NEW YORK – Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris and Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal announced on July 22 their first-in-the-nation cat declawing ban had been signed into law by the Governor.

“Cat declawing is a brutal procedure similar to severing a human finger at the first knuckle and has lifelong ramifications for cats,” said Senate Deputy Leader Gianaris. “I am proud of the new Senate majority’s emphasis on animal welfare and am glad the Governor enacted this legislation.”

“Today New York becomes the first state in the nation to ban the barbaric practice of cat declawing,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan). “It’s a cat-tastic day for the felines of New York and the many people who love them. Cat declawing is a cruelty, and given the availability of low-cost and pain-free alternatives, it’s totally unnecessary, most often performed to protect people’s furniture from cats’ scratching. Now that my bill has become law, New York has been catapulted onto the leaderboard of humane states, and I expect other states to quickly follow suit.”

The legislation bans cat declawing unless performed to address a legitimate medical condition. Any person found to be in violation of the law would be subject to a civil penalty of $1,000.

Cat declawing, also known as onychectomy, is the permanent, surgical removal of most of the last bone, and the tendons, nerves and ligaments on the paws of a cat. Declawing often results in intense and chronic lifetime pain for the cat, and also causes unwanted behavioral issues, such as aggression, refusal to use the litter box, depression, biting and/or spraying. Nine cities across the country, including Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Berkeley, Beverly Hills, Burbank and Culver City have enacted anti-declawing laws. State legislatures in California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and West Virginia are considering similar measures.

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ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – A 21-year-old Greek-Australian man, Dimitri Gatis, has been charged with the attempted murder of his 16-year-old brother Alex Gatis, following a shooting at the family home in Lockleys, a suburb of Adelaide, Australia, at 9:30 AM on July 22, according to Australia’s 7News.

The teenager was reportedly shot in the stomach through the window of the home, 7News reported.

The parents were not at home at the time on vacation in Greece, but have cut their trip short to return to Australia, 9News reported.

The elder Gatis was also charged with drug trafficking and firearms offences following his arrest on Monday night, 7News reported adding that “Dimitri Gatis did not apply for bail” and appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Alex underwent more surgery on Tuesday, according to 9News, and remains in serious condition. Following the shooting, he was rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, 7News reported, adding that the teenager “is believed to have lost part of his spleen and pancreas in the incident.”

Dimitri Gatis “was remanded in custody and outside the hearing, his uncle said the family will support each other,” adding that “We have a close family,” 9News reported.

The family remains in disbelief over the incident, pointing out that “the brothers love each other,” 9News reported.

In the courtroom, Gatis “remained silent and his lawyer did not apply for bail – but did indicate he hopes there might be a resolution in the case,” 9News reported.

The suspect is scheduled to appear in court again next month.

His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia released the following statement regarding the shooting:

“I was informed with much pain of the shooting of our Greek-Australian 16-year-old young man Alex Gatis from Adelaide and hasten to express my sincere sadness regarding this tragic event; and at the same time my best wishes to our dearest Alex Gatis and his family for a speedy recovery and convey the paternal wishes and love of His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

“Violence can never be blessed or justified under any condition and definitely does not express the ethos and spirit of our civilized country of Australia. Violence can also never be blessed by the Orthodox Church and our Ecumenical Patriarchate. I have made contact by telephone with His Grace Bishop Nikandros of Doryleon, Archepiscopal Vicar in Adelaide, and have asked him to visit Alex who is in a critical yet stable condition in hospital, so he may responsibly inform me of any progress with his health. I am certain that our Lord Jesus Christ and His Mother Mary will be of assistance.”

The post Greek-Australian Charged with Shooting 16-Year-Old Brother appeared first on The National Herald.

BOSTON – His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain will be enthroned on Saturday July 27 at the St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral of London. Archbishop Nikitas was elected unanimously by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Wednesday June 12, succeeding Archbishop Gregorios who retired from active ministry.

Metropolitan Emmanuel of France will preside over the service of the enthronement representing His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, assisted by visitor hierarchs from Greece and Europe. From the United States will come Metropolitans Alexios of Atlanta, Gerasimos of San Francisco, and Nathanael of Chicago.

In an interview with The National Herald replying to a question about the preparations of the enthronement he said that “we are doing very well and the first and main reason is we have the blessing of our Patriarch. Second, I went to greet and received the blessing of my predecessor Archbishop Gregorios, who invited his relatives and some friends and told them “I want you to support and help the new Archbishop.”

Archbishop Nikitas added that, “Archbishop Gregorios welcomed me cordially. I kissed his hand and I told him don’t worry about anything. You will stay here at the Archdiocese and we will provide you with anything you need. He will continue to live in the Archdiocese because he requested that from me and I told him that I see you as my own father and whatever I would have wanted for my father I want it also for you.”

When asked about his first impression and findings from his visits thus far in the Archdiocese in England he said, “first I want to tell about the great enthusiasm of the clergy and laity who were waiting for me with open arms. When I visited a number of restaurants of Greek ownership I went into the kitchen I greeted all the employees, introduced myself and told them I am your new Archbishop. They became speechless because they weren’t expecting that from me.”

Regarding the condition of the communities of the Archdiocese, he said, “I didn’t have a chance to visit many except two or three.” He added that, “we are going to start some programs. It is helping me a lot that I am a child of America and that I have lived and served in its Missions. I believe that all the future hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate should go and serve first in Missionary places and Metropolises because by doing you realize the difficulties and you know what to do when you are called to minister a Metropolis.”

He also said that “certainly the Archdiocese of Thyateira has been there for many decades but we should open more to the outside world and show that we have something to offer.”

According to Archbishop Nikitas, “the Archdiocese is comprised of more than one hundred communities, some of which are very small and. It includes four countries England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.”

As to how the Archdiocese is sustained financially, he said that, “it has a Trust and also some real estate from which it has income. The paid membership of the faithful in the communities is not obligatory as it is in America. The faithful give only donations if they so wish, freely, and also they give something for the issuance of marriage and baptismal permits. I want to stablish a list of the faithful just to be able to communicate with them.”

Asked what he would do if someone comes to a parish and says he does not have the funds to pay for a marriage or baptismal certificate, but asked him to bless the wedding and baptize the child, Archbishop Nikitas said, “of course,” he would. “What would Christ do? If we drive away the people then we are not a Church.”

Regarding the salaries of the priests he said “the priests are salaried by the parishes, but many of them don’t have good salaries – they get one thousand dollars a month and that is why they work in other jobs.”

One of his first priorities will be “the Greek Education. We have schools here and now with the economic crisis in Greece many Greeks immigrate to England.” He added, “of course I will pay attention to the religious education and youth as well.”

Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain is the son of Constantine and Kalliope Lulias. He was born on June 22, 1955 in Tampa, FL and raised in Tarpon Springs, FL with his brother John. His roots are from Krokos Kozanis and the island of Kalymnos.

A member of Savant, the University of Florida Honor Society, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) degree from the University in 1976. His Eminence attended Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and received his Masters’ of Divinity, with Honors, in 1980. He pursued graduate studies at the University of Thessaloniki, Greece until November 1982. He also studied the Russian language at the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary, St. Petersburg, Russia from late 1992 to mid-1993. His Eminence Nikitas’ first assignment upon ordination was Associate Pastor at Sts. Constantine and Helen Cathedral in Merrillville, Indiana. He remained at the Cathedral until 1987, at which time he became the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Chicago. During his tenure as Chancellor from 1987 to 1995, he was involved in numerous educational, community service, and interfaith activities, including teaching a course in Orthodox Christian Theology at Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois (1988 to 1991). In 1994 he was appointed Director of Development for International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) and on July 1, 1995 he became Pastor of the St. Demetrios Orthodox Church of Chicago. He was consecrated a bishop and named Metropolitan of Hong Kong and South East Asia on December 14, 1996. That historic event took place in the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George the Great Martyr at the Phanar in Constantinople. He was enthroned as the first Metropolitan of Hong Kong and South East Asia (the Exarchates of China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore) on January 12, 1997 at the Cathedral of Saint Luke the Evangelist in Hong Kong.

In March of 2007, His Eminence Nikitas was appointed Director of the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute.

The post Archbishop Nikitas Speaks to TNH Shortly before his Enthronement appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK –  FAITH: An Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism (FAITH) is pleased to announce the launch of a new leadership training program, the “Executive Education Program in Strategic Leadership and Transformative Action” (SLTA), for members of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese at the prestigious Fletcher School of Tufts University. SLTA is an intensive executive leadership training program designed to give clergy and laity a foundational set of technical, intellectual, and spiritual tools and ideas for strategic management and leadership that can produce transformative action in the Church and community. The pilot program will launch in the Metropolis of Chicago and is scheduled for January 2020.

Funded by FAITH, the program is the first of its kind for the Greek Orthodox community of America. The curriculum was developed by Professor Elizabeth Prodromou and will include lectures by leading experts in related disciplines of faith-based and non-profit organizations covering topics such as strategic planning and management, financial planning for non-profits, leadership, communication strategies, and religious literacy. Dr. Prodromou and the Fletcher School have hosted similar type leadership training programs for other community and church/faith-based institutions.

Participants will be selected from clergy and laity, for their desire and potential to learn and incorporate their new knowledge to further develop a strong, vital, and active Church built upon institutional sustainability and adaptability. Participants are expected to return to their parishes and communities where they will implement the organizing principles of this program; awareness, action and impact to build stronger communities within their Parish, Metropolises and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.

“The Metropolis truly is grateful to FAITH to be selected as the pilot program group for the opportunity to learn from the faculty in a world-class university setting like Tufts’ Fletcher School,” said His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago. “It presents a unique setting for active engagement in workshops focused on teaching the best practices of non-profit management, collaboration, and accountability that will help empower our Metropolis and community. Leadership must be the unbroken thread through everything we do as a Church and community from both clergy and laity perspective.”

Since 2004, FAITH has supported and promoted excellence and leadership among young people within the Greek and Hellenic community through sponsoring college scholarship programs, St. John Chrysostom Awards, financial aid travel grants to Ionian Village, and various educational resources for the Greek language and culture programs at parishes. More information and applications for this program will be posted at www.thefaithendowment.org later this summer.

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WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY-12), standing with U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Cory Gardner (R-CO), U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), and Congressman Peter King (R-NY-2) on July 23 stood with 9/11 first responders, survivors, their families, and Jon Stewart to announce Senate passage of the bipartisan Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11^th Victim Compensation Fund Act. The bill to make the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund permanent passed the Senate by a vote of 97 to 2. Earlier this month, the bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 402-12, and it will now go to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

“Today, the Senate joined with 402 Members of the House in telling the 9/11 community that we meant it when we vowed to Never Forget,” said U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney. “The true Twin Towers of New York are the FDNY and the NYPD, and fully funding and permanently authorizing the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund is the least we can do to honor their sacrifices.  I will not rest until the September 11^th Victim Compensation Program is made permanent and we finally turn our promise to Never Forget into law. I hope the President signs this legislation quickly, so we can finally give these heroes the peace of mind they deserve.”

“This bill sends a powerful signal from our nation, from Congress, and from all the people we represent in all 50 states that we will never forget what our 9/11 heroes did for us,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “This bill is for every single person who decided in that terrible moment – when we were attacked, when we were vulnerable, and we were scared – to do the unthinkable: to risk their lives for total strangers and sacrifice their bodies for our country. It is for every person who spent days, weeks, and months on the pile, and has had to suffer physical and mental scars for years because of that heroic work. It is for every survivor who lived in a home or went to school downtown when the government told them the air was safe to breathe. The Senate promised that we would “never forget,” and today we finally lived up to that promise. We will never forget our 9/11 heroes and we will never stop helping them when they are in need – and now, once and for all, they can finally exhale and go home to be with their families. This day is long overdue, and now I urge President Trump to immediately sign this bill into law.”

“On September 11^th, 2001, first responders didn’t hesitate for a second when our nation needed them the most. Today Congress made good on our country’s promise to never forget the heroism, service, and sacrifices from 9/11,” said U.S. Senator Cory Gardner. “Permanent reauthorization of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund is not just a New York, Washington, or Pennsylvania issue. It is an American issue. The heroes of 9/11 are living across the country, including in Colorado. While this bill will not stop 9/11 first responders from becoming ill, it gives them the support they’ve earned and desperately need. I look forward to the president quickly signing this bill into law.”

“For too long we’ve waited to settle this matter; too many people have put up partisan roadblocks along the way. But now we are here, exiting a dark tunnel to guarantee—once and for all—that the heroes who rushed to the towers eighteen years ago will no longer have to worry about compensation for their families,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “These men and women, many of them sick, some of them gravely so, won’t have to return to Congress anymore to fight for the compensation that should always have been a given. They will be able to go home, attend to their illnesses, their family members, and their friends. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank each and every one of them.”

Background:

On February 15, 2019, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund announced that due to a funding shortfall, injured and ill 9/11 responders and survivors will receive cuts to the awards that they were expecting of 50% for pending claims and 70% for future claims.

In the years since 9/11/2001, thousands of 9/11 responders and survivors have become ill and many have lost their lives from exposure to a toxic cocktail of burning chemicals, pulverized drywall and powdered cement that was present at Ground Zero. After years of urging Congress to act, in 2010 and again in 2015, legislation was passed to provide medical monitoring and treatment through the World Trade Center Health Program until 2090. However, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund was only extended until 2020 and the money is already running out. Now, thousands are facing dramatically reduced awards and without this legislation, the VCF will actually be closing next year just as thousands more 9/11 responders and survivors are expected to be diagnosed with 9/11 cancers.

This legislation is designed to ensure that the VCF is fully funded and will remain open for those who will become ill in the future. A veto-proof bipartisan majority of the United States Congress cosponsored this legislation.

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MANHASSET, NY – AHEPA Gold Coast Chapter 456 held their year-end meeting and elections at the exclusive Swan Club in Roslyn, NY on June 12. The special meeting also celebrated Chapter President John G. Levas for his 30-year membership, including 18 years as Chapter President.

Levas has also served as District Treasurer and District Secretary. Without a doubt, these past 30 years, Levas has dedicated most of his life to the Order of AHEPA.

Earlier this year, Levas had informed his chapter that he would be relocating to North Carolina.  Although the chapter knew he would not return as president, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house when he was nominated for the office of president and his response was “I respectfully decline.”

Levas was honored to have most of his chapter members present. Also there were several  AHEPA dignitaries including Past Supreme President Andrew Zachariades, Supreme Vice President Jimmy Kokotas, Supreme Governor George Karatzia, District 6 Governor Lou Katsos, District 6 Marshall Paul Macropoulos, Past Supreme Governor Tom Dushas, Past District 6 Governor Demi Pamboukes, Past District 6 Governor Ted Stamas, Past District 6 Treasurer Ted Malgarinos, Past District 6 Director of Membership James Zafiros, Constantine Cassis 170 Chapter President and District 6 Director of Operations Anastasios Stampolis, Harry Fotiadis- Chapter President of James Plevritis-Joseph C. Keane Evzone 405, and Nick Calogredes, Port Jefferson 319 Chapter President.

A special greeting was read from Supreme President George E. Loucas.

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WASHINGTON, DC – On July 24, Greek-American Michael Kratsios – who was nominated by the President of the United States to serve as the United States’ Chief Technology officer – had his confirmation hearing before the United States Senate Commerce Committee.

Kratsios began his testimony by saying, “My mother and my grandfather came to the United States from their native Greece in search of a more prosperous future. They instilled in me that enduring optimism for a better tomorrow. And I believe that embracing technological innovation, building new technologies in America and shaping those technologies with American values will lead us to that stronger future.”

He has served as the Acting Chief Technology Officer since the beginning of this administration. He has been the White House’s principal technology policy advisor and a secretary-level representative of the U.S. at international meetings, including at the G7 and G20.  He has led a team of policy advisors driving US policy and priorities on a range of technology issues, including: artificial intelligence (AI), unmanned aerial systems, autonomous vehicles, quantum computing, telecommunications, rural broadband, entrepreneurship, the digital economy, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing and STEM education.

Michael John Kotsakas Kratsios, was born in Salisbury, Maryland (the home of the famous Sarbanes family – including former Senator Paul Sarbanes and current Congressman John Sarbanes). Kratsios graduated from Princeton University in 2008 where he received a Hellenic Studies Senior Thesis Prize. His mother, Maria, immigrated to the U.S. from the Greek island of Chios. His pappou – his father John’s father – immigrated to the U.S. from Kastoria in northern Greece.  He grew up speaking Greek at home and is fluent in modern Greek.

Kratsios was nominated by the President on April 4, 2019 to serve as U.S. Chief Technology Officer and Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). His confirmation by the U.S. Senate is pending before the Senate Commerce Committee, where he testified this morning.

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BALTIMORE, MD – Greek-American Congressman John Sarbanes, representing Maryland’s Third Congressional District, recently visited the U.S.-Mexico border to see the conditions at detention facilities firsthand. He released the following statement about his visit:

“In detention facilities across the U.S.-Mexico border, refugees, asylum seekers and other immigrants — including infants and children — are being held in overcrowded and dangerous conditions. I encourage you to review the report [available online] recently prepared by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General.

“Last week, I traveled to southeast Texas to see these facilities firsthand. I came away with renewed conviction that DHS must take immediate steps to drastically improve the treatment of detainees, which right now is far from humane. What we witnessed at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stations and detention centers was jarring. Dozens of adult, single men crammed for weeks into holding cells that were designed to hold only a few detainees for a short period of time. Hundreds fenced into areas with bright, 24-hour lights and not enough room to sleep. Lack of regular access to basic hygiene such as toothbrushes and showers. We saw unaccompanied minors and families warehoused in chain-link pods, waiting for days on end to have their fate determined by a broken immigration system that treats them with a hard edge and a punitive impulse.

“The Trump Administration’s failure to establish a humane and orderly process for managing the influx of new migrants from Central America is creating havoc at our southern border. There is no excuse for the shocking conditions we are seeing in many facilities. Even the shameful policy of separating children from their parents has yet to be completely resolved.

“Our nation has the capability and resources to fix this problem, if only we would muster the will. In Congress, I will continue using our oversight authority to apply pressure on the Administration to dramatically improve the treatment of migrants. At the same time, I will work closely with my colleagues to advance policies that help stem this crisis and ensure that all refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in government custody receive humane and compassionate care.”

A full account of Rep. Sarbanes visit is available online.

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BOSTON – In a letter to the interim President, His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios, the Board of Trustees, Faculty and Administration of Hellenic College Holy Cross, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America announced the completion of the appointment of the search committee for a new president of the School.

In his letter, the Archbishop stated:

“Hellenic College and Holy Cross are the well-springs of the Greek Orthodox Church in the United States, equipping the Archdiocese with competent, trained clergy and service-oriented lay persons. The leadership of the School is vital to the health of our National Church.”

The six-member Committee is constituted from Faculty (two), Board Members (two) and two appointments by the Archbishop. They have been charged by the Archbishop to complete their work within 120 days of their initial meeting, which is scheduled to occur in early August.

The members are:

Prof. Aristotle Michopoulos and Prof. Fr. Emmanuel Clapsis from the faculty of the College and School of Theology respectively. Father Steve Zorzos, Board Secretary, and Nick Spiliotis from the Board of Trustees. Argyris Vassiliou, Chairman of Leadership 100, and George Tsandikos, Vice Chairman of the Archdiocesan Council, are the two appointed members by the Archbishop, with Mr. Vassiliou presiding as chair of the committee.

The Archbishop further commented: “Together with the Most Reverend Members of the Holy Eparchial Synod and the entire Archdiocese – clergy and lay alike – we look forward to the Committee immediately beginning its vital and important work to be completed within 120 days of its commencement. His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston is to be thanked for his willingness to serve as president in an interim capacity during this critical period of transition. Establishing Hellenic College Holy Cross on a firm foundation, that respects the past even as it envisions the future, will fulfil a dream of the Greek Orthodox Community of America for a true alma mater that will produce generations of Church leadership to come.”

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STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — The estranged husband of a missing Connecticut mother of five wants two charges against him dropped.

Attorney Norm Pattis on Wednesday filed a motion in Stamford Superior Court arguing there is “no basis in evidence or law” to charge his client Fotis Dulos with hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence.

The motion comes exactly two months after Jennifer Dulos disappeared after dropping her children off at school.

The case has attracted media attention, which Pattis says prompted prosecutors to “clearly put the cart before the horse in charging the defendant.”

Police allege Fotis Dulos and girlfriend Michelle Tronconis discarded items containing Jennifer Dulos’ blood in Hartford.

Jennifer Dulos’ family released a statement urging anyone with information about the disappearance to come forward.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The question to Michael Dukakis, the Democratic presidential candidate in 1988, was brutally personal.

“If Kitty Dukakis were raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?” Bernard Shaw, a CNN anchor, asked, referring to the Massachusetts governor’s wife. Dukakis said he wouldn’t favor it because “I don’t see any evidence that it is a deterrent.”

The technocratic, largely emotionless response in a debate mere weeks before the election marked the nadir of Democrats’ politically agonized relationship to the death penalty — reinforcing in some voters’ minds that the party was soft on crime. President George H.W. Bush went on to crush Dukakis, winning the Electoral College vote, 426-111.

Four years later, then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton projected the opposite message, defending the death penalty on a New Hampshire debate stage, then leaving the campaign trail to return to his home state and preside over the execution of Ricky Ray Rector, a mentally impaired black inmate who killed a police officer and another man.

In the decade that followed, though, many Democrats were moved by the startling revelations of inmates being wrongly executed and began to rethink their position on capital punishment. In 2014, an Oklahoma execution was problematic enough that President Barack Obama mulled a moratorium on the federal death penalty. Though that never materialized, his party’s national platform endorsed one two years later, and only one of the 24 Democrats seeking the White House in 2020, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, has publicly supported preserving capital punishment in some form.

The issue took on unexpected urgency on Thursday when the Justice Department announced that it will begin executing federal death row inmates for the first time since 2003, again raising the political stakes on a topic that’s rarely been a Democratic strength. And while the party is now much more unified in opposing it than a generation ago, the public is not, potentially casting a long policy shadow over the upcoming primary.

Democratic strategist Mike Lavigne said that, despite the planned federal executions, he doesn’t see the issue as a winner for Democrats because “there’s not a lot of single-issue voters on the death penalty.”

Still, several Democratic presidential candidates strongly criticized the move, setting up a stark contrast with President Donald Trump.

“Capital punishment is immoral and deeply flawed,” Sen. Kamala Harris of California said on Twitter. “Too many innocent people have been put to death.”

About 6 in 10 Americans favor the death penalty, according to the General Social Survey, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago. That’s declined steadily since the 1990s, when nearly three-quarters were in favor.

Even California, the nation’s largest blue state, rejected a capital punishment ban in 2016. Now-Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom used an executive order to declare a moratorium, but prosecutors in the state still sometimes seek the death penalty.

The first federal inmate is scheduled to be executed on Dec. 9, less than two months before the Democratic primary begins with the Iowa caucus, and four other prisoners are set to be put to death over the next six weeks.

Trump has repeatedly endorsed capital punishment for serious crimes, and that’s likely to play well with his conservative base heading into 2020. Republican support for capital punishment has held steady at about 8 in 10 over the past two decades, while about half of Democrats now say they favor it compared to nearly two-thirds in the 1990s.

Pope Francis has declared the death penalty “inadmissible,” but some Christians support it. Since 2015, the National Association of Evangelicals, which represents 45,000-plus churches, has acknowledged that Christians differ in their capital punishment beliefs and affirming “the conscientious commitment of both streams of Christian ethical thought.”

“Our weighing in on the topic is not for the purpose of helping or hurting any politician, but it’s to provide a moral context for our leaders in both parties,” Galen Carey, the association’s vice president of government relations, said by phone.

When Dukakis and Clinton were running for president, there were roughly 300 new death sentences annually nationwide, as opposed to around 40 today. Yearly executions peaked at nearly 100 in 1999 and have declined steadily ever since.

“It’s shocking that, at this point, the federal government would be taking what feels like a giant step backward,” said Bee Moorhead, executive director of Texas Impact, a theological civil group that has organized interfaith religious calls to abolish the death penalty in the state that executes more inmates than any other. “It is in the mold of a bunch of other policies that are devoid of the concept of mercy in a way that this country is just not used to.”

Bullock, the lone Democratic White House hopeful who supports it, says he backs the death penalty in some cases such as terrorism.

But former Vice President Joe Biden only this week shifted to calling for eliminating the federal death penalty after years of supporting it. His criminal justice plan also would encourage states to follow the federal government in ending capital punishment, 25 years after he helped pass tough crime legislation that expanded its use.

Many of the other Democratic White House hopefuls have opposed the death penalty as part of larger calls for reforming a criminal justice system they see as unfairly targeting minorities and the poor. People of color have accounted for 43% of total executions since 1976 and 55% of those currently on death row, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

In a statement, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker noted the death penalty is “fraught with biases against people of color, low-income individuals, and those with mental illness.” Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar said, “A life sentence compared to a death penalty sentence depends on where you live, who your lawyer is and the color of your skin,” and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg tweeted, “Justice is not equally distributed in our country.”

___
By WILL WEISSERT Associated Press

Associated Press writers Elana Schor and Hannah Fingerhut in Washington, Kathleen Ronayne in Sacramento, California, and Sara Burnett in Chicago contributed to this report.

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NEW YORK – Faced with offensive behavior and discrimination by the staff of a well-known casino hotel in Connecticut, Atlantic Bank President Nancy Papaioannou spoke to The National Herald about her discussion with a waitress over the term “North Macedonia”.

In particular, as Papaioannou noted, the incident happened at the Mohegan Sun’s pool bar. As she told TNH, she was going to spend the weekend with some of her friends for the Lionel Ritchie concert as a birthday gift to one of them.

While they waited two hours for their rooms to be ready, and due to the excessive heat, they spent time in the pool. A waitress then appeared whose name tag included as her country of origin, “Macedonia”.

Papaioannou pointed out the mistake and began a discussion with the waitress, saying that Macedonia is a Greek region, and recalling the recent Prespes Agreement, according to which the former FYROM is now called “North Macedonia” with the new name being mandatory both domestically and internationally.

Then, as Papaioannou told TNH, the waitress left and did not appear again, and a little later one of her colleagues, who was serving Papaioannou and her friends from the moment they arrived at the bar, came up to them and informed Papaioannou – who noted that she had not ordered any alcohol from the bar – that the manager ordered that she not be served her other drinks (!) because she hurt the waitress’ feelings and made her cry.

“I did not order any alcohol, especially at noon and all the more so because it was 100 degrees, on Saturday. They suddenly came up to me and say they are cutting off the alcohol for me, in front of my friends and the people who watched what was happening, when I had not even ordered a drink, just ice water!” Papaioannou said.

THEY CALLED SECURITY

Papaioannou replied that she had not ordered alcohol, while stressing that she did not speak in a negative way to the waitress, and explaining the conversation they had had. In fact, besides the second waitress there was another worker, who also had a name tag that listed his country of origin as “Macedonia”.

“Later, to our surprise, somebody came out from security, along with three large men, and asked us to leave because, as he said, we offended the waitress and she cried. All this, in front of everyone there, who were watching the scene and, fortunately, they did not know who I am because their behavior towards me was embarrassing. I asked the man repeatedly to speak with him in private so I could explain to him exactly what happened. He refused adamantly, and in offensive ways kept us out of the pool bar – and I personally wanted to leave the hotel completely. After many attempts, my request was heard, but it did not change anything. They told us that we could stay at the hotel, but had to leave the pool bar. The straw that broke the camel’s back was the room they gave us, which had a view…of garbage. Their behavior was embarrassing, and I would like to inform the Greek community about what happened,” said Papaioannou.

The Atlantic Bank president was “deeply offended” for “the inhumane behavior” and “discrimination against her home country,” and according to TNH’s information, a lawsuit against the hotel may follow.

“I do not play in casinos, nor do I stay in such hotels. We wanted to give our girlfriend the tickets for the Lionel Ritchie concert because it was her birthday. I had no reason to leave. I asked the security guy to call me a car to leave; I did not want to stay anymore. My friends asked me to stay with them in order not to spoil our plans, and that was the only reason I did not get up and leave from the beginning. I have never been treated in such an embarrassing way before. Beyond that, however, it is a matter of principle and I cannot let it go,” concluded Papaioannou.

MOHEGAN SUN RESPONDS

TNH contacted the Mohegan Sun Department of Public Relations and Customer Service for their opinion on the incident and Mohegan Sun President and General Manager Ray Pineault responded with the following statement:

“I have collected information from members of our staff who were in communication with Ms. Papaioannou and her group during their stay. Mohegan Sun equally prides ourselves on creating a healthy work environment for our employees. In this instance, we found our international exchange employee visibly upset and we had an obligation to understand the circumstances that lead to her state. At no point did we intend to cause insult or embarrassment. Mohegan Sun prides ourselves on providing unparalleled guest service.”

Concerning the name tag, Pineault told TNH, “Mohegan Sun encourages our international exchange employees to proudly display their country of origin on their name tags. This was an honest mistake. Moving forward we will take steps to confirm proper name of place of origin and have corrected this employee’s name tag to North Macedonia.”

Please note that Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment is run by the Mohegan tribe and the Managing Director is Greek-American Mario Kontomerkos.

PAN-MACEDONIAN ASSOCIATION USA: “WE CONGRATULATE NANCY PAPAIOANNOU”

TNH contacted the Pan-Macedonian Association USA and its President Dimitris Filippidis, on the occasion of the controversy over the term “Macedonia” and he expressed his surprise concerning the incident. He praised Nancy Papaioannou’s attitude while condemning the behavior of the hotel management.

“We want to congratulate Ms. Papaioannou, who did not hesitate to speak about the self-evident history and to present the truth about Balkan History. Papaioannou supported us with her presence at the New York rally and did the obvious, but this is not the case today. We believe that her behavior should be that of all of us in every such case of provocative counterfeiting of our history. We should not hesitate to talk about the inherent Greek-ness of Macedonia and answer all those who underestimate our intelligence and obscure the historical truth. These specific attitudes by Skopje are the proof of what this disastrous Agreement has already produced,” said Filippidis.

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ASTORIA – The festival at St. Irene Chrysovalantou in Astoria began on Thursday, July 25 with a large crowd in attendance for the annual celebration, a highlight event of the summer for Queens’ residents.

The opening day started off with the blessing presided over by His Grace Bishop Ierotheos of Efkarpia, Abbot of the Sacred Patriarchal and Stavropegial Orthodox Monastery of St. Irene Chrysovalantou. He was assisted by Fr. Apostolos Manoloudis, Fr. Nikolaos Kalafatis, Fr. Nikolaos Gourdoupis, and Fr. Gerasimos Balas.

At the festival, 32 volunteers are working at various posts. Attendance is expected to peak on the afternoon of Friday and Saturday, while on Sunday, the traditional procession of the icon will take place.

On Saturday, July 27, the Archbishop Elpidophoros of America will celebrate the Great Vespers, and on Sunday, July 28, he will preside over the Divine Liturgy which will be followed by the traditional procession.

On the evening of July 24, Vespers and the Mystery of the Sacred Eucharist were celebrated by Bishop Ierotheos.

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NEW YORK – The Hellenic Initiative (THI), on July 26, released an update on its wildfire relief fund efforts. THI Executive Director Peter Poulos shared the following statement with the organization’s donors and friends:

Almost one year ago to the day, Greece experienced the worst disaster in its modern history. Over 100 people lost their lives and many more were injured in the fires that devastated Mati and nearby Kokkino Limanaki. THI responded by launching an online fundraising campaign with our friends Nia Vardalos and John Stamos and made a special appeal at our 2018 New York Gala.

Thanks to the generous support of over 548 donors The Hellenic Initiative was able to raise over $200,000 USD.

Your contributions allowed us to provide immediate relief to the communities affected. In addition we were able to support local firefighters by providing state of the art firefighting equipment to prevent anything similar from happening again.

Immediate Relief:

On Friday, August 24, 2018, IOCC and Apostoli employed THI funds to purchase and deliver 150 new trash bins to the municipality of Rafina-Pikermi in Greece. These bins replaced the ones that were destroyed by intense heat and flames. Delivering these bins on time was a call THI answered after meeting with the Mayor of Rafina-Pikermi and it allowed city crews to resume waste collection while making the cleanup for many residents a lot easier.

Donation to the Greek Firefighting Service:

THI has ordered an off-road 4×4 vehicle equipped with specially designed firefighting capabilities. THI will request this vehicle to be stationed at the area affected by last year’s wildfires in particular near and around the Lyreion Orphanage.

Lyreion Orphanage:

Initially, we have designed our online efforts to be around Lyreion orphanage. As the online campaign was taking place, we were informed that Lyreion children have now found a safe shelter in another orphanage and had access to a series of programs offered to them by SOS Villages Greece.

More information about The Hellenic Initiative is available online: https://www.thehellenicinitiative.org/.

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MEMPHIS, TN – This week, AHEPA Supreme President George G. Horiates was joined by AHEPA Cooley’s Anemia Foundation Chair and Past Supreme President (PSP) Ike Gulas in Memphis, Tennessee. It was announced on July 25 that PSP Gulas hosted the Supreme President as AHEPA once again presented St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital with $10,000 to continue AHEPA’s endeavor to lead the fight against Cooley’s Anemia.

Ashley Trotter, an Executive with the research institution, kindly thanked AHEPA for all it has done over the years. She said, “AHEPA’s support has been there for our Cooley’s researchers for decades. We thank all of the members of AHEPA, you are a shining example of a wonderful organization that does GREAT things.”

Cooley’s Anemia, known as Thalassemia, is a fatal genetic blood disorder which affects people of Mediterranean descent. Many children diagnosed with the disease receive blood transfusions every two weeks and painful drug injections with an infusion pump every night of their lives.

“AHEPA strives to help mankind- we donate to medical research for many causes and provide medical support to many institutions including the AHEPA and Evangelismos hospitals in Greece. As for our decades long battle against Cooley’s Anemia, AHEPA is also proud of our partnership with Saint Jude’s here in Memphis, Tennessee,” noted Supreme President Horiates.

Helping to find cures and reduce the suffering of children is just one of the many ways AHEPA gives back to the community. Visit the AHEPA website to donate to one of our many causes, such as finding the cure for Cooley’s, and tell your friends about the good work the AHEPA is doing. The more members we have, the more people we have to defend Hellenism and to help us make a difference!

More information is available online: https://ahepa.org/.

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WASHINGTON, DC – Greek-American mixed media fine artist Nia Tavlarides Stratos is the first United States artist to exhibit her work at the prestigious Art Museum of the Americas of the Organization of American States (AMA) and the first of Greek descent. She told The National Herald that her exhibition titled, “Revelation, Illumination, Transformation… explores the relationship between art, empathy and tolerance.”

The exhibition, on view at the AMA’s Marcus Garvey Hall of Culture, opened on July 15 and runs through August 2.

The opening night on July 18 featured a visit from a very special guest, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.

The artist told TNH, “I was honored to share my exhibition with our newly enthroned Archbishop Elpidophoros.”

According to her biography, the native Washingtonian’s natural artistic ability was evident in her youth. Stratos was awarded a scholarship to The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, where her work was exhibited. Burlington Industries purchased her paintings to be used in textile design. She completed her undergraduate work at The University of Maryland where she participated in juried shows for painting and jewelry design. Nia designed her own line of jewelry, Evyenia Designs, with collections sold to boutiques and department stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales. She later became a partner in a Washington-based advertising agency where her work garnered both regional and national awards.

Nia has participated in juried shows as well as successful solo shows in galleries and venues, such as The Ritz Carlton. She is a published fine artist, whose work is held in both private and corporate collections, including VISA Card Corporation.

Having mastered the use of color with palettes that range from harmonious, muted, conceptualizations to bold, iconoclastic expressions, she explores a rich synthesis of pattern and spatial composition through various media and assemblage. Nia feels each composition is a mosaic of elements demanding amalgamation. Every work of art provides a thoughtful vehicle to interpret texture and dimension and is an examination of color and style through the use of various media.

Passionate about life, the artist notes in her biography that spending time in her ancestral home of Greece has given her the opportunity to explore her Byzantine heritage.

More information is available online: museum.oas.org and niastratosfineart.com.

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LONDON – The Enthronement of the new Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain, Nikitas, will take place at the Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom, Bayswater, London on Saturday 27th July 2019 at 11am.

Entry to the church is strictly by invitation only but you can watch the ceremony live here.

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GREENLAWN, NY – His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America celebrated the Feast of Saint Paraskevi, the Great-Martyr with the Divine Liturgy yesterday, July 26, 2019, at the Greek Orthodox Church of the same name, located in the Greenlawn hamlet of Long Island.

“You and I are equally sons and daughters of our Father in heaven.  We are equally heirs of His riches.  We are equally blessed with His power from on high through faith in Christ,” said the Archbishop in his sermon to the congregation.

Young children and Parish officials welcomed His Eminence as he arrived for the Orthros service in the morning. Ten clergymen took part in the liturgy. Soon the beautiful church filled to capacity as the faithful came to honor the feast of their patron saint, but also welcome and meet their new spiritual father, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.

In his homily the Archbishop spoke about the life and healing witness of Saint Paraskevi and the Epistle and Gospel readings of the day, connecting them through the single thread of the healing power of God. (Read full text of Archbishop’s homily)

“We should be always a people of hope and optimism; people of joy and thanksgiving; people of fervent prayer and bold intercession, as was the saint for whom this Shrine Church is named. Through the intercessions of the holy Great-Martyr Paraskevi, may the Lord grant us eyes that are open always to the possibilities of His incomparably great power in us.”

Just before the conclusion of the Liturgy, His Eminence by the laying-of-the-hands, blessed six young men of the parish as Readers, gave them the book of Psalms and proclaimed each one Axios! The Archbishop said that this event of the blessings of the Readers gives him hope. “These young men give me hope,” he said and requested from mothers, grandmothers and family to encourage their children, their young men, to become priests. “Give the most successful, the best, the most brilliant minds to the Church,” he urged them.

His Eminence praised Fr. Elias Nicholas, the pastor of the community, and said that the priest is the reference point for every community… without a good priest who sacrifices from his own, the community cannot see success and prosperity. He also expressed congratulations and gratitude to the Parish Council, its President Steve Ramerini, and the ladies of the Philoptochos Society for their hard work for their Church, their fellow congregants and fellow human beings.

After the Liturgy, the Archbishop visited and venerated the Grotto-Shrine of the Holy Water fountain of Saint Paraskevi located next to the church. This fountain and Shrine is a replica of the miraculous holy spring of St. Paraskevi in Therapia, Turkey.

The community of Saint Paraskevi hosted a luncheon in honor of Archbishop Elpidophoros and his first visit, at the nearby Larkfield Manor, with the proceeds benefiting the rebuilding fund of Saint Nicholas Shrine in the World Trade Center. The Archbishop was pleased and impressed by the presentations of young students and the St. Paraskevi GOYA Hellenic Dancers who performed traditional folk dances.

Source: GOARCH

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ANAGNOS, TONY
FOND DU LAC, WI (from the Fond du Lac Reporter, published on Jul. 13) – Tony G. Agnos, 90, of Fond du Lac, died Friday, July 12 at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Neenah. He was born May 5, 1929 in Kalamata, Messinia, Greece, the son of George and Aspasia (Bersi) Anagnostopoulos. Tony moved to the U.S. in 1967 and years later became a legal citizen. He was a member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Fond du Lac and the chanter of the church for 52 years. He started chanting when he was 14 years old and loved to sing Greek folk songs and play violin. Tony had a great sense of humor and loved to joke around. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Demetra Agnos of Fond du Lac; niece, Aspasia Agnos of Fond du Lac; nephew, George (Joanna) Agnos of Appleton and their children, Demetra, Michael, and Nicholas; and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Mike Agnos. The visitation and Trisagion Service was held at Uecker-Witt Funeral Home and the funeral service was held at 11 AM on Thursday, July 18 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. Burial followed in Rienzi Cemetery. Guestbook and tribute wall may be found by visiting ueckerwitt.com.

GOUNARIS, STYLIANI
ROCKAWAY, NJ (from the Daily Record, published on Jul. 17) – Styliani “Stella” Gounaris died on Monday, July 15 at her home. She was 81. Born in Alexandria, Egypt, she lived in Cyprus, Greece, and in Astoria, NY before moving to Rockaway Twp. 45 ago. Mrs. Gounaris was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She worked as a seamstress at Gotthelf Knitting Mills, Boonton prior to her retirement. She was a member of St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church in Randolph and the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, Chapter #1024. She is survived by her loving husband of 51 years, John Gounaris; two children: Jason Gounaris and Rebecca (& Paul) Turner all of Wharton; and three granddaughters: Melina, Zoe, and Sophia Turner. Visitation hours were held at the Whitham-Kanapaux Funeral Home and the funeral was held on July 19 at the St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church of Randolph. Interment followed at Locust Hill Cemetery in Dover. For those who wish, donations may be made to: Alzheimer’s Association. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. Condolence messages may be sent to: RockawayFuneral.com.

KARVOUNIARI, ANNA
TAMPA, FL (from the Tampa Bay Times, published on Jul. 11) – Anna Karvouniari, 92, died July 5. She was a faithful member of St. John Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa, FL. Anna was born in Gastouni, Ilias, Greece in 1927. She is pre-deceased by her sister, Olga Spathi; brothers, Phillip Spathis, Trifonas Spathis and Gerasimos Spathis; and by daughter, Athanasia Keenan. She is survived by son, Georgos Karvouniaris (Evgenia); daughter, Maria Speegle (Gary); granddaughters, Anna Karvouniari and Simela Townsend (Joseph); grandsons, Dimitris Karvouniaris (Marigianna), Joseph Keenan, Diamond Papadopoulos, Kuriakos Papadopoulos (Ludmila), and Dimitrios Papadopoulos; and great-granddaughter, Anastasia Maria Papadopoulos. A visitation was held at St. John Greek Orthodox Church on July 16 where the funeral service followed.

KATSIS, MIHAIL
MARLBOROUGH, MA (from the MetroWest Daily News, published on Jul. 16) – Mihail (Mike) Katsis, 80, died peacefully Sunday evening July 14 surrounded by his family. He was the husband of Petroula Pat (Kolovou) Katsis to whom he was married for 56 years. He was born in Agios Petros, Greece, the son of the late John and Katarina (Migga) Katsis and moved to Marlborough in 1976. Mike served in the Hellenic Army in Greece before moving to the United States in 1968 with his wife and two young children. He worked hard all of his life to fulfill his American Dream owning and operating two successful restaurants. Many will remember him fondly from days operating Post Road Pizza in Marlborough and Mikes Restaurant in Bolton. Above all else Mike loved his family. Besides his wife he is survived by one son, Peter Katsis, and his wife Amy of Marlborough, four grandchildren; Katie, Anna, Michael and Petroula, one brother, George, and his wife Francine of South Windsor CT, three sisters; Georgia, Petroula, and Tasia, all of Athens, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a son John who died in 2015 and three siblings Henre, Peter, and Marina. His funeral was held at the Saints Anargyroi Greek Orthodox Church in Marlborough. Burial followed in Evergreen Cemetery in Marlborough. Memorial contributions can be made to the Saint Judes, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105.

KITCOFF, NICOLA
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (from The Indianapolis Star, published on Jul. 18) – Nicola Kitcoff, 92, of Indianapolis, passed away July 16. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 24, 1926 to the late John and Eleni Kitcoff of Edessa, Greece. Nicola spent most of his youth in Edessa and enjoyed traveling back and forth throughout his life. In 1944 he was drafted into the United States Army and served as a Private First Class during the Korean War, where he was severely injured from a grenade explosion and spent 13 months fighting for his life and recovering in the hospital. He earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal. He was a hero. Upon returning to the U.S., Nicola worked as a rail car mechanic with the B&O Railroad in Indianapolis for 36 years before retiring in 1986. Nicola would entertain anyone who listened with stories of the pranks and lighthearted mischief caused by himself and his co-workers. He had a wicked sense of humor that, even at 92 years old, never faded. He met the love of his life, Helen, in Edessa, Greece at age 28. They married on September 20, 1954 in Edessa and later welcomed their three children, Mary, George, and Joanne. Their union was filled with adventure, laughter, and wonderful family memories for 38 years before Helen passed away in 1993. Nicola showed undying love and devotion to her until his last days on earth, and dreamed of meeting her again one day. In addition to his parents and wife, Nicola is preceded in death by his brother, Chris Kitcoff, and sisters, Angeline Yeftich and Dora Vanoff. He is survived by his brother, Anastas Kitcoff and his 3 children, Mary Shelton, George Kitcoff, and Joanne Kouris, daughter-in law Julie Kitcoff, and sons-in-law Les Acree and Bruce Shelton. Additionally, he leaves behind 8 grandchildren, Nicole Wittlief, Matthew Shelton (Catherine), Mackenzie Porter (Paul), Alexandra Fisher (John), Nicholas Kitcoff (Samantha), Hayley Shelton (Maxwell), Grant Kitcoff (Dani), Daniel Acree, and 4 great-grandchildren, Nienna, Maxwell, Eliana, and Chloe. Nicola was a member of the Greek Orthodox Church and enjoyed gardening, traveling, and watching country Western movies. He was always up for a game of poker and had the meanest hand at Euchre you’d ever seen. He never turned down a glass of Metaxa or retsina. He loved bonfires, weenie roasts, and looked forward to the annual family Halloween party every year. Most of all, Nicola’s biggest joy in life was spending time with his family. Whether it was a cookout, family vacation to Florida, or cousins sleepover, he was happiest surrounded by those he loved, and it was mutual. His family loved and adored him beyond measure. He fought hard to stay with them in the end, and he was the bravest, strongest man they ever knew. Services were held on Friday, July 19 at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Carmel, Indiana and was laid to rest at Crown Hill Cemetery with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, donations can be to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Carmel.

KRIAL, NICHOLAS
ABERDEEN, MD (from the Baltimore Sun, published on Jul. 3) – Nicholas Pierros Krial, 92, of Aberdeen, MD, died June 26 at home surrounded by family. He was born December 25, 1926, in Areopolis, Laconia, Greece, a son of Pierros and Penelope Krialis, the youngest of 14 children. Nicholas served honorably in the Greek army from 1946-1949 during the Communist insurgency and again, from 1951-1952, as part of the Greek United Nations Contingent during the Korean War. Nicholas was also an alternate distance runner on the Greek Olympic team at the Helsinki Summer Olympics in 1952. He was married to the Karolyn Skegas, in Athens, Greece, on November 28, 1957, emigrated to America and settled in Aberdeen, Maryland. Nicholas served as a physicist at both the Aberdeen Proving Ground and Edgewood Arsenal for over 40 years. Nicholas participated in the American nuclear testing program, principally in Nevada. Nicholas devoted himself to his family, friends, and the Greek and Masonic communities. In 1978, he became a Worshipful Master, the highest rank in a Masonic lodge. Over the years, Nicholas served in many positions of the Worthington Chapter #30 of AHEPA, culminating in his being both District and National AHEPAN of the Year in 2008. His favorite interest was chairing the AHEPAN scholarship fund, a fund awarding college scholarships. Karolyn preceded him in death in 2014; his brother Nikita survived him, as well as many nieces and nephews in the United States and in Greece. Services honoring his life were held at Tarring-Cargo Funeral Home, P.A. Aberdeen, MD on Saturday July 6. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the AHEPA Worthington Chapter#30 Scholarship Fund, 211 Butler Road, Reisterstown, MD 21136, www.ahepa30.org.

TSIPOUROGLOU, DESPINA
NORWALK, CT (from The Hour, published on Jul. 12) – Despina Tsipouroglou, 88, of Norwalk, passed away peacefully on July 10 at Norwalk Hospital. She was born in Spilia, Kozani, Greece and spent most of her childhood growing up in Great Barrington, Massachusetts and eventually settled in Norwalk, CT for the remainder of her life. Despina was predeceased by her parents Michael ‘Moises’ and Paresa (Dimitriadis) Kiriakedes, and her brother Anastasios ‘Andy’ Kiriakedes. ‘Dedina’ as she was nicknamed by her grandchildren, was a devoted motherly figure who provided a place of refuge, comfort, and love for all of her family. She had a passion for singing, watching soap operas, classic movies, cooking, and baking. She always kept a positive spirit through a strong religious faith and the loving bond of her family and will always be remembered as a kind and gentle soul. She is dearly missed by her son Dino Tsipouroglou, daughter Evelyn Pasiakos, four grandchildren, Yota Gemignanni, Niko Pasiakos, Michael Tsipouroglou, and Matthew Tsipouroglou. She is survived by her sister Ann Canas, and her brother Chris Kydes as well as by many cherished nieces, nephews, and other family and friends. Her funeral service was held at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Norwalk. To leave an online condolence, please visit: www.Magnerfuneralhome.com.

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NEW YORK – Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris announced on July 29 that the Governor signed his 30-day background check waiting period into law. The bill, S.2374, passed the Senate as part of an historic package of gun safety reforms.

“Common sense gun safety reform will save lives, period. Stronger background checks will keep guns away from dangerous people,” said Senate Deputy Leader Gianaris. “I am proud to have written some of America’s toughest gun safety laws and to be part of a new New York Senate which prioritizes the safety of our families and schools. I’m glad the Governor enacted this important measure.”
According to the Giffords Law Center, only Washington and New Jersey have waiting periods of up to 30 days.

Video of Senator Gianaris’ floor remarks discussing the bill is available here: https://youtu.be/TVS074qQZGU. 

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