NEW YORK (ANA) – History, identity and her own feelings about what it means to be Greek were all topics touched on in an interview with distinguished historian and academic Katherine E. Fleming, during an interview with the Athens-Macedonian New Agency (ANA) published on Monday.

A known philhellene specialising in modern Greek history, who has been given honorary Greek citizenship, Fleming noted that being Greek meant many different things to her:
“As a historian it makes me think – in the same way that history makes me think – about the changing nature of national and ethnic identities. People that were once one thing can become something else and this is a phenomenon going back thousands of years. On an emotional level, ‘to be Greek’ makes me feel a genuine pride and, above all, great gratitude to a country and a people that have given me a great deal,” she said.

Interviewed a few days before she is presented with an honorary doctorate from the University of Macedonia International and European Studies Department on Wednesday, Fleming also spoke about the new tools that historians now have at their disposal to study history, whether events commemorating the Holocaust can act as a protection against a rise in anti-Semitism and whether school history textbooks need to be rewritten so as to the “wounds” inflicted by past wars to close.

Fleming is New York University Provost and the Alexander S. Onassis Professor of Hellenic Culture and Civilization in the Department of History at NYU. She is also a director at the Remarque Institute and a permanent associate member of the faculty of the department of history of the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, where she runs a longstanding workshop on the history of the Mediterranean with the French historian of Italy, Gilles Pécout.

She specializes in the modern history of Greece and the broader Mediterranean context, with a particular focus on religious minorities and is a prolific author. Her latest book is “Greece – A Jewish History” and explores the history of Greece’s Jewish community.

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WASHINGTON, DC – The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) celebrated its 42nd anniversary with its annual Hellenic Heritage Achievement and National Public Service Awards Dinner at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC on March 12.

Three hundred guests filled the ballroom to honor four notable Greek Americans whose acceptance speeches reflected their humility and their devotion to Hellenism and excellence.

Dr. Van Coufoudakis- professor and academic leader, and Paul Glastris- journalist and publisher, received the Hellenic Heritage National Public Service Award. Coufoudakis was lauded “for his academic achievements, domestically and internationally and for his fervent advocacy the rule of law regarding U.S. relations with Greece and Cyprus.” Glastris was honored “in recognition of his enduring commitment to a free press.”

The Hellenic Heritage Achievement Award was presented to Dennis Mehiel, industrialist and social entrepreneur, “for his business, philanthropic and civic achievements,” and Dr. George Korkos, surgeon and entrepreneur, “for this lifelong commitment and leadership in medicine and activism in the Greek American community.”

Greetings were offered by AHI’s president Nick Larigakis and AHI Foundation president Constantine Galanis.

Broadcaster Larry Michael, the longtime voice of the Washington Redskins, was introduced as the Emcee by James H. Lagos, treasurer of the American Hellenic Institute Foundation. Sophia Pelekasis sang spirited renditions of the Greek and American national anthems and Father Konstantinos Pavlakos offered the benediction invocations.

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COLUMBUS – Michael N. Pontikos, born in 1933, formerly of Warren passed away Saturday, March 11, 2017 in Mount Carmel St. Ann’s in Columbus OH.

He was born the son of the late Nicholas and Helen Pontikos of Kalymnos Greece.

He came to Youngstown in 1962 then moved to Warren in 1964. He retired from National Can Corporation as a relief man after 19 years and had previously worked at Echo Lanes Bowling Alley for 15 years. He was a member of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Warren. He enjoyed fishing, soccer, flea markets, and socializing with his friends at the Mocha House.

Michael had served in the Greek Army.

He is survived by his two sons Nicholas Pontikos of Minneapolis, MN, and Phillip Pontikos of Columbus, OH. and many multigenerational nieces and nephews in Ohio, Florida, and Greece.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, two brothers John and Anthony Pontikos, and two sisters Irene Alexander and Kalliope Trikilis.

Calling hours are 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday March 15, 2017 with a 5:00 p.m. Trisagon service and Thursday from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. at the Peter Rossi & Son Memorial Chapel 1884 North Rd. N.E., Warren, Ohio 44483.

The funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday March 16, 2017 at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church with Fr. Constantine Valantasis officiating.

Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery in Warren.

Family and friends may send flowers or make a contribution to the St. Demetrios Hellenic Orthodox Church 429 High Street N.E., Warren OH. 44481.

Family and friends may visit www.peterrossiandsonfh.com to view this obituary, sign the guest book and send condolences to the Pontikos family.

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WASHINGTON – Michael Kratsios, former chief of staff at investment firm Thiel Capital, has been named as the White House’s deputy chief technology officer, TechCrunch reported Friday.

“I have a passion for technology, politics, Greece, and travel,” he says on his personal website.

Mr. Kratsios, who was awarded the Carolyn M. Picard Prize in Politics and the Hellenic Studies Senior Thesis Prize for Economics and Voting in the Third Hellenic Republic, succeeded former deputy CTO Alexander Macgillivray.

Kratsios previously worked as chief financial officer of investment management company Clarium Capital Management and as an analyst at Lyford Group International and Barclays Capital.

Michael has previously served as Chief Financial Officer of Clarium Capital Management, a global macro hedge fund, and began his career at Barclays Capital in the Investment Banking Division, as he describes himeself.

Michael graduated with high honors from Princeton University in 2008 with an AB in Politics and a concentration in American Politics. He also received certificates in Political Economy and Hellenic Studies. His research focused primarily on economic voting.

Before moving to California, Michael spent a semester in China as a Visiting Scholar at the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

Michael is extensively involved with the Foundation for Student Communication (Business Today), a nonprofit founded by Steve Forbes in 1968 and managed by Princeton undergraduates. Michael served as Editor-in-Chief of Business Today Magazine and later as President of the Foundation. He has served on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees since 2008 and currently chairs the board’s Program Committee.

Michael previously served on the Board of Directors of the International Model United Nations Association, a UN-affiliated global education non-profit. At Princeton he was a Butler College Undergraduate Fellow, volunteered as a Tiger Sports youth soccer coach, and was a member of the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad as an EMT. Michael is also a distance runner, completing his first marathon in Philadelphia in 2005 and recently participating in the 199 mile Calistoga to Santa Cruz Golden Gate Relay. Michael qualified for the Boston Marathon in Sacramento in 2013.

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By Aurelia Smeltz

It is not often that a village offers a throne for a king or a queen, but there is a legend that such an offer was made several years by inhabitants of the tiny village of Chora Sfakion in Southern Crete, and that it still stands today.

Its 265 inhabitants, more or less, are not of one voice, but more on this later. The fact is that the Royal Chair is there for the taking. All one has to do is solve the problem of “No Left Turn.”
Let us set the scene: Chora Sfakion is the capital of Sfakia, one of the most rugged landscapes on Crete, the “Great Island” of Greece. It is also an area of spectacular natural, unspoiled beauty.

The capital of this paradise is so tiny that one can walk from one end of the picturesque harbor to the other in less than five minutes. Each year, however, hundreds of thousands of tourists step on the shores of Chora Sfakion, but few of them dine at its taverns or stay in its hotels. Why have so many left their footprints, but not their euros? The problem has everything to do with the Samaria Gorge.

The Samaria Gorge is said to be the second largest gorge in Europe (the largest, at a reported 25 kilometers, is The Gorges Du Verdon in France) and is approximately 16 kilometers long. Tourists come from all over the world to hike this rough terrain with its stunning views and profusion of flora and fauna. The journey usually begins and ends in Chania. Most come by bus from Chania to Omalos, where the trek down begins.

They enter the gorge by descending wooden steps called Xyloskalo and they end the hike at the village of Agia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea. It is here that hikers board the Daskalogiannis ferry to Chora Sfakion, where buses await to take them back to Chania, a ride of less than two hours.

The buses run on a strict schedule, and must be boarded on time. Hence, when the ferry docks at Chora Sfakion, owners of the tavernas, shops, and hotels, woefully watch the parade of hundreds marching from the ferry to the small hill at the top of the pathway where the buses are parked. Few hikers, if any, turn left and march into the village.

A taverna owner told me he can no longer watch as the hikers disembark because, he wailed, “I do not see people marching away, I see euros.” I interviewed a number of residents and learned that it has been impossible to come up with a solution. The bus companies will not change their schedules and no amount of advertising has been effective in luring tourists to stay for a night or two before returning to Chania.

Not all residents want the situation to change. One elderly woman said she treasures the peace and quiet of Chora Sfakion and thinks an invasion of tourists will ruin the village. Many young people, on the other hand, say that because of Greece’s bleak economy they may have to seek employment outside the country. They would welcome the tourists and their euros so they can stay where they were born.

I have stayed in Chora Sfakion many times over a ten-year period when I was doing research for my novel, Labyrinthine Ways. I came for the solitude and the tranquility. My favorite time is the evening when I dine by the shore listening to the sound of the waves and the trilling of the cicadas. Taverna owners actually voted to have no music coming from their establishments so that all we hear is nature’s sweet sounds.

Chora Sfakion is so precious that a German photographer, Wolfgang Kistler, considers it “the hub of the universe,” and has taken thousands of photos. He seldom goes elsewhere on vacation, and has gone to Sfakia for over 30 years. Kistler has an outstanding collection of photographs at wkistler.de.

There is a nice range of accommodations, from small rooms to moderately priced hotels, to the four-star Vritomartis, a “naturist” resort. My choice is Hotel Xenia with its own private beach area, an elevator, and a dock where small boats will take you on excursions.

The owner has a grill outside where he prepares the evening meal. The food offered by almost all the restaurants is grown locally and is “farm to table.” The fish is always the fresh catch of the day. Prices, compared to what one would pay on one of the Cycladic islands, for example, are very reasonable.

Taverna Obrosgialos offers a lobster and spaghetti dinner second to none and the Lefka Ori Taverna, run by a couple and their three sons, prepares a fish soup that is worth the two and a half hour drive from Chania to Chora Sfakion.

There are number of hiking trails that begin in the village and the Lefka Ori Taverna has a list. The Imbros Gorge is nearby and ends in the village of Komitakes. It is much smaller than the Samaria and is an easier walk. This gorge has narrow passageways and is very scenic.

A lovely day can be spent taking the morning Daskalogiannis ferry to Loutro, a village where no cars are allowed, and enjoying the afternoon there. Loutro has been called “that magical place.” Or taking the ferry all the way to Agia Roumeli, where the gorge ends and simply walk around or do what I do, which is hike the gorge “the lazy way.” I walk just part way up and the few times I have done this, I saw very few people, but I saw many kri-kri, the feral goats also called “agrimi,” and found only on the island of Crete. Their coats are light brown and dark brown rings cover their necks. Shy animals, they avoid humans, but can be seen climbing cliffs that appear to be almost vertical.

Other options are to hire a small boat docked at Hotel Xenia and have the captain take you for a trip to other villages washed by the Libyan Sea. Or, simply sit at the Hotel Delfina and enjoy the splendid view of the port.

Someday someone will come up with the solution to “No Left Turn.” Perhaps it will be you. Perhaps the solution will come to you when you step foot on that magical place called Loutro. Perhaps it will be when you are walking slowly, “the lazy way,” up the Samaria Gorge, watching the kri-kri, or when you are having your evening meal by the sea . It may happen during a period of exquisite silence when you are hiking alone on a plateau and are one with nature. Your senses will be alive as never before as you surrender yourself to your pristine, unadulterated surroundings, listening to the rhythm of the waves and the calls of the cicada.

CICADAS
Many myths have been told about the cicada and the most interesting are found in ancient literature. In The Iliad, for example, it is suggested that the insects shed their skins, live underground for long periods, and are then reborn as “souls.” These spirits, it is said, were once men who have undergone the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Because of this metamorphosis, they are protected by the Muses and therefore attain a higher level of knowledge. The key word here is “knowledge.”

I relate this information because one evening I was sitting in Hotel Delfina watching the moon beams dance on the Libyan Sea when I heard a chorus of cicadas. Their trills, at first almost muted, gradually became more urgent and incessant, as though they were trying to reveal a secret. Remembering the myths about the powers of the cicadas, I listened carefully.

Suddenly, I knew how to make the left turn a reality. I knew how to make the hikers turn left and spend their euros in Chora Sfakia rather than going directly to the buses. “Why is it that no one has thought of this before,” I mused, “it is so very obvious.” I smiled, not because I was so pleased with myself, but because I was happy with the decision I had reached. I was not going to seek the crown.

When I disembark from the ferry, I will be one of the few who choose not to board the bus for the return to Chania. Instead, I will turn left and spend time and euros in the village. I will not, however, reveal the solution to the problem to anyone. Why? Because Chora Sfakion is a special place for the gods, Muses, and mortals such as I who treasure solitude.

Yes, I will take the secret with me, but I will think of it whenever I hear the cicadas sing.

The post The Legend of Chora Sfakion and the Songs of the Cicadas appeared first on The National Herald.

By Vasilis Papoutsis

Stefanos Polyzoides is an award-winning architect and urban planner who has brought an innovative approach to urban development that emphasizes mixed use sustainable structures, rehabilitation of historic buildings within transit-oriented communities.

He grew up near Plastira Square in Pagrati home to some notable citizens among them Manos Hatzidakis the Academy Award composer, Karolos Papoulias former President of Greece and Yiannis Diakogiannis an iconic sports broadcaster.

Polyzoides got his undergraduate and master’s degrees in architecture and urban planning from Princeton University and planned to return to Greece to practice architecture. At the time Greece was under a dictatorship and ”my father was in the opposition and he was afraid that I may suffer because of his believes. He told me to go back to the US and stay there for a while. So I came back to the States,” Polyzoides said.

He held the position of Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Southern California (USC) for 24 years and from 1983 through 1990 he was on the Advisory Board for the School of Architecture at Princeton University. In 1990 he established the architecture firm Moule & Polyzoides with his wife and partner Elizabeth Moule.

Their work has been published worldwide, showcased in various museums, and received a number of awards for excellence. In 1991, at the invitation of the nonprofit Local Government Commission, Polyzoides, Elizabeth, and a few other architects developed a set of community principles for land use planning called the Ahwahnee Principles.

Those became the foundation for the creation of the Congress for the New Urbanism in 1993. Today, the organization has more than 3,000 members and it is the leading international organization promoting New Urbanist principles through education, legislation, and planning. Polyzoides is now known as the ”Godfather of New Urbanism.”

To this day, the firm of Moule &Polyzoides has completed more than 300 projects and has an international reputation in producing beautiful individual buildings as well as master plans for districts, neighborhoods, towns, and cities on a human scale, walkable with open spaces, landscape, and transportation. Locally, some of the firm’s projects are the Playhouse Plaza, the Silver Spur Court, and Plaza La Reina.

The Pasadena Playhouse Plaza office building in Pasadena CA, is a mixed-use development organized around a series of courtyards and paseos in the city’s vibrant art district, while Plaza La Reina in the historic Westwood Village near UCLA is a 44-room residential hotel around a public courtyard on top of retail stores.

Silver Spur Court  is an 18-unit mixed use project whose spacious residential units averaging about 2,000 square feet and all have private patios and balconies overlooking the public courtyards. ”Every building is a contributor to the character of the street and we approach each design around that philosophy.”Images are available at mparchitects.com.

The firm also has a number of overseas projects, most notably in Dubai, Guatemala City, Panama, and Kenya, but not in Greece. ”Athens had a beautiful center prior to the 1960s, but now it needs a new approach,”said Polyzoides, who visits Greece regularly has a lot of strong opinions about the ongoing crisis and the EU. ”I am a believer of the Europe Union as a concept but the execution of it is horrible. Now we have the rich European nations against the poor ones. In order to survive as a union the countries need to develop an acute sense of solidarity with each other just as we have in the US. Otherwise it will not survive as a union and the recent Brexit could only be the start” Polyzoides said. ”Greece has been tortured for its mismanagement and thrown into an unsustainable path of austerity. Greece has effectively become a colony” he continued.

The only solution to the problem he thinks would be for Greece to ”enter a plan of reorganization similar to Chapter 11 and leave the Union as painful as that might be for a few years.” As someone who came to the US as an immigrant himself Polyzoides supports legal immigration and has empathy for the immigrants who come here or Greece but ”I am not a supporter of open borders, as massive immigration tends to change the character and culture of a country.”

After been here for so long he feels ”completely assimilated as a citizen and a professional in the United States. I have enjoyed great success and I have a great family. But in my soul I am 100% Greek, I always will be.” Polyzoides is also the author of the book Courtyard Housing in Los Angeles, a distinct architecture style with multi-family housing centered around a courtyard that is suitable to the California warm weather. He is also the co-author of The Plazas of New Mexico and the forthcoming Between House and Tower: The Architecture of Density.

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PHOENIX – What does Twitter, one of today’s biggest social media sites, have to do with ancient Greek poetry that was written more than 2,000 years ago?

The connections are broader than one might think, according to Mike Tueller, an associate professor of Greek in Arizona State University’s School of International Letters and Cultures, as Arizona State University informs.

Tueller will be exploring those connections between Twitter and short Greek poems called epigrams in his talk, “The Original Tweets: Tiny Poems of the Ancient Greeks” at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 16 on ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus.

“Twitter is a genre that is constrained by technology, very similar to epigrams,” Tueller said. “Some people look at Twitter and think, ‘How can you make any kind of social commentary in such a small space?’”

But “there’s always been brief genres and while you can’t do everything, you can do some things,” he said.

Tueller doesn’t make his jokes on Twitter, but he is a fan of the application. He also finds himself fascinated at how certain things go viral, finding that the fame that comes from that is similar to what writers sought back in the 10th century.

“What makes a tweet good? There are a number of different ways to do it, whether it’s referring to something bigger or making a joke.,” Tueller said. “Epigrams are often that way too.”

The earliest Greek epigrams were inscribed on monuments or offerings at sanctuaries. And just as comedians work today to create “memes,” riffing on top of one another to try and make better jokes, writers of these epigrams did the same thing as they attempted to make new and better meanings.

“They had to reinforce their cultural narrative,” Tueller said. “They wanted to prove how smart they were, how complex their literature was, and how amazing Greeks were.”

Tueller will spend roughly half of Thursday’s lecture talking about those epigrams and what made them special, while taking the rest of the time to explore the medium of Twitter and the connections between the two.

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By Eleni Sakellis

ASTORIA – The Federation of Dodecanese Societies USA celebrated the 69th anniversary of the unification with Greece on Sunday, March 12 at St. Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria.

The day began with the Divine Liturgy presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan of New Jersey Evangelos, a proud Kalymnian who spoke eloquently about the meaning of the day for all those from the Dodecanese and those who fought for the freedom and unification of the islands with the motherland Greece.

He noted that when his parents immigrated to the United States for a better life like so many Greeks, they also brought a piece of the Dodecanese with them, and he was raised with pride in his Greek and Dodecanese heritage.

His Eminence mentioned the many saints from the islands, including St. John the Theologian associated with Patmos, St. Savvas in Kalymnos, and St. Fanourios in Rhodes.

Metropolitan Evangelos noted the strong emotions of the day and the special nature of our islands, and that it is also a holy day and thanked God for it, quoting the words of the King of Greece at the time who said that the day of unification with Greece was paid for with many tears and much blood, and the Greek spirit is not only present in the islands, but the Dodecanese is Ellas, it was and always will be Greece.

Taking up national issues, the traditions, language, and faith in the Orthodox Church, the people of the Dodecanese even if we are far away, we can still smell the Aegean Sea, and feel the Greek sun shining on us, all this the community has bestowed on its children.

Long live Greece, and long live the islands of the Dodecanese. Metropolitan Evangelos thanked those in attendance including the Consul General of Greece in New York, Konstantinos Koutras, Consul of Greece Manos Koubarakis, Dean of St. Demetrios Cathedral Fr. Nektarios Papazafiropoulos, President of the Federation of Dodecanese Societies George Andriotis, and then led the congregation in the singing of the Greek National Anthem.

The celebration continued after the church services with a reception and presentation in the Petros G. Patrides Cultural Center of St. Demetrios. Also in attendance at the event were the Federation of Dodecanese Societies Vice President John Sakellis of Kos and his wife Nancy, St. Demetrios School Board President Nick Andriotis, and from Greece, the Mayor of Nisyros Christofis Koronaios. John Sakellis welcomed everyone to the event and asked Metropolitan Evangelos to lead the prayer to start the event.

The National Anthems of the United States and Greece were sung by talented soprano Flora Kirou.

The President of the Federation George Andriotis then spoke about the history of the Dodecanese, going back to ancient times, noting that the islands have always been a part of Greece and kept the language and traditions throughout their turbulent history.

The islands are mentioned in Homer’s Iliad as part of the Greek forces who fought against the Trojans in the Trojan War. Andriotis noted the contribution of Greek-Americans to the fight for freedom and unification with Greece from the earliest Dodecanese Society efforts in the 1910’s, 20’s, and 30’s against the Italian rule at the time and throughout World War II. The Greeks of the Diaspora have done a great deal for the Dodecanese, and though the situation is better today, there is still more help needed for our islands.

Above all, the Greek language and culture is what our ancestors fought for, he said, and what we owe them is to continue the fight.

Keynote speaker and Mayor of Nisyros Christofis Koronaios spoke in detail about the struggle for unification with Greece, noting the high literacy rate in the Dodecanese which continued to maintain the Greek language and culture throughout and in spite of occupations over the centuries. He noted that the light of culture and language remains lit by efforts of the Diaspora as well and may the islands always remain free and Greek.

Consul General of Greece Konstantinos Koutras noted that the Dodecanese are at the crossroads and bear the heavy burden of the refugee crisis, and those Greeks in the United States are uniquely positioned to help form the new administration’s foreign policy when we see an angry and threatening Turkey not only in relation to Greece but the EU as well in recent news. Greece, he noted, is holding back the gates, like the Spartans at Thermopylae. Koutras quoted Thomas Jefferson, “Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.”

The event continued with the singing of the Dodecanese anthem by Melinda Tziropoulou, a poem on the unification recited by Maria-Spiliani Karpathiou, and the poem Hymn of the Dodecanese Youth recited by Vasilis Michaelides.

The celebration concluded with traditional dances performed by dancers in the unique traditional costumes from the islands of Symi, Tilos, Kalymnos, Nisyros, and Leros. The entire Dodecanese Youth dance group then joined together to perform the final Dodecanese sousta. Many of the attendees and members of the various societies also joined the dance including John Sakellis who performed with grace and skill. The music was performed by Andreas Goustas on lyra and John Themelis on laouto.

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NEW YORK – George Athanasatos, George Rapatsouleas, and Gregory Anastasiou are members of a 12-person ring accused of stealing over $12 million in high-end Electronics & Ink Cartridges From Staples, Office Depot, BestBuy in 28 States – and reselling merchandise on Amazon and eBay marketplace.

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced on Wednesday the indictment of 12 alleged members of a massive criminal theft and fencing ring that infiltrated New York and 27 other states across the country – marking one of the largest-ever busts of a retail theft ring.

A 41-count indictment, unsealed in New York Supreme Court today, charged the 12 alleged co-conspirators with enterprise corruption, money laundering, criminal possession of stolen property and conspiracy. If convicted, each of the defendants face between 8 to 25 years behind bars.

During “Operation Sticky Fingers,” a ten-month investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force with support from the New York State Police, law enforcement seized more than 5,300 stolen electronics and ink cartridges from the enterprise’s alleged kingpin, Richard Rimbaugh; the enterprise’s alleged theft crew manager, George Athanasatos; and from various alleged members of the theft crews. In addition, investigators seized more than $7.7 million dollars from the defendants’ homes, financial institutions, and Amazon and PayPal merchant accounts.

Through electronic and physical surveillance, as well as analysis of financial records in conjunction with other investigative tools, the Attorney General’s investigation alleges that Rimbaugh has been directing theft crews and reselling stolen merchandise for over 20 years. The crews are charged with stealing millions of dollars in merchandise – including electronic goods and printer cartridges – from Staples, Office Depot, BestBuy, and other retailers across 28 states. Since 2012 alone, the ring has sold more than $12 million of stolen goods via Amazon and eBay internet marketplace.

“As we allege, this brazen ring of criminals methodically stole millions from stores across 28 states – resulting in one of the largest-ever busts of a retail theft ring,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Retail theft is becoming increasingly organized, with crime rings preying on businesses and creating a vicious cycle that ultimately harms consumers, when the costs are passed on in the form of higher prices. But these thieves are now on notice: we won’t hesitate to pursue retail theft and prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law.”

State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II said, “Through this collaborative investigation, we have uncovered a highly organized, national theft operation that was responsible for stealing millions of dollars in merchandise, victimizing both retailers and the public. I want to commend the outstanding work of the State Police Special Investigation Unit and the Attorney General’s Office for the hard work that led to the arrests in this case.”

As alleged, Rimbaugh, known to members of the enterprise as the “General”, instructed several theft crews to steal specific printer ink cartridges, computer software, and other consumer retail electronics based on his ability to resell those stolen goods on Amazon and eBay. Rimbaugh dictated the price that the theft crews would receive for the stolen merchandise, typically paying between 30-50% of the retail value. Rimbaugh then allegedly resold the stolen merchandise on the internet through his illegitimate business, American Media Soft, which he operated out of his Manhattan apartment. At this location, Rimbaugh received, sorted, catalogued, and shipped the stolen merchandise for resale. Rimbaugh also routinely met with theft crew members to pay them for the stolen merchandise; over the 20 years of the ring’s operation, he is accused of reinvesting approximately half of the proceeds into the criminal enterprise in the form of cash payments to the theft crews to pay for the merchandise they stole.

As further alleged, the investigation revealed that George Athanasatos, referred to by members of the enterprise as “Field Marshall,” reported directly to Rimbaugh and was the manager of three of the four theft crews that delivered stolen merchandise to Rimbaugh. Athanasatos allegedly managed the day-to-day operations of these three theft crews and received a percentage of the total amount of money that Rimbaugh would pay the crew for their stolen merchandise. Rimbaugh and Athanasatos dispatched the three theft crews on missions to various regions across the country and remotely managed their progress during each undertaking, which took place on a weekly basis.

In addition to advising the shoplifters, Athanasatos allegedly provided the groups with coded maps detailing target retail locations, such as Staples, Office Depot, and BestBuy. He is also accused of providing members of the theft crews with “booster” gear, such as custom-made vests known as “bazookas.” When worn underneath regular clothing, “bazookas” can conceal large amounts of merchandise while inside of the stores. When departing the stores, the crews allegedly used “kryptonite” devices to deactivate security alarms at store exits, as well as short-wave radios, which made it easier for the crews to eavesdrop on store security in order to warn one another about the presence of security or law enforcement. Multiple anti-security devices, such as “kryptonite”, Alpha Keys, and Spider Wraps, were seized from Athanasatos’ residence during the execution of a search warrant.

Rimbaugh and Athanasatos’s alleged theft crews each consisted of two or three members, who each had specified roles: “Captain,” “Lieutenant,” or “Sergeant.” The “Captain” served as the crew leader and was responsible for managing and directing the “Lieutenant” and the “Sergeant” while on a mission. The crews systematically traveled across the country, at the direction of Rimbaugh and Athanasatos, who issued credit cards to the crews to cover expenses such as flights, car rentals, and hotels.

Prosecutors allege that the crews often executed a series of retail thefts on a daily basis and then shipped the stolen merchandise to Rimbaugh at his New York City apartment, where he prepared the merchandise for sale on Amazon and eBay. In fact, when the Attorney General’s office was executing its search warrant on Rimbaugh’s home, five packages of stolen merchandise arrived.

During the course of the investigation, OCTF investigators tracked the movements of the theft crews, monitored their shipments of stolen goods to Rimbaugh, and obtained numerous surveillance videos of the theft crews while stealing merchandise from retail stores across the country.

The indictment, unsealed before New York Supreme Court Justice Maxwell Wiley, charged the following individuals with enterprise corruption and other crimes in relation to their involvement in the organized retail theft and fencing enterprise. Each defendant, if convicted, faces between 8 and 25 years in prison.

Richard Rimbaugh, a/k/a “The General,” 64, Fence of the Enterprise, New York, NY

George Athanasatos, a/k/a “The Field Marshall,” 62, Manager, Brooklyn, NY

George Rapatsouleas, a/k/a “Skipper,” a/k/a “Nipplehead,” 31, Captain, Brooklyn, NY

Krissylee Harris, a/k/a “Princess,” 35, Lieutenant, Brooklyn, NY

Nusret Srdanovic, a/k/a “Monte,” 23, Sergeant, Brooklyn, NY

Roger Ringhiser, a/k/a “Captain Rog”, 53, Captain, Long Beach, NY

Frank Albergo, 59, Lieutenant, Oviedo, FL

Kevin Cerrato, 22, Sergeant, Elmont, NY

Gregory Anastasiou, a/k/a “Captain Frank”, 38, Captain, East Stroudsburg, PA

Joseph Pooler, a/k/a “Baby Arm Johnson”, 41, Sergeant, Stroudsburg, PA

Robert Scarano, a/k/a “Reno”, 56, Captain, Las Vegas, NY

Giovanna Bonello, 28, Lieutenant, Staten Island, NY

Members of the criminal enterprise are set to be arraigned before New York Supreme Court Justice Maxwell Wiley beginning today.

This investigation also uncovered that Athanasatos was involved in an alleged welfare fraud conspiracy with Anna Candanedo, in which Athanasatos filed false documentation with the Nassau County Department of Social Services in order to facilitate Candanedo’s illicit receipt of housing benefits. Athanasatos and Candanedo were named on a separate indictment in Nassau County for charges including forgery, possession of a forged instrument, offering a false instrument for filling, falsifying business records, larceny, welfare fraud, and conspiracy to commit those crimes. If convicted, each of the defendants faces up to 21 years behind bars. The indictment, unsealed before Nassau County Supreme Court Justice David Sullivan, charged the following individuals with the aforesaid crimes, in relation to their involvement in the welfare fraud conspiracy. The defendants are set to be arraigned before Nassau County Supreme Court Justice David Sullivan beginning today.

Anna Candanedo, 32, Elmont, NY

George Athanasatos, 62, Brooklyn, NY

The investigation was directed by OCTF Investigators George Gundlach and Joe Oliver and Analyst Stephanie Tirado. They were supervised by OCTF Supervising Investigator Paul Grzegorski and Downstate OCTF Deputy Chief Christopher Vasta under the overall supervision of Investigations Bureau Chief Dominick Zarrella.

The case is being prosecuted by OCTF Assistant Deputy Attorneys General Shanon LaCorte and Brandi Kligman with the supervision of Deputy Attorney General Peri Alyse Kadanoff who runs the Organized Crime Task Force, and under the overall supervision of Executive Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice Jason Brown.

The charges against the defendants are accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

The post Three Greek-Americans Among 12-Person Theft Ring Indicted in NY (Video) appeared first on The National Herald.

By Steve Frangos

Rubble is all that marks what was once Dawson, NM. As such, there is too little there to even call it a “ghost town.” Yet, what does remain aside from the odd mound of debris is the town’s cemetery, known both as Dawson Cemetery and Evergreen Cemetery.

Two terrible events led to the cemetery, not the town, being listed in 1992 on the National Register of Historical Places. Today, the Dawson Cemetery can be found at (approximately) four miles Northwest of junction US 64 and Dawson Road. The Dawson Cemetery is as much a part of Greek-American history as it is American labor movement or the history of New Mexico.

By 1869, coal had been discovered on the land that would become Dawson. After a series of owners, the Phelps-Dodge Corporation (PD) bought the area’s mines in 1906. To its credit, PD spared no expense in their efforts to make Dawson a model mining community. In time “the company built spacious homes for its miners, supplied with water from the company’s water system. They also built a four-story brick building which housed PD’s Mercantile Department Store, which sold virtually anything the townfolk might need: food, clothing, shoes, hardware, furniture, drugs, jewelry, baked goods and ice from its own plant.

A modern hospital was built which maintained a staff of five doctors and was complete with a laboratory, surgery, and X-ray equipment. For leisure, the miners enjoyed the use of the company-built movie theater, swimming pool, bowling alley, baseball park, pool hall, golf course, lodge hall, and even an opera house. PD also supported two churches, one Catholic and one Protestant.

Children attended either the Central Elementary School in Downtown Dawson or the Douglas Elementary School on Captain Hill. A large high school building was built that eventually employed 40 teachers, and their athletic teams won many state championships. The company also built a steam-powered electric plant, which powered not only Dawson, but also the nearby towns of Walsenburg, Colorado, and Raton. Providing good-paying jobs for the residents, the extra features of the company town helped keep the employment stable, and under the new management Dawson’s population grew quickly to 3,500 (legendsofamerica.com).” All seemed well and the town grew into approximately 9,000 residents supporting ten coal mines.

Then, on October 22, 1913, an incorrectly set dynamite charge resulted in an enormous explosion in Stag Canon Mine No. 2 that set a tongue of fire one hundred feet out of the tunnel mouth. It was later determined that the explosion was caused by a dynamite charge set off while the mine was in general operation, igniting coal dust in the mine. This was in violation of mining safety laws. Rescue efforts were well-organized and exhaustive, but only a few miners could be rescued. Two hundred and sixty three died in the second-worst mining disaster in American history. Only the December 6, 1907, Monongah Mining disaster was worse. In that underground explosion, 362 workers were killed in a in a Monongah, WV mine.

Of the Dawson 1913 catastrophe worker casualties tolled, 146 were Italians, 35 Greeks, and two rescuers. Despite the fact that they were specially equipped ‘helmet-men’ outfitted with airtanks during their rescue effort James Lurdi and William Poisa inexplicably died. The 35 identified dead Greek miners were: Amargiotu, John; Anastasakis, John; Andres, John; Andres, Pavlo; Andrios, Thelfno; Anezakis, Milos; Anezakis, Stilen; Arkotas, Nick; Bouzakis, Nick; Castenagus, Magus; Colonintres, John; Cotrules, George; Cotrules, Mak; Fanarakis, Michael; Gelas, George; Iconome, Demetrius; Katis, Gust; Ladis, Vassilias; Lopakis, Magus; Magglis, Vassos; Makris, Cost; Makris, George; Michelei, Agostino; Mifinigan, Tones; Minotatis, Emm; Nicolocci, Nick; Papas, Cost; Papas, Nakis; Papas, Strat; Paperi, Mike; Parashas, Manon; Pino, Kros; Sexot, John; Stavakis, Polikronis and Vidalakis, Antonios (https://familysearch.org).

The Phelps-Dodge Corporation paid for all funeral costs for all the victims. In addition the company gave each widow $1,000 dead benefit and $200 to each child.

Given the technological advancements of the 1913-era a Pathe newsreel of the Dawson disaster toured the nation. A 17-minute silent film held by the Prelinger Archives on the Dawson disaster can be seen on YouTube. It is difficult to assess the Prelinger footage, since it seems to be the victim of an array of editorial cuttings. Sources suggest that this newsreel may in fact be a reenactment. It seems likely, then, that the helmeted mine rescue units, seen so prominently in this newsreel, arrived several days after the actual disaster (Salt Lake Tribune October 25, 1913).

Then, on February 8, 1923, yet another explosive disaster struck the Dawson mines in which 123 men died. At the time of that disaster, women who had run in 1913 to the mines to see about their husbands’ safety in 1923 ran to learn of their sons’ safety. From 1880 to 1910, mine accidents claimed thousands of fatalities all across the United States. Annual mining deaths had numbered more than 1,000 a year, during the early part of the 20th century. In addition to deaths, many thousands more miners were injured (an average of 21,351 injuries per year between 1991 and 1999). For the 1923 The Dawson Cemetery Inscriptions and Other Vital Records I can only find the following Greek individuals identified Nick Arvas; Evangelos P. Chiboukis, Evangelos P.; Scopelitis, Criss; Scopelitis; and Paul Stamos among the dead (chuckspeed.com/Dawson_Association/Dawson_Cemetery.pdf).

As anyone visiting can see, prominent in the center of the Dawson Cemetery is a large section of white trefoil crosses composed solely of the collective graves of miners killed both in 1913 and 1923. With so many miners coming from other countries, these tragedies were truly international incidents. In recognition of the importance of this overall site, the cemetery has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2013, Greeks in New Mexico observed the “100 Year Anniversary Day of Remembrance” for all who perished in the mine explosions in Dawson. A coalition from Albuquerque St George Greek Orthodox Church and St Elias the Prophet of Santa Fe held memorial services first at the individual churches and then graveside services at the Dawson Cemetery. Greek-American event organizers such as Georgia Maryol and Nicolette Psyllas-Panagopoulos sought to alert the general New Mexican public about this day of observance to much success. Other events included the October 20th commemorative observance at the Raton Museum shared by historians and miner’s descendants.

Then, in 2014, the YouTube video “The Dawson Mines – 100 Years” was aired. The focus of that documentary is on the six Greek miners who died in the tragedy who were all from the village of Volada on the island of Karpathos: Vasilios Manglis, Polihronis Stavrakis, Alex Kritikos, Costas Makris, George Makris, Vasilios Ladis. Ladis had arrived in Dawson only two weeks before the 1913 disaster. This film was produced for the Pan-Karpathian Foundation’s 2014 annual ‘Mnimosino’ memorial service.
Clearly, the Dawson Cemetery is a part of Greek-American history as well as the American labor movement. Therefore, the Dawson Cemetery historical marker must be added to the ever growing list of Greek-American monuments and historic sites.

It is exactly in this manner that we are collectively creating a Greek-American Historical Commons, one location, one person, one event at a time.

The post A Eulogy for Dawson, New Mexico appeared first on The National Herald.

By Aria Socratous

NEW YORK – A merciless sun blazes over Thebes in Eftychia Loizides’ doom-steeped production of Sophocles’ Antigone, which opened on March 9 on Theatre Row in Manhattan. The play sold out for the performances on March 10th and 11th.

The enduring power of Ancient Greek tragedies to speak to us so directly almost 2,500 years after they were written on the other side of the Atlantic is one of the great wonders of civilization. The audience gets the feeling that it’s not just the ill-fated souls of Ancient Greece that this sun looks upon. In times of rapid changes concerning the whole Greek world, Sophocles’ work is still as charming as it is difficult to study. In this play, Sophocles teaches us about what remains constant through abrupt changes (Antigone) and what has changed its essence while keeping its appearance intact.

Creon has taken the thrown of Thebes. He has ruled that Polyneices, who fought and lost the battle of Seven Against Thebes, will not be given proper burial rights. As a loyal sister in mourning, Antigone breaks against Creon to fight for her brother’s honor as moral laws state it is his right. The results rattle the entire country, leaving Creon to choose between the law of the land and the law of his conscience.

The award-winning Italian actor Francesco Andolfi, in the role of Creon, undergoes a similarly persuasive metamorphosis. With his starkly expressive face, Andolfi begins splendidly. His acting was breathtaking and full of vigor in his portrayal of Creon, especially in communicating his complex personality.

Dori Levit as Antigone is single-minded, relentless, and almost fixated by the idea of death. Antigone, aware of the law and the punishment, plans to bury her brother anyway. This action strikes her as beautiful, partly because, unafraid, she will be doing what she enthusiastically believes to be Right. But partly also because she is entranced with the notion of embracing Polyneices forever in the world of death. Levit’s approach was modest and accurate.

Flavia Sgoifo is wonderfully watchful as Antigone’s sister, Ismene. Grief-stricken at Antigone’s prospects, she pleads to share the guilt and the punishment. Turned down by Antigone, she puts to Creon a powerful argument: surely he will not execute his son’s betrothed. Her love, compassion, courage, gentleness, and poise are beautiful, but the formula that might have saved the day does not occur to her. Sgoifo approached her role with vigor, determination, and strength.

Eftychia Loizides has intelligently reimagined the traditional Greek chorus (Anna Rak, Paulo Araujo, Kelsey Riker, Julie Gaarskjaer, Dori Levit, Lorenzo Possanza, and Kelsey Riker) by dividing its lines among almost all of the performers. This lends a precise and sometimes startling individuality to what are usually collective observations. And almost every aspect of the technical production feeds a holistic vision of a world blighted by its human inhabitants, then and now.

Loizides in the role of the prophet Tiresias speaking the Greek language was astonishing and provoked audience’s enthusiasm, admiration, and stirring of emotion.

At the end of the play, the director and the cast had a discussion with the audience which showed a great interest in Ancient Greek Tragedy, Ancient Greece, Democracy and Ancient Greek writers.
Antigone’s next performance will take place at the Queens Theatre on April 9th.

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Andreas C Chrysafis is a prolific artist, a published author, and a writer of over four hundred articles. Born in the village of Agios Ambrosios, Kyrenia, Cyprus, he began painting at a young age.
Chrysafis moved to the UK at age 12 where he completed his studies at Holland Park Comprehensive in London and though he was accepted at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music, he declined to attend. A former Associate Member of the Chartered Society of Designers (ABID) by Royal Charter, Chrysafis was an architectural designer for most of his professional career.

He is a UK Patent holder, environmentalist, and an advocate for Human Rights, Equality and Rule of Law. At age 21, he married Eva and moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. A Canadian and British citizen, Chrysafis has lived in Vancouver, London, and Cyprus.

One of his paintings, entitled Karagiozis, permanently hangs at the prestigious National Cyprus Folk Art Museum in Nicosia and his “N’oublie Pas Paris” in memory of the Bataclan atrocity, is displayed at the French Embassy in Nicosia.

He now spends most of his time living in the UK and his studio in Cyprus, painting works of art, writing novels, and articles. His new Andreas C Chrysafis Coffee Table Art Catalogue will be published in April and will be available online at Amazon.com and in bookstores around the world. His new novel, Aphrodite’s Sacred Virgins will also be published soon. Among Chrysafis’ novels now available online in paperback and eBook formats, Andartes is set in 1950’s Cyprus and recounts the struggle for freedom.

Porphyra in Purple is a science fiction/fantasy epic that follows the protagonists Nikolas and Christina, assisted by angelic life forms, as they journey to reach the heavens where they witness the infinite Porphyra at the Gates of Egress by the shores of the Forgetful River.

Chrysafis’ paintings are available for sale internationally by the acclaimed Saatchi Gallery Group.

PHOTOS:

*The Line Up by Andreas C Chrysafis. This is a scene found in places least expected – in affluent cities of powerful and wealthy countries. The painting represents people of all walks of life, who unwittingly find themselves in bread lines as social outcasts and victims of circumstances. They stand with humility waiting at The Line Up for charity and handouts.

**Aphrodite Urania by Andreas C Chrysafis. The birthplace of Aphrodite (Venus) on the shore of Petra tou Romiou in Cyprus has inspired ancient and modern writers, sculptors and artists for centuries. Aphrodite Urania goddess of fertility, beauty and love portray the most beautiful woman ever born to mystify males and females alike. Her mesmerizing image is infused with the landscape where she gracefully materializes out of the land and foam of the azure sea. This painting will be used as the cover of his forthcoming novel Aphrodite’s Sacred Virgins.

The post Artwork by Andreas C Chrysafis Artist/Author/Writer appeared first on The National Herald.

By Theodore Kalmoukos

ST. LOUIS, MO – Greek-American professor Michael Cosmopoulos was inducted into prestigious European Academy of Sciences and Arts. Dr. Cosmopoulos is the Hellenic Government-Karakas Foundation Professor of Greek Studies and Professor of Archaeology at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. Two other Greek professors were also inducted: Dr. Costas Synolakis from the University of Crete, Class of Technical and Environmental Sciences and Dr. Nicholas Christoudoulou from the European University of Cyprus Class of Medicine.

Cosmopoulos studied Greek Archaeology, Ancient History, and Classical Languages at the University of Athens (BA, summa cum laude, 1981), the University of Sorbonne-Paris IV (D.E.U.G., 1983), and Washington University in St. Louis (MA 1986, PhD 1989). He also holds a Diploma in Underwater Archaeology from the Council of Europe (1984).

In an interview with The National Herald he said “election to the Academy is an honor, in the sense that it represents recognition of my work. At the same time it also carries a great deal of responsibility, as it necessitates continued and active participation in the Academy’s efforts for the advancement of interdisciplinary research.”

He knew that he had been nominated “but the criteria for election are very strict and there were not any guarantees that the outcome would be positive,” he said.

Descripting the induction, he said “the ceremony took place at the seat of the Academy, at the University of Salzburg, in Austria. Academy President [Felix Unger] introduced the new members according to the Class in which they were elected. The Academy has seven classes representing different fields: I was elected in Class I- Humanities and presented to each new member a diploma and a pin that the members of the Academy wear. The ceremony also included speeches and a concert.”

He explained what attracted him to the humanities and the Classics: “I grew up under the shadow of the Acropolis, surrounded by Greek myths and ancient Greek culture. It was not hard for me to fall in love with ancient Greece and to want to dedicate my life to its study.”

His focus nowadays is on the excavations at Iklaina, “one of the capitals of the Mycenaean world. The importance of Iklaina consists of the study of the formation of the first states in Western civilization – in fact, it appears that at Iklaina we have one of the earliest states with a two-tiered form of government, a precursor to our federal system of government.”

Speaking about similarities between the ancient Greek religion and Christianity, he said “Christian dogma was not born in a vacuum, but was to a large degree shaped by the cultural and social conditions of the last centuries before Christ and the first centuries after Christ. That was a time when Greek civilization was dominant. The Church Fathers found in Greek language and Greek philosophy the vehicle that allowed them to express the Christian truth in such a way, that it would become comprehensible by the wider population.”

Regarding the Greek Studies in the US today professor Cosmopoulos said “they are at a turning point. With each passing generation the Greek element in America is in increasing danger or losing its identity and it falls on academic programs in Greek studies to preserve this identity. The challenge for us academics is to avoid introversion and to reach out to the wider public, in order to showcase the importance and relevance of Greek culture for modern American life”.

He said that there is interest by the Greek-American and also the American students and added that “at the University of Missouri St. Louis the interest is stronger by Americans who are not of Greek descent. This is good, as it allows us to create a new generation of philhellenes who are passionate about Greece. It is truly moving to hear students who return from our programs in Greece say that they don’t just miss Greece, but that they feel “homesick” for Greece.”

Professor Cosmopoulos also said that “unfortunately we live in an era in which the humanities are under attack. There is a general mentality that universities should focus on technical skills, because these skills will allow young people to find jobs. To me, this mentality is off-base: the fast pace at which technology develops means that the technical skills acquired today will be obsolete tomorrow. In other words, the skills that we teach our youth will be useless within a short amount of time. In the long term this will push our students to marginalization and unemployment. The real skill they need is the ability to adapt to new situations, to apply critical thinking, to develop their creativity, to pursue life-long learning, and to develop persistence and grit in order to overcome the difficulties that life will throw at them. These are the skills that really matter and these skills can only be taught in strong liberal arts programs, with a very strong Greek component.”

Asked what Hellenism is for you, Cosmopoulos replied “it is a way of life and a philosophy of life, centered on humanity. Hellenism has shaped modern society and we find its impact everywhere, from science and medicine to politics and sports. As someone has said, we live and breathe Greece every day! For me, however, the true contribution of Hellenism is humanity: the understanding of human nature and the awareness of our character and personality, as well as of the greater forces that affect our lives. Especially in modern society it is vital that we develop our humanity to keep pace with the speed of our technological progress.”

Regarding Greece’s crisis, is it solely economic, or are there other dimensions? “Please allow me to return to the notion of humanity. I think that the economic and political crisis that has hit Greece is the result of a deeper crisis in ideas and values. Simply put, I think that we are following the wrong path, carried away by the excessive desire for material goods and the loss of those values that bring true happiness.”

He thinks that the Greek-American Community “is doing well from the material point of view. From the point of view of Greek identity we need to be vigilant so that we will be able to safeguard and bequeath this identity to our children.”

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YONKERS, NY – Abdel Khatib may not have envisioned owning a Greek restaurant in Yonkers when he arrived in the United States from Jordan, but he seized opportunities as they came his way, The Journal News reports.

“I learned from the Greeks when I came in 1978,” said Khatib, owner of The Greek Spot at 634 McLean Ave. “When I went to Florida I opened with Greek partners, that’s why I know all the Greek food.”

Khatib, 60, of Woodland Park, New Jersey, bought The Greek Spot in July. He said it’s not unheard of for a Jordanian to cook moussaka, gyros or souvlaki.

“It’s Mediterranean food,” Khatib said.

Location: 634 McLean Ave., Yonkers.

Read more here.

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Family. Friends. Sleep. Time to play.

For many people, these are the fundamental joys of life. But if you dream of being a entrepreneur, get ready to sacrifice them all.

That’s according to self-made millionaire Marcus Lemonis, a self-made millionaire and the star of CNBC‘s “The Partner.”

“When people are worried they will burn out, about their work life balance, about quality of life, I am like, ‘Okay, then go work somewhere and have a 9-to-5,'” says Lemonis, who was speaking at the SXSW Festivals and Conferences in Austin, Texas, on Saturday.

“The thing this country and maybe other countries don’t understand enough about the small business entrepreneur is that you are not just risking your money. You essentially make sacrifices. You lose relationships, spouses, you get divorced. Your relationships with your kids aren’t what they should be. Your relationship with your faith aren’t necessarily what they should be. Your relationship with your neighbors aren’t what they could or should be,” says Lemonis.

Lemonis was born in war-torn Beirut, Lebanon in 1973; and, at nine months old, was adopted by a Lebanese and Greek couple living in Miami, FL.

As a young child, he was exposed to positive and prosperous business values at his family-owned Anthony Abraham Chevrolet. His entrepreneurial spirit bloomed at age 12, when he started a lawn mowing service in order to generate money to open a candy business. He graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in Miami and moved to Milwaukee, WI to attend Marquette University, where he studied, Political Science, Criminology and Economics.

Lemonis held several automotive sales and managerial roles, but it was a conversation with family friend and former Chrysler CEO, Lee Iacocca, who advised him to get into the camping and RV business, which put him on the path to eventual chairmanship at America’s #1 source for RV’s, camping accessories, RV maintenance and repair, Camping World and Good Sam.

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To the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in the tri-state area

Beloved Omogeneia,

In the joy and fellowship of our celebration of the Feast of the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day, we will gather this year on March 26^th for our annual Parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City.  I invite all of our parishes in the region to join with us as we honor our legacy of freedom as Greeks and as Americans, and we offer a witness of the heroism and sacrifice of those who engaged in the struggle for liberty.

As Orthodox Christians we will celebrate the amazing revelation of God’s grace in the annunciation by the Archangel to the Virgin Mary.   The power of the grace of God is also connected to our observance of Greek Independence Day.  Emboldened by their faith in God, inspired by the hope of liberty, and in honor of the many who had endured oppression for centuries, our forbearers sought strength to pursue freedom, beginning their struggle for independence on the Feast of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary in 1821.  These valiant people longed for the day when they could live freely, worship openly, and decide the order and direction of their communities as a Greek nation.

Our Greek Independence Day Parade on March 26^th and the numerous parades and observances in our parishes and communities will affirm God’s invincible power and unfailing support.  It will be recognized in our reflection on those events that gave us freedom.  We will be inspired by God’s presence to offer a witness of the liberty and life we have in Christ.  May His blessings be upon our parade, our fellowship, and our commemoration of Greek Independence Day.  God willing, I will meet all of you at the parade.

With paternal love in Christ,

†DEMETRIOS

Archbishop of America

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By Stephanie Nikolopoulos

“I came to the conclusion that real spirituality was found outside of the Church – that was my prejudice,” Dr. Kyriacos Markides confessed in his Lenten lecture My Personal Discovery of Orthodoxy on March 1 at the Archdiocesan Cathedral in New York. Through stories of sojourns and miraculous healings, he then went on to show why he changed from an agnostic student to a professor of sociology and practicing Christian.

Greek Orthodoxy was part of the Cyprus-born Markides’ “cultural upbringing,” he said. When he came to the United States 1960, his plan was to earn a business degree and then return to Cyprus. However, being in the United States during the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the assassination of JFK, he discovered: “there were certain things business could not answer for me.”

Turning to sociology, he found that the great thinkers lauded by academia – such as Nietzsche and Freud – tried to debunk God. This relativism challenged him “to the core.” Markides realized: “You take God out, and anything goes. It’s kind of a nihilistic view.” Even so, he said: “By the time I got my degree I was a reluctant agnostic.”

“What rescued me, I believe, from agnosticism was something that happened to me as a graduate student.” The professor had him write a paper on a lesser-known philosopher who posited that secularism had reached its zenith and that culture was now moving back toward faith. Markides then began studying Eastern religions after a professor taught him to meditate. Finally, a friend who was taking a sabbatical on Mount Athos – the “Holy Mountain” that is home to twenty Eastern Orthodox monasteries – invited him to join him. “I thank my wife for urging me, ‘Why don’t you go and see what is happening there?’” There, his faith was reawakened.

“As we were going on the boat and passing one monastery after the other, I had the impression I was going back in time.” The first monk he met was Father Maximos, who helped guide him on his spiritual journey into mystical spirituality and introduced him to an elder who had the spiritual gift of performing miraculous healings. Markides recounts the story in his books Riding with the Lion and The Mountain of Silence.

When Markides began speaking about the work of the mystic and psychic Daskalos, the audience at the Cathedral peppered him with questions about how closely he aligned with Daskalos’ untraditional beliefs – particularly when the professor cited a statistic that 25% of Christians believe in reincarnation. (A 2009 survey published by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life puts the number slightly lower at 22% for American Christians.) Markides refused to answer whether he believed in reincarnation – the Bible does not teach reincarnation – but did say: “A lot of Christians believe so strongly in hell that they forget paradise.”

“It’s academically legitimate to be a Buddhist,” Markides said, suggesting the same has not been true for Christians, but that that might be changing. Francis Collins (The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief) and Eben Alexander (Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife) were mentioned as leading scientists looking toward faith. Markides posited: “In my way of thinking science today accepts things that are extremely miraculous.”

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The Indiana State Senate Judiciary Committee has recently adopted SR2, a religious freedom resolution in support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Once the resolution has been adopted by the Indiana State Senate, then 55 such resolutions will have been adopted by 45 states. Indiana has yet to join this group, in part because the state is divided between the jurisdictions of the Metropolis of Chicago and Metropolis of Detroit. Their Eminences Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago and Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit have been working together to see Indiana become the 45th state to pass this important resolution.

The resolution calls on the Turkish government to respect the religious freedoms and rights of the minority Greek Orthodox Church in the predominantly Muslim nation following decades of legal disputes, confiscation of properties, and the closing of the only seminary serving Orthodox Christians in Turkey in 1971.

Under the guidance of His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, chancellor of the Metropolis of Chicago and Fr. Dean Hountalas, chancellor of the Metropolis of Detroit, Archon Regional Commanders Gus M. Pablecas, John G. Manos, and Lazaros Kircos joined numerous Greek Orthodox clergy and parishioners in testifying before the Indiana State Senate Judiciary Committee. These members included Archon Chris Rongos, along with Fr. Hountalas, Fr. William Bartz, Fr. Lucas Christensen, Fr. Andrew Walsh, and John Ackerman.

The legislative effort was led by Indiana State Senator Lonnie Randolph and State Representative Bob Morris, who also committed to moving the resolution through the Indiana House of Representatives soon.

In 2006, the National Council of the Order of Saint Andrew initiated the Religious Freedom Resolution project. The goal of this project, which represents one component of the overall, multi-faceted Religious Freedom Initiative, is the adoption of Religious Freedom Resolutions in support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in each individual state within the United States. The project has been overseen nationally by Archon Stephen Georgeson.

The five other States which have not passed a Religious Freedom Resolution include: Montana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Maryland and Hawaii. To learn more, visit: archons.org/resolutions

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LONDON – Prisoners at three jails in UK have trialed out a radical language improvement scheme
Inmates, including those serving life sentences, were taught Latin and Greek, Daily Mail reports.

The lessons aimed at helping inmates gain a better understanding of English.

The programme, which is already used in schools, helps those with low reading ability to decode words by breaking them down into their Latin and Greek components.

Researcher Ellie Mulcahy, from the think-tank LKMco, who measured the effectiveness of the system, said: ‘The offenders found the Latin and Greek new and exciting and enjoyed the intellectual challenge.

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As Greece prepares to observe 196 years of independence later this month, the Town of Hempstead is getting ready to host its first ever Greek American Heritage Ceremony.

Supervisor Anthony J. Santino invites the community to the celebration of Greek American culture on Wednesday, March 22^nd at 7 p.m. at Hempstead Town Hall’s Nathan L. H. Bennett Pavilion (One Washington Street, Hempstead).

“Hempstead Town is near the epicenter of the New York Metropolitan area, which is home to the largest population of Americans with Greek ancestry,” Santino said. “While Greece celebrates its Independence Day on March 25^th, we’re proud to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Greek Americans in America’s largest township on March 22^nd at Town Hall.”

The exciting cultural program will feature traditional dances, a keynote speaker and the presentation of six Greek American heritage awards. This year’s honorees include: Nick Boultadakis, owner of the Sand Castle in Franklin Square; Harry Demiris, Jr. Esq., attorney and distinguished past president of the East Meadow Kiwanis Club; Father Nikiforos Fakinos of Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church of Merrick; Despina Forakis, a math teacher at Roosevelt High School; Gus Potaris, owner of Pop’s Seafood Shack of Island Park and Chris Stefanakos, owner of Stefan’s Florist in Lawrence. Fr. Fakinos is also the keynote speaker of the evening’s program.

Entertainment will be provided by St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church.  All attendees can enjoy free Greek specialties and refreshments, donated by the Empress Diner of East Meadow.

“In recognition of Greek Heritage Month in March and the upcoming Greek Independence day, I encourage neighbors to join us for this free, fun event on March 22^nd at Town Hall,” Santino said. “I look forward to celebrating Greek American culture and honoring six fine individuals from the Town of Hempstead with our first Greek American Heritage Awards.”

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