NEW YORK – Greek-American, Emmy-award winning news anchor Ernie Anastos was honored by Mayor Bill de Blasio at a special reception on Tuesday night at Gracie Mansion. In recognition of the Fox 5 anchor’s many accomplishments, the mayor declared March 21 “Ernie Anastos Day in New York.”
“It’s absolutely amazing to be honored by the city of New York, the greatest place in the world and the people I love the most,” Anastos said in a statement to the Daily News.
The 73-year-old broadcaster is one of the most respected in the business. He joined the Fox affiliate after years with the local ABC and CBS affiliates.
Among his notable work over the years, Anastos has anchored coverage of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, traveled to Cuba to interview Fidel Castro on the 45th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution, and has interviewed world leaders including Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, and South African Bishop Desmond Tutu.
Anastos won an Emmy for His coverage of John F. Kennedy Jr.’s death in 1999 from the site of the Cape Cod plane crash earned Anastos an Emmy award.
I am thrilled to be receiving this special honor from The City of New York and @BilldeBlasio tonight at Gracie Mansion. Thank you so much! pic.twitter.com/BnhElc3mC1
— Ernie Anastos (@ErnieAnastos) March 21, 2017
“As an accomplished writer, a respected broadcast journalist and celebrated anchorman, Ernie Anastos has been a leader in the television industry for more than 40 years,” de Blasio said as reported in the Daily News.
“Throughout his impressive career, Ernie has always demonstrated an unyielding commitment to raising the standards of reporting and helped keep generations of New Yorkers well-informed. Today, we also celebrate him as a symbol of the bold and indomitable spirit of New York’s Greek American community.”
Anastos is a Hall of Fame Broadcaster and has won more than 30 Emmy awards and nominations, including “Best Newscast in New York” and the Edward R. Murrow Award for broadcast excellence. The New York Times recently described him as “the ubiquitous anchorman.”
Hosted by the Mayor and First Lady Chirlane McCray, the event also celebrated Greek heritage in honor of Greek Independence Day, March 25.
Among the guests at the event were His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, the Consul General of Greece in New York Konstantinos Koutras, Consul General of Cyprus Vasilios Philippou, Consul of Greece Manos Koubarakis, President of the Federation of Hellenic Societies Petros Galatoulas, Onassis Foundation Executive Director and Cultural Director Amalia Cosmetatou, Nicolas Bornozis- founder, President and CEO of Capital Link and his wife Olga Bornozi, businessman John Catsimatidis, Fr. George Anastasiou- pastor of the Church of the Transfiguration of Christ in Corona, Queens and a Chaplain for the NYPD, Andrew Gounardes- Counsel at the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, singer Yiannis Papastefanou, Maria and Taso Pardalis, George Zapantis, members of the Greek military, New York police and firefighters, and other members of the Greek-American community. Miss Greek Independence Julia Kokkosis was also present along with other participants in the pageant first runner-up Florence Emmanuela Dallas, second runner-up Fotini Mamos, Miss Athens Panagiota Chasen, Miss Nisyros Stella Fragioudakis, Miss Crete Irene Koutsoulidakis, and Miss Messinia Katerina Lampropoulos.
Live Greek music greeted the guests who were served hors d’oeuvres with a Greek theme, including grilled octopus, spanakopita bites, and Greek salad skewers.
Greek – American anchor Ernie Anastos honored by Mayor Bill de Blasio. Photo by Costas Bej
The post Ernie Anastos Honored by Mayor de Blasio (Video) appeared first on The National Herald.