school in Santa Fe, near Houston, on Friday, killing 10 people and wounding 13 others.

Abbott had promised to convene state officials and others on both sides of the gun debate — including victims of Friday’s shooting and a deadly church shooting in November in the town of Sutherland Springs, near San Antonio.

Addressing reporters Friday, Abbott didn’t mention gun control but said “we need to do more than just pray for the victims and the families.”

___

4 p.m.

The family of the 17-year-old student accused of opened fire on his Texas high school, killing 10 people and wounding 13 others, says what happened “seems incompatible with the boy we love.”

Dmitrios Pagourtzis family said in a statement Saturday, “We are as shocked and confused as anyone else by these events that occurred” while offering prayers and condolences to the victims.

The family said it remained “mostly in the dark about the specifics of yesterday’s tragedy” but “what we have learned from media reports seems incompatible with the boy we love.” It added, “We share the public’s hunger for answers as to why this happened, and will await the outcome of the investigation before speaking about these events.”

Pagourtzis is being held on capital murder charges. Investigators say he admitted “shooting multiple people.”

___

3:30 p.m.

Authorities have released the names of the 10 people who were killed in the mass shooting at a Texas high school.

The Galveston County medical examiner’s office and sheriff’s office issued a statement Saturday listing those killed as: Glenda Perkins; Cynthia Tisdale; Kimberly Vaughan; Shana Fisher; Angelique Ramirez; Christian Riley Garcia; Jared Black; Sabika Sheikh; Christopher Jake Stone; and Aaron Kyle McLeod.

Perkins and Tisdale were teachers. The others were students at Santa Fe High School.

Authorities say a 17-year-old student, Dmitrios Pagourtzis (puh-GOR’-cheez), opened fire in the school southeast of Houston on Friday, killing 10 people and injuring at least 13 others. He faces murder charges.

___

2:45 p.m.

The FBI says 13 people, not 10, were injured in the mass shooting at a Texas high school in which 10 people were killed.

The agency’s Houston office tweeted the updated injured count on Saturday.

A 17-year-old student is being held on murder charges in Friday’s attack at the high school in Santa Fe, which is about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Houston.

The updated FBI number still doesn’t fully explain the discrepancy with the number of wounded reported by hospitals.

Area hospitals reported Friday that they had treated 14 people for injuries related to the shooting. But it’s not clear whether some of those weren’t directly related to the attack.

___

2:20 p.m.

A Colorado man says his nephew was among the 10 people who were killed in the mass shooting at a Texas high school.

Robert Stone told The Associated Press by phone Saturday that authorities officially notified his family that his nephew, Chris Stone, was among those killed in Friday’s attack at Santa Fe High School. He says he’s driving from Colorado to Santa Fe, about 30 miles southeast of Houston, to be with his family. He declined to comment further, saying his family wants to maintain its privacy.

Freshman student Abel San Miguel told the AP that Chris Stone was one of the students who tried to block the door to an art classroom to prevent the shooter from entering. San Miguel, who was in the classroom, says the attacker fired his shotgun through the door, hitting Stone in the chest.

___

1:20 p.m.

Students at a Texas high school where a gunman killed 10 people are being allowed inside the building to get car keys and other belongings they left behind.

Walter Braun, the school district’s chief of police, said at a news conference Saturday that the students will be allowed inside Santa Fe High School in groups of no more than 10 and would be accompanied by officers. He said about 50 students had been admitted as of Saturday afternoon and that others would be allowed in for about three more hours.

Braun and other officials declined to answer questions about the investigation into Friday’s shooting, deferring to the FBI, which has taken the lead.

Authorities say it was carried out by a 17-year-old student, Dmitrios Pagourtzis (puh-GOR’-cheez), who faces murder charges.

At least 10 people were injured in the attack, including a school police officer who was shot and wounded. Braun says the officer remains in critical condition.

___

11:50 a.m.

A Texas official says explosive devices found with the suspected gunman at a high school near Houston weren’t capable of detonating.

Galveston County Judge Mark Henry said Saturday that authorities found a group of carbon dioxide canisters taped together, and a pressure cooker with an alarm clock and nails inside. But he says the canisters had no detonation device and the pressure cooker had no explosive material.

Henry also says police exchanged “a lot of firepower” with 17-year-old Dmitrios Pagourtzis (puh-GOR’-cheez) before the Santa Fe High School student surrendered.

The shooting took place in an art room Friday morning on the roughly 1,400-student campus.

Pagourtzis in jailed on murder charges.

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11 a.m.

Pakistani businessman Abdul Aziz Sheikh says he learned of the tragedy unfolding at a high school in Texas when he turned on the TV after iftar, the fast-breaking meal during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Realizing it was the school where his 18-year-old daughter, Sabika, was an exchange student, he flipped through channels trying to learn more and left her messages, but she didn’t reply.

He called his daughter’s friends, but they weren’t responding either. It was only when he reached the exchange program that he got the bad news: Sabika Khan was among the 10 people killed in Friday’s mass shooting at Santa Fe High School, southeast of Houston.

Fighting back tears, her father told The Associated Press on Saturday in Karachi that Sabika was due home in about three weeks for the holiday marking the end of Ramadan. He says he thought she would be safe in the U.S.

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9:30 a.m.

The head of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee says the teenager suspected of killing 10 people and wounding others at a Texas high school collapsed while giving himself up, avoiding a police confrontation.

Republican Texas Rep. Michael McCaul, a former federal prosecutor, says 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis (puh-GOR’-cheez) “sort of fell to the ground and surrendered.”

McCaul said late Friday that Pagourtzis wore a trench coat despite the sweltering temperatures earlier that day “to hide the shotgun and .38-caliber underneath” during the attack at Santa Fe High School near Houston.

He says authorities recovered a couple of explosive devices at the school and “several” in Pagourtzis’ vehicle and home, and that they’ve been sent for testing to the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.

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8:40 a.m.

A hospital treating three of the people injured in the mass shooting at a Texas high school says one patient, who is a minor, is in good condition and the other two patients are in critical condition.

The University of Texas Medical Branch tweeted the update Saturday.

Hospitals on Friday reported treating a total of 14 people for injuries related to the shooting.

Ten people, mostly students, were killed in the attack Friday at the high school in Santa Fe, about 30 miles southeast of Houston. A 17-year-old student, Dimitrios Pagourtzis (puh-GOR’-cheez), has been arrested in the attack on murder charges.

The shooting was the deadliest school attack since 17 were killed in February at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

___

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SANTA FE, Texas (AP) — The Texas student charged in the shooting at Santa Fe High School described planning the attack in private journals, including a plan to kill himself, posted an image on Facebook of a “Born to Kill” shirt and used his father’s shotgun and pistol in the rampage that left 10 dead and 10 wounded, authorities said Friday.

A motive wasn’t immediately clear, but Gov. Greg Abbott said Dimitrios Pagourtzis, 17, wrote about planning the attack in journals on his computer and in his cellphone that police obtained. That was inconsistent with the portrait painted by his friends — a reserved young man, an athlete who had discussed wanting to own guns but didn’t talk of killing people.

It may have been what Pagourtzis hoped would happen, as according to an affidavit filed Friday when he was charged with capital murder, he told investigators that he didn’t shoot students he liked “so he could have his story told.”

“Not only did he want to commit the shooting but he wanted to commit suicide after the shooting,” Abbott said, adding that Pagourtzis told authorities he “didn’t have the courage” to take his own life.

Pagourtzis was held without bond in the Galveston County jail on the capital murder charges, said the county sheriff, Henry Trochesset. Abbott said the two guns used in the attack were owned legally by his father. It was not clear whether the father knew his son had taken them.

The governor also said explosive devices including a Molotov cocktail had been found in the suspected shooter’s home and a vehicle as well as around the school and nearby.

Abbott said at a news conference that “unlike Parkland, unlike Sutherland Springs, there were not those types of warning signs.” He was referring to the Feb. 14 school shooting in Florida and one in November inside a church in a town near San Antonio. Abbott said the early investigation showed no prior criminal history for Pagourtzis — no arrests and no confrontations with law enforcement.

That same Facebook profile that included pictures of the “Born to Kill” shirt — which one classmate told The New York Times that Pagourtzis was wearing Friday — described Pagourtzis as planning to enter the U.S. Marine Corps next year. But the Marine Corps told The Associated Press it has reviewed its records and found no one by that name as either a recruit or a person in their delayed entry pool.

A woman who answered the phone at a number associated with the Pagourtzis family declined to speak with the AP.

“Please don’t call us. Give us our time right now, thank you,” she said.

Classmates described Pagourtzis as quiet, an avid video game player who routinely wore a black trench coat and black boots to class. He had played football on the school’s junior varsity squad and danced as part of a church group. Those who know him expressed shock he might be involved in the killings.

Branden Auzston, 17, a junior at Santa Fe High School, said he was sitting in his history class watching a movie when he heard the fire alarm. At that moment, he thought it was just a fire drill, so he and his girlfriend, Daisy Sullivan, walked outside the building with other students. But Auzston said he thought it was odd the school was having another fire drill after having had one about two weeks ago.

“We go outside like normal. We’re told to get in the grass,” he said.
Auzston said once he was outside, he heard two bangs but thought it was either a door slamming or the lid of a dumpster slamming down.

“Then I see Mr. Vaughn run hysterically and screaming, ‘Just run.’ At that point you have 500 students just running off to get as far off as possible.”

Daniel Vaughn is a history teacher at the high school.

Tristen Patterson, a 16-year-old junior at Sante Fe, considered Pagourtzis a friend. He said Pagourtzis was into video games that simulated war, and that he sometimes talked about guns — firearms that he liked or wanted to get. “But he never talked about killing people or anything like that,” Patterson said.

He said Pagourtzis didn’t show signs of being bullied but also rarely talked about himself. In one of their classes, Pagourtzis would sometimes enter the room “acting a little bit down or sad. A little bit sluggish,” Patterson said.

“But he never talked about why,” he said.

Father Stelios Sitaras of Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Galveston, Texas, said he met Pagourtzis when the young man danced with a group as part of an annual festival in October. He said the Pagourtzises are members of a nearby parish.

Sitaras said he had never heard of the teen being in any sort of trouble.

“He is a quiet boy,” the priest said. “You would never think he would do anything like this.”

Michael Farina, 17, said he grew up with Pagourtzis and would play video games with him. He said Pagourtzis knew a lot about guns and remembered him asking which one he should get when he was older.

“I’m kind of dumbfounded. We didn’t get any warning,” Farina said.

He said a black trench coat and black boots was Pagourtzis’s regular outfit to school. “I guess you could say it was his kind of style,” Farina said. He said he wasn’t someone who got into trouble and described him as a “run of the mill” student.
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By MICHAEL BIESECKER, JEFF HORWITZ and JUAN A. LOZANO , Associated Press

Biesecker and Horwitz reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington, Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas, and John Mone in Santa Fe, Texas, contributed.

The post Pagourtzis Laid out Texas Attack Plans in Journals, Officials Say appeared first on The National Herald.

Born James Anthony and later reversing his name, Anthony James is one of those actors so inherently talented that is forever typecast after the very first appearance on stage or film.

James’ embodiment of Ralph the diner counterman in The Heat of the Night (1967) is not only incredibly chilling, it unfortunately forever typecast this truly gifted individual as a creepy, sleazy villain. While many may not know James by name, they have undoubtedly seen him in nearly 30 films and 60 television shows.

James was so good at being bad he is without question one of the most memorable bad guys seen in American film during the 1970s and 80s. His last role as Skinny Dubois in the Unforgiven (1992) capped his 28-year career as an actor. But this was not an end to James as an artist. Rather, it was a time of reflection, transition, and renewed creativity. Following James’ life offers us not only insight into how, as the saying goes, appearances can be deceiving but something of the manner in which true creativity can take many forms within and through a true artist.

On July 22,1942, he was born in Myrtle Beach, SC, the only child of George (1893-1951) and Marika Palla Anthony (1913-2008). In 1940, the newly wedded Anthony couple, in an incredible odyssey, escaped from wartorn Greece and eventually found themselves in what was then a very remote and rural section of South Carolina. Once settled, Marika bore her only child. Then, tragically, only eight years later, George died. In the blink of an eye, Marika Anthony went from being the grand hostess of her husband’s lavish parties to hotel maid. Yet, like many of her generation, Marika did not allow anything to deter her from raising and supporting her son. And so it was, that on an August morning in 1960, eighteen-year-old James and his mother took first a bus and then a train from South Carolina 3000 miles to Los Angeles, CA to realize his dream of an acting career. They possessed only $200, their courage, and an astonishing degree of naiveté.

At Marika’s urging, they found an apartment near the St. Sophia Greek Orthodox church in Los Angeles. In the course of his self-education as a professional actor, James was compelled by Screen Actors’ Guild regulations to reverse the given order of his name and surname for his acting career. Learning as he went it took six years before James to finally secured a role in the film, In The Heat of the Night. Given his riveting performance, James immediately began to appear in films, made-for-TV movies, TV shows, and even commercials as killers, psychopaths, and other twisted characters.

What follows is just a selected listing of James’ film performances over the next 28 years. Given the time period, James was (and remains) especially known for his work in TV Westerns. From 1967 onward, he appeared in nearly every television Western one can name, including The Big Valley; Bonanza; Cimarron Strip; The Culpepper Cattle Co.; Gunsmoke; The High Chaparral; and Outlaws.

James appeared in dozens of other films and shows, including the A-Team; Amazing Stories; Beauty and the Beast; Benji; Brown from Detroit; Buck Rogers in the 25th Century; Father Dowling Mysteries; Hunter; Ironside; Knight Rider; Man from Atlantis; Married with Children; Mod Squad; Quincy M.E.; Simon & Simon; Sledge Hammer! and Star Trek: the Next Generation.

His made-for-TV movies include Lady Mobster (1988); Prescription: Murder (1968); Rascals and Robbers: The Secret Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn (1968); and Victory at Entebbe (1976).

Finally, a select number of James’ feature films include High Plains Drifter (1973); Hearts of the West (1975); The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991) and his final film (to date) Unforgiven as Skinny Dubois the saloon owner. Curiously, in the film Burnt Offerings (1976) James, though never saying one word of dialogue, is nevertheless credited with helping this film achieve cult-status.

As for commercials, James’ most notable performance, perhaps, is in an American Express Travelers Check commercial which features Karl Malden and James as a purse snatching thief.

Behind his menacing and memorable face, however, is a thoughtful, gentle man, one who muses deeply on the nature of art and creativity and on the family ties that have sustained him. Throughout his acting career, James sought out painting as a means to explore other facets of his inner quest. Aside from the sales of his individual paintings James’ art has seen publication in a volume of the work of 77 different actors, Actors as Artists by Jim McMullan and Dick Gautier (1994). As his current gallery reports: “the artwork of Anthony James is abstract on an emotional level; he paints from within ad the struggle between light and dark is evident on canvas. Though the subjects of the paintings are generally simplified to basic geometric shapes, the mix of colors creates an intricate pattern and a certain drama that overtakes the canvas. He continues to live and paint here in the Boston area (renjeau.com).”

In 1994, after his retirement from film work, James and his mother moved to Arlington, MA, where he concentrated on his painting and poetry. As his current gallery reports: “in the mid-1990s, James retired from acting and moved to Massachusetts to pursue his art career full time. His artwork has been well received and he has exhibited at galleries throughout the United States.”

It was in 1994, in fact when James published his first book of paintings and poetry, Language of the Heart.

Then, in 2008, James’ much-loved mother Marika died at 94. Clearly seeking for some resolution to his loss, James wrote the book, Acting My Face (2014), which has been described as “an unusual memoir, one that explores the true nature of a working life in Hollywood and how aspirations and personal devotion are forged into a career.” James attests that this account was written in large part to acknowledge the role his mother had played in his life. Curiously, publishers at first rejected this memoir because of James’ attention to his mother’s role.

As we learn, “after completing his autobiography in 2009, former actor Anthony James approached several book agents. Their recommendation was unanimous: “It’s a wonderful memoir, but take your mother out of it and we’ll represent you!” James would have none of it. As much as telling the story of his rise to become one of Hollywood’s most memorable bad guys in the ‘70s and ‘80s, he was unwavering in his determination to also honor the woman who supported his career.

After all those years of agents and publishers wanting to “throw Momma from the train, the book has just been published by the University of Mississippi Press,” said James from his home near Boston, where he has lived since departing Hollywood 20 years ago (upress.state.ms.us/books/1689).

Anthony James has proven himself over and over as an actor, painter and writer. His life is a testimony to the fact that ‘good looks’ are not the only path to success in American film or anywhere else. And who knows where James’ personal exploration in the arts will take him next?

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SENECA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — Police say a 3-year-old central New York boy who was believed to have been beaten by a belt by his mother and stepfather has died.

Seneca Falls Police say Panagiotis Stephanides-Vacchino was taken off life support Wednesday afternoon. The boy had been on life support since Sunday.

Police Chief Stuart Peenstra says the boy’s stepfather, Donald Bovio, called 911 Saturday and told first responders Peter had fallen down a flight of stairs at their Seneca Falls home.

Peter was taken to a Syracuse hospital, and Peenstra says doctors found his injuries were inconsistent with a fall.

Donald and Alison Bovio, both 38, have been charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and reckless assault of a child among other charges.

Their lawyer could not immediately be found for comment.

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NEW YORK – In its fourteenth year celebrating the academic achievements of young leaders within the Greek-American community, Faith will once again award merit-based scholarships to graduating high school seniors through its 2018 “Faith Scholarships for Academic Excellence” program.  The application, along with criteria and instructions, is available at: thefaithendowment.org/scholarships. Submissions must be postmarked by June 15.

Recipients of the Faith Scholarship join a network of more than 300 young people whose achievements include graduating at the top of their class, maintaining an “A” GPA while enrolled in several Honors and AP courses, scoring within the 90th percentile on the SAT and ACT and attending universities across the nation to pursue a diverse range of career paths including Neuroscience, Education, Government and Aerospace Engineering.

Faith Scholars not only display the scholarly intellect lauded by their Hellenic ancestors, but they are also noted leaders in their churches, communities and schools and are known by mentors and teachers for their strong spirit of community service and good citizenship in line with their Greek Orthodox Christian values.

On January 5, many of these accomplished young leaders enjoyed the special opportunity to connect with one another and meet Founder Dr. P. Roy Vagelos at the second annual Faith Scholars Luncheon in New York City. Dr. Vagelos hosted the event to celebrate past and present scholarship recipients, discuss how their heritage has influenced their academic pursuits and civic-mindedness and build the network of young leaders inspired by the Faith Founders’ example of philanthropy and leadership.

“The Faith Scholarship for Academic Excellence provides a network of other awardees with whom I can collaborate professionally. Achievement of this goal strengthens the reputation and prominence of the Hellenic community and serves as an example to its younger generation. Personal success in this area allows me to follow the long line of Greek-American philanthropists who have supported the Church and the broader society,” said Loukas Carayannopoulos, a 2017 Faith Scholar and Nuclear Engineering major at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who attended the luncheon.

Dr. Vagelos, who is also the Scholarship Review Committee Chair, spoke on behalf of the Faith Founders, saying that “the founders of Faith are proud to support this important initiative to inspire the best and brightest young people to become future leaders within our community and their professional fields. Furthermore, a background in STEM subjects will be critical for obtaining graduate training and jobs in science, technology and engineering in the future. Our nation needs, and will need, people well-trained in these fields in order to remain globally competitive.”

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NEW YORK (AP) — A judge threw out a New York lawsuit Friday against Fox News by former host Andrea Tantaros, citing her “vague, speculative and conclusory allegations.”

The lawsuit U.S. District Judge George Daniels dismissed had alleged Fox tried to torment Tantaros after she complained about sexual harassment.

The lawsuit claimed Tantaros was viewed as a threat by Fox executives after she declined an offer of more than $1 million to remain silent. The suit said Tantaros suspected her emails and telephone conversations were being monitored after she revealed personal information in calls or emails that were then referenced by others in cruel social media posts.
She sought unspecified damages.

Fox News Channel had urged the lawsuit be rejected, saying the claims were a paranoid fantasy or a deliberate hoax.

In his written ruling, Daniels recounted her claims at length but repeatedly cited instances in which her accusations lacked the kind of specifics and proof necessary to put them before a jury.

For example, he rejected a wiretap claim, saying she had “failed to allege a basic element of this cause of action: an actual interception of her wire, oral, or electronic communications.”

In another instance, he struck down a malware claim, citing her “vague, speculative, and conclusory allegations.”

In an email response to a request for comment, Tantaros said, “Not one part of this lawsuit was based on speculation and conjecture — it was based on first hand testimony, cold, hard facts, and independently verified computer forensics.

“The Judge made the wrong call, and I absolutely plan on appealing,” she wrote. “Fox News will be held accountable, just as they have for their sickening past, rife with sexual harassment, discrimination and destroying the careers of dozens of women for having the courage to come forward with the truth.”

Asked for comment, a Fox News spokesman said the decision speaks for itself.
In August 2016, Tantaros sued the network, its ousted chairman and other top executives in a separate lawsuit, saying they retaliated after she detailed unwanted sexual advances made by her onetime boss Roger Ailes. A state judge ruled those claims were subject to closed-door arbitration.

Tantaros worked as a host and political analyst for Fox News from 2011 to 2016.

Ailes died last year.

—
By LARRY NEUMEISTER , Associated Press


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ALEXAKOS, STAVROULA

CHICAGO, IL (from the Chicago Tribune, published on May 1) – Stavroula K. Alexakos, nee Konstandaros, 93, Born in Alepohori, Tripoli, Greece; Beloved wife of 58 years to the late Kyriakos; Devoted mother to Angie (Chris) Goumotsios, Dimitra (Peter) Kappos and Dino (Mary); Cherished grandmother of Eleni (Maryann) Cussen, Staci (George) Costopoulos, Niko, John, Patty, Stacie and Keriakos “Charlie” and great grandmother “Kou PePeYiayia” of Johnny, Christian, Angelina and James; Loving sister of twin brother Anastasios (Athena) Konstandaros, the late Georgia (the late Panagiotis) Kosivas, the late Nikoleta (the late Andreas) Bisias, the late Penelope (the late Christos) Vergakis and the late Ageliki (the late Panagiotis) Younis; Dearest sister-in-law of Elias (the late Cleopatra) Alexakos, the late Afrodite (the late Vasilios) Giannakopoulos, Georgia (the late Christos) Hougiazos, John (Eleni) Alexakos and the late Christos (Tasia) Alexakos; Dear aunt of many nieces and nephews. Visitation Tuesday, May 1, 2018 from 4 – 9 p.m. at Salerno’s Galewood Chapels 1857 N. Harlem Ave. Chicago. Family and friends will meet Wednesday morning at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church 6041 W. Diversey Ave. Chicago for 10 a.m. Funeral service. Interment will follow to Elmwood Cemetery. Arrangements by Nicholas M. Pishos Funeral Director, LTD., 773-889-1700

BOUTSELIS, VASILIKI

SILVER SPRING, MD (from the Baltimore Sun, published on May 10) – VasilikiBoutselis (Age 82) On May 7th, 2018, Vasiliki “Bessie” Boutselis (nee Libereas) of Silver Spring, MD passed away in the presence of her loved ones. Born in Greece on March 10th,1936 in Kardamyli, Messenia. Beloved wife for 58 years to the late Panagiotis Pete Boutselis; devoted mother to Peter Boutselis and his wife, Olympia, and Penny Padousis and her husband, Evan; loving grandmother to Alexi Arcangioli, Katerina Boutselis, and Zoe Padousis. Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 11th, at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church 2504 Cub Hill Rd, Parkville, MD. Viewing 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM, followed by funeral services. Interment at St. John’s Cemetery 3480 Saint Johns Ln, Ellicott City, MD. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church.

BURLOS, GEORGE GREGORY

CHARLOTTE, NC (from the Charlotte Observer, published on May 9) – George Gregory Burlos passed away at age 84 on May 7, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina at Novant Presbyterian Medical Center with his family by his side. He was born on June 30, 1933 in Kingsport, Tennessee to Constantine and Maria Burlos. He returned to Greece for a few years and has lived in Charlotte since 1946. George served in the US Army from 1954 to 1956, earning the National Defense Service Metal and Good Conduct Metal. He was a successful restauranteur for over 40 years. When he was no longer a restaurant owner, George was a patron who enjoyed laughing and reminiscing with his friends. Even after his retirement, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, and traveling. He split his time between Charlotte, NC and Surfside Beach, SC. He was a loyal Panther fan and took pleasure in the unexpected. George was an active member of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, working at the Yiasou Greek Festival for 32 years. Additionally, he was a member of the Parish Council, AHEPA, and Evrytanian Association. He became a Mason in 1958, then York Rite, and finally an Oasis Shiner. He recently was recognized for 60 years as a Master Mason. George married on May 6, 1964 in Karpenisi, Greece and is survived by Elpida F. Burlos, his wife of 54 years, his son Dino (Rae), son Angelo, daughter Maria (Tommy Raptis), son Peter (Meri) and his three grandchildren, Lea, Panos, and Dena. He is also survived by his brother, Peter (Miriam) and their four children. Visitation will be on Wednesday, May 9, from 6:00-7:00 PM, with the Trisagion following at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, May 10, 2018 at the Cathedral with Rev. Fr. VasileiosTsourlis and Fr. Theodore Ehmer officiating. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery. The family wishes to express their sincere appreciation to the doctors and nurses at Novant Presbyterian Medical Center, especially those in the Harris Hospice Unit. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Foundation, 600 East Blvd., Charlotte, NC, 28203. May his memory be eternal. Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences can be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.

CHRISTOFORIDES, KOSTAS

NORWALK, CT (from The Hour, published on May 9) – Kostas Christoforides, 85, husband of KoulaChristoforides of Norwalk, passed away Monday, May 7, 2018 after a long battle with Parkinson’s, with his wife by his side. Born on January 23rd, 1932 in Spelia, Greece, he was the son of Christoforos and Despina SarvanidouChristoforides. Kostas immigrated to the United States in 1968 where he became a life long resident of Norwalk. He worked at Otis and Hick, and as a Baker for Pepperidge Farm for over 30 years. Kostas was a very generous and carefree spirit that truly loved his family. He enjoyed visiting with friends at the Greek Social Club and having a glass of wine and long chats with his son-in-law, Scott Klein. In addition to his wife, Kosta is survived by his son, Christoforos, and his children Kostas and Stefanos of Greece; his stepdaughter Stacie Klein, her husband Scott and their children Jessica, Kristina, Caila, David, and Rachel. His brother, The Reverend HaralambosChristoforides and his wife, and many beloved nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his sisters Sophia and Anthe, and his brothers Christ, Anastasios and YiannisChristoforides. Friends and family may call Thursday, May 10, 2018, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT. Funeral services will take place in Spelia, Greece. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation www.apdaparkinson.org. Visit www.collins-funeral to leave condolences.

DOURVETAKIS, PETER

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (from the Sun-Sentinel, published on May 7) – Peter Dourvetakis passed away Thursday, May 3, 2018. Peter was born in Athens, Greece to Stella and Dimitri Dourvetakis on October 17, 1933. He came to the United States in 1956 to pursue the American Dream, when he met his wife, Lucille Roman Dourvetakis in New York. They shared 48 beautiful years together. Peter owned Tropical Rainbow Hardware store in downtown Hollywood, Florida, and when he wasn’t providing for his three children, Stella DourvetakisCastilla, Janet Dourvetakis Reid (Robert) and Peter Dourvetakis Jr. (Vilma), he would often be found traveling or in the kitchen, cooking up one of his delicious Greek family recipes. His wife, Lucille preceded him on May 25, 2005. In addition to his children, Peter is survived by his grandchildren Jackie (David), Joseph, Jonathan, Christina, Bjorn, Peter Jr., Justin and Sophia and his great-grandchildren Samuel, Lola and Benjamin. He is also survived by his brother, Kyriakos Douvetakis (Frances), his sisters Helen Genadis, Mina Barberis and Anna Tzaneti (Kyriakos) and many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his second wife, Christina Goranitis-Bean and her son. Funeral services Monday, May 7, 10 am, St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 425 N. 58th Avenue in Hollywood, FL. Interment following at Evergreen Cemetery, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

KAFKOULAS, NICHOLAS

MANCHESTER, NH (from the Union Leader, published on May 8) – Nicholas V. Kafkoulas, 77, of Manchester, NH, died May 5, 2018, after a brief illness. Born in Vatsounia, Greece, on November 26, 1940, he was the son of Vasilios and Sophia Kafkoulas. He was raised in Greece before immigrating to the United States in 1966. Nicholas served in the Greek Army. In his early years, he was employed with several shoe manufacturing companies. Devoted to his faith, he was a member of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Nicholas was an avid walker who could often be seen walking throughout the Queen City. Well-known for his calm demeanor, affable nature, and gentle ways, he will be deeply missed. Family members include three sons, Vasilios Kafkoulas of Manchester, Steve Kafkoulas of Manchester, and Philip Kafkoulas of Hooksett; three grandchildren; three sisters, Kalliopi Gekas of Manchester, Maria Palangas of Manchester, and Theodora Tsavalos of Greece; many nieces and nephews. SERVICES: A calling hour will be held Thursday from 9 to 10 AM in St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 650 Hanover Street, Manchester. The funeral service will follow at 10 AM in the Cathedral with the Rev. Michael Wilson officiating. Burial will take place in Pine Grove Cemetery, Manchester. Memorial donations may be made to St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 650 Hanover Street, Manchester, NH 03104. The Connor-Healy Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 537 Union Street, Manchester, NH 03104 is in charge of the arrangements. For more information, please visit: www.connorhealy.com.

KORTESIS, HELEN

EAST LYME, CT (from the The Day, published on May 10) – Helen Philip (Kiritsis) Kortesis, 87, of Niantic, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 6, 2018, at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital. She was born in New London, on Jan. 2, 1931, the daughter of Philip Theodore and Evdoxia (Eva) KurusisKititsis, originally from Epirus, Greece, and established residence in New London. A lifelong resident of New London, she relocated to Ahepa 250 in Niantic shortly after the passing of her beloved husband, Steve. She was married on Jan. 27, 1952 to Efstratios “Steve” K. Kortesis who passed away on Aug. 27, 2007. Helen was a graduate of the Williams Memorial Institute located on the grounds of Connecticut College. She lived her life through simple pleasures; cooking, chatting with friends, keeping in touch with her snowbird friends, snacking and spending time with her visitors. She had an uncanny ability to reach people in a deep and positive way. As a member of St. Sophia Hellenic Orthodox Church, New London she was an active member of the choir, and their school of religious studies where she taught Sunday School for over 22 years. Helen was active with New London School PTA/PTO where she had been a recording secretary, corresponding secretary and a member of the nominating committee. She participated at the C.W. Edgerton School for field trips, school fairs and centennial programs, assisted teachers on school projects, worked with the librarians on bulletin boards at Harbor and New London Junior High School, corrected children’s work papers and assisted students with science projects. From 1975 to 1984 Helen was called upon to set up a program for non English speaking, especially Greek children. She also worked tirelessly with several Spanish speaking students and with children from Cambodia and the Philippines and tutored at Harbor and Nathan Hale School. Helen always had time for her Alma Mater, WMI and was her class representative for many years, responsible for staying in touch with her classmates and writing classmate notes published in the WMI Ambassador. In recognition of her contributions she was awarded the Tribute to Loyalty Award from the WMI/Williams School. This award honors alumni who have exemplified loyalty and dedication to WMI/Williams School and whose service to the Alumni Association has fostered the traditions and ideals of the school. She is survived by her three sons, Constantine E. Kortesis and his wife, Grazina, of Warren, Mich., Nickolas E. Kortesis and his spouse, Cynthia, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and Philip E. Kortesis of Tuscon, Ariz.; a sister, Athena Susi; and a brother, Theodore Kiritsis and his wife, Claire; three grandchildren, Stephanie L., Alyssa C. and Nickolas E. Kortesis II; and three great-grandchildren, Douglas N. Miller, Evy V. Calcutti and Aaron H. Boice. Funeral services and burial in Cedar Grove Cemetery, New London were private. Byles Memorial Home, 99 Huntington St., New London, assisted with the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Sophia Hellenic Orthodox Church, 200 Hempstead St., New London, CT 06320. Please visit www.Byles.com to sign the guest book or to share a memory.

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In English we say it’s rainingcats and dogs; in Greek we say it drops chair legs, ρίχνεικαρεκλοπόδαρα.

DIALOGUE

This is a common dialogue about the rain, between Maria (M) and Petros (P).

Greek phrase            Pronunciation          Meaning

Π: Μαρία, τικαιρόκάνει         maREEA, Tee keRO KAni             Maria, what’s the weather like?

σήμερα στη Νέα Υόρκη;      SEEmeraSTEENEaiOrki?  Today in New York?

Μ: Κάνεικρύο            KAni KREEo It is cold

καιβρέχει.       KE VRehi.     and it is raining.

Π: Βρέχει πολύ;        VREhipoLEE?          Is it raining heavily?

Μ: Ρίχνεικαρεκλοπόδαρα.   REEhni karekloPOdara.     It is raining cats and dogs.

Π: ΚιεδώστηνΑθήνα            KI eDO STEEN aTHEEna  Here in Athens too

ρίχνειβροχή.  REEhni vroHEE.      it is raining.

BASIC VOCABULARY

Greek phrase            Pronunciation          Meaning

Τι         TEE    what

Οκαιρός         keROS           weather

Κάνει  KAni   does, is

Σήμερα           SEEmera       today

Αύριο  Avrio   tomorrow

Ηβροχή          EE vroHEE    rain

Ρίχνειβροχή.  REEhni vroHEE       it is raining

Θα ρίξει βροχή.         THA REExi vroHEE it will rain

Δεν ρίχνει βροχή.      DEN REEhni vroHEE         it is not raining

Δεν θα ρίξει βροχή.  DEN THA REExi vroHEE   it will not rain

Βρέχει.            VREhi            it is raining

Θα βρέχει.      THA VREhi   it will be raining

Θα βρέξει.      THA VRExi    it will rain

Δεν θα βρέχει            DEN THA VREhi     it will not be raining

Δεν θα βρέξει.           DEN THA VRExi      it will not rain

Βρέχει λίγο.   VREhi LEEyo it is raining a little

Βρέχει πολύ. VREhi poLEE           it is raining a lot

Βρέχει πολύ δυνατά.            VREhipoLEEdinaTA.          It is raining heavily.

Ρίχνει καρεκλοπόδαρα.       PEEhni karekloPOdara.     It is raining cats and dogs.

Ψιχαλίζει. PsihaLEEzi. It is drizzling

Και      KE       and

Εδώ    eDO HERE

Στην    STEEN           at

BASIC GRAMMAR

In order to form a question about the weather, we keep the word order and we just add the question mark at the end of the sentence.

Βρέχει σήμερα στη Νέα Υόρκη. Βρέχει σήμερα στη Νέα Υόρκη ; -Ναι, βρέχει.- Όχι, δενβρέχει.

In order to form the negative form of the verb, we just put the word δεν in front of it. Δεν βρέχει. Δενρίχνειβροχή.

In order to form the Future Tense we add the word θα in front of the verb. Θα κάνει κρύο.

Like in English in Greek we also have Continuous Future Tense and Simple Future Tense. In order to form the Continuous Future Tense, we just add a θα, will, in front of the verb: αύριο θα βρέχει, θαψιχαλίζει, θαρίχνειβροχή όλη μέρα (= tomorrow it will rain all day). We use the Continuous Future Tense if we want to say that it will snow for a long period of time. For a short period of time we use the Simple Future Tense. In order to form the Simple Future Tense, we add the θα, will, in front of the verb and we change the ending in -σει, -ξει: αύριο το πρωί θα βρέξει, θαρίξειβροχή, θαψιχαλίσει (= tomorrow morning it will rain).

EXERCISES

Match the Greek phrases with their translation in English.

Τι καιρό κάνει σήμερα; What is the weather today?

1.Βρέχειπολύ. 1. It is rainingcats and dogs.

Ρίχνεικαρεκλοπόδαρα. 2. It is raining heavily.
Δεβρέχειπολύ. 3. It is not raining a lot.

Τι καιρό θα κάνει αύριο; What will the weather be like tomorrow?

1.Θαβρέχειόλημέρα. 1. It will drizzle in the morning.

2.Θαψιχαλίσειτοπρωί.         2. It will rain all day.

Θαβρέξειλίγο. 3. It will rain a little.

PRONUNCIATION KEY

i (ill), ee (beer), e (ever), o (organ), oo (boot), y (yes), h (helium), th (theory), d (the). The capitalized syllables are accented.

The post Our Everyday Greek: This May we Speak in Greek about Rainy Weather appeared first on The National Herald.

SANTA FE, Texas (AP) — The suspect in the Texas school shooting began his attack by firing a shotgun through an art classroom door, shattering a glass pane and sending panicked students to the entryway to block him from getting inside, witnesses said.

Dmitrios Pagourtzis fired again through the wooden part of the door and fatally hit a student in the chest. He then lingered for about 30 minutes in a warren of four rooms, killing seven more students and two teachers before exchanging gunfire with police and surrendering, officials said.

Freshman Abel San Miguel saw his friend Chris Stone killed at the door. San Miguel was grazed on his left shoulder by another volley of shots. He and others survived by playing dead.

“We were on the ground, all piled up in random positions,” he said.

Galveston County Judge Mark Henry, the county’s chief administrator, said he did not think Friday’s attack was 30 minutes of constant shooting, and that assessment was consistent with other officials who said law enforcement contained the shooter quickly. But authorities did not release a detailed timeline to explain precisely how events unfolded.

Junior Breanna Quintanilla was in art class when she heard the shots and someone say, “If you all move, I’m going to shoot you all.”

The 17-year-old Pagourtzis walked in, pointed at one person and declared, “I’m going to kill you.” Then he fired.

“He then said that if the rest of us moved, he was going to shoot us,” Quintanilla said.

When Quintanilla tried to run out a back door, she realized Pagourtzis was aiming at her. He fired in her direction.

“He missed me,” she said. “But it went ahead and ricocheted and hit me in my right leg.” She was treated at a hospital and spoke with a brown bandage wrapped around her wound.

“It was a very scary thing,” Quintanilla said. “I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to make it back to my family.”

In their first statement since the massacre, Pagourtzis’ family said Saturday that the bloodshed “seems incompatible with the boy we love.”

“We are as shocked and confused as anyone else by these events,” said the statement, which offered prayers and condolences to the victims.

Relatives said they remained “mostly in the dark about the specifics” of the attack and shared “the public’s hunger for answers.”

Pagourtzis’ attorney, Nicholas Poehl, said he was investigating whether the suspect endured any “teacher-on-student” bullying after reading reports of his client being mistreated by football coaches.

In an online statement, the school district said it investigated the accusations and “confirmed that these reports were untrue.”

Poehl said that there was no history of mental health issues with his client, though there may be “some indications of family history.” He said it was too early to elaborate.

Zach Wofford, a senior, said he was in his agricultural shop class when he heard gunfire from the art classroom across the hall. He said substitute teacher Chris West went into the hall to investigate and pulled a fire alarm.

“He saved many people today,” Wofford said of West.

The mother of one slain student said her daughter may have been targeted because she rejected advances from Pagourtzi, who was an ex-boyfriend of her daughter’s best friend.

Sadie Rodriguez said her 16-year-old daughter, Shana Fisher, repeatedly told him no, and he “continued to get more aggressive.” The week before the shooting, Fisher “stood up to him” by embarrassing him in class, Rodriguez said.

The Houston branch of the FBI tweeted Saturday that 13 people were wounded in the attack, up from 10 previously. Hospitals reported treating 14 people with shooting-related injuries, and the reason for the discrepancy still was not clear.

In addition to a shotgun and a handgun, Pagourtzis also had several kinds of homemade explosive devices, but they were not capable of detonating, Henry said.

Investigators found a cluster of carbon dioxide canisters taped together, and a pressure cooker with an alarm clock and nails inside. But the canisters had no detonation device, and the pressure cooker had no explosive material, Henry said.

“They were intended to look like IEDs, but they were totally non-functional,” Henry said, referring to the improvised explosive devices common in the early years of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Authorities have offered no motive, but they said in a probable-cause affidavit that the suspect had admitted to carrying out the shooting.

The gunman told police that when he opened fire, he avoided shooting students he liked “so he could have his story told,” the affidavit said.

From first word of the shooting, at 7:32 a.m. Friday, until confirmation that the suspect was in custody, the attack lasted about half an hour.

Dispatch records indicate that law enforcement first entered the building about seven minutes after learning of the assault. The suspect was said to be in custody by shortly after 8 a.m.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the assailant got a handgun and shotgun from his father, who owned them legally. But it was not clear whether the father knew his son had taken them or if the father could face prosecution. State law makes it illegal to give a gun to anyone under 18, except under the supervision of an adult for hunting or sport shooting.

Pagourtzis, who appeared to have no prior arrests or confrontations with law enforcement, made an initial court appearance Friday on capital murder charges. A judge denied bond and took his application for a court-appointed attorney.

The shooting in Santa Fe, a city of 13,000 people about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Houston, was the nation’s deadliest such attack since the Parkland, Florida, massacre that killed 17 and energized the teen-led gun-control movement. It was also the deadliest assault in Texas since a man with a semi-automatic rifle attacked a rural church late last year, killing more than two dozen people.

Meanwhile, students on Saturday were being let back inside Santa Fe High School to gather belongings they abandoned when the gunfire began.

The school’s grief was on display at an evening baseball game where Santa Fe players had crosses painted on their faces and the initials of shooting victims written on tape around their wrists. The team also fashioned a tape cross over the dugout with 10 sets of initials and “missed but never forgotten.”

___

Associated Press Writer Will Weissert in Austin contributed to this report.

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The post Texas School Gunman: “I’m Going to Kill you.” Then he Fired appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK (AP) — Some inmates at New York City’s biggest jail got a taste of ancient Greece this weekend.

A theater company went to Rikers Island on Saturday to perform skits from plays by Sophocles that deal with wounded, traumatized warriors and how they deal with other people off the battleground. It was a perfect fit for the New York audience behind bars — about 20 military veterans living in a new jail unit where even the correction officers are veterans.

Bryan Doerries (DOUGH’-rees), head of the Theater of War company that presented the Greek tragedies, then invited the imprisoned veterans to discuss their personal stories.

The Department of Correction’s Senior Deputy Commissioner Timothy Farrell says officials are trying to give these veterans charged with non-violent crimes “a sense of camaraderie.”

The post Inmates at NYC Biggest Jail Get a Taste of Ancient Greece appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – Esther Markaki is a multitalented performer, born and raised in Athens, Greece, but from a young age was drawn to the United States. The actress/singer-songwriter/dancer/choreographer moved to New York City recently to pursue her dream and in only a short time has made significant strides in her career with roles in film, TV, and onstage. Markaki spoke with The National Herald about her life and work.

When asked if she always wanted to go into acting, Markaki said she did and was “always involved in theater, music, and acting.” She loves film and theater, noting that her parents took her as a child to Epidaurus for the famous festival. Markaki is grateful for the opportunity to pursue her dream, noting that “I get to do what I love, write songs, acting, dancing, choreography, and New York is the center of everything I love.”

She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Deree – The American College of Greece, and worked on a Master of Arts in London. Returning to Greece, Markaki worked in marketing for a year and a half, but was “miserable.”

She told TNH that in the “Spring of 2015 I decided to apply to New York Film Academy for a 4-week workshop in New York City, and then in September 2015, once I came for the workshop, I decided I wanted to move here permanently.”

She recently appeared in the sold-out, off-Broadway production of Sophocles’ Electra, directed by Leonidas Loizides. Markaki was one of the leading members of the Chorus, and provided guidance and training to the other members as well as often assisting the composer/director’s assistant during rehearsals. The physically demanding role in the ancient tragedy left Markaki with some bruises, and, she pointed out, wearing knee pads beneath her costume would have been anachronistic. Historical accuracy was the priority in the end, and her performance along with the other members of the Chorus added layers of intensity to the drama.

When asked about the types of roles she prefers, Markaki noted that being more of an introvert, she feels more comfortable acting on screen, but she does love both the theater and film, and looks for roles that are challenging, offer something to connect with, and relate to, whether the role is comedic or dramatic.

Markaki pointed out that in her own life, she has learned lessons from movies, they help you escape or go deeper, to find something, recalling the catharsis of ancient Greek drama. “It’s sometimes cathartic to cry when you see a movie,” she said, referring to the healing aspects of art, “you laugh, cry, heal.”

“I want to be a part of projects that help people,” Markaki said.

Among the actresses she admires- Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, Amy Adams, and Cate Blanchett, “for their choices and investing in their work.”

Helping others is also a priority for Markaki who appreciates her family’s support, but realizes that others may not be so lucky. “If I make it, I’m going to help other actors,” she said, referring to the profession’s challenges, the competition for opportunities and the high cost of living in New York.

“I’ve been there, I know how hard it is,” Markaki said, “I dropped out of everything and moved halfway across the world. You have to invest, it is a full-time job auditioning, trying to get an agent. If you love what you do, nothing can stop you.”

She continued, “I wake up in the morning and I want to do this. I have the opportunity and thank God, my family.”

Markaki is one of three siblings, her older brother Costis is a project manager and musician living in Los Angeles. Her parents- Manos and Ida, and older sister Valia, who works in psychology, live in Greece.

“I am so grateful,” she said, “hopefully, I will be able to repay them literally and metaphorically, and hopefully, make them proud and my country.”

Greece is a great place to grow up, Markaki said, adding that she hopes her generation will be able to create more opportunities for Greeks who are struggling. “I’m trying to do everything I can, I love and support my country, and creating a legacy so maybe I can go back one day and help even more.”

Of her move to the U.S., Markaki noted, “I’m so grateful, I feel like I was meant to be here. If I came at 18, maybe I wouldn’t have appreciated it. Now, I’m prepared to fight so much more.”

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