30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Built in 1989, this four-bedroom, six-bathroom home sits atop more than 15,600 square feet of property at 30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill, and is priced at $2,999,999, according to the listing on SILive.com.

The listing on Staten Island Multiple Listing Service at SIBOR.com states that the home is located in 'The Enclave - a sanctuary of only 10 luxurious homes in an exclusive and serene setting."

Features include a two-story dual staircase foyer and a newly renovated custom kitchen, as listed.

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

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With the housing industry one of the hardest-hit commercial sectors during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Staten Island Realtors have developed a virtual home showing and open house process to assist home buyers and sellers.

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is thelisting agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is thelisting agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is thel isting agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

30 Howard Circle, Grymes Hill

Paul Dapolito, United National Realty is the listing agent. (Courtesy Staten Island Board of Realtors)

Original post:

Staten Island Home of the Week: Privately-gated community with panoramic views, $3M - SILive.com

A Malaysian company that won a permit to clear tropical rainforest on Manus Island has been accused of failing to deliver on its promises to the local community, while reaping millions of dollars in profits from the logging of valuable hardwood timber.

According to licensing documents, the company, Maxland Ltd, secured a permit to clear land in the south of Papua New Guineas Manus Island in order to plant between three and five million rubber trees as part of the Pohowa Project. The projects stated aim in documents was to benefit smallholder rubber farmers [and] the surrounding communities.

However, according to a new report produced by Global Witness, two years into the five-year contract, not a single rubber tree had been planted, but there was evidence that valuable hardwood timber had been felled by the company and was being exported.

When Global Witness visited the project site in October 2019 they found that no rubber seedlings had been planted. However, Global Witness did observe a few thousand rubber seedlings on the far side of Manus Island.

The report cites emails from Josephine Kenni, the head of Papua New Guineas National Rubber Board, who said that since Global Witnesss visit some of the few thousand seedlings had been planted and 60,000 more were expected to arrive from Malaysia by late 2020.

But a local villager, Eddie Kalai, contacted by Global Witness after Kennis email was received, reported that no rubber had yet been planted at the project site.

The fact none have been planted is a pretty serious failing on the companys part, said Lela Stanley, forest investigator for Global Witness. They are more than a million seedlings behind at this point and theres no indication that theyre catching up.

What we see instead is very significant logging, said Stanley.

The Global Witness report cited extensive infrastructure [that] has arisen to support Maxlands logging operations, including a wharf so barges can transport logs to cargo vessels, a large logging camp with housing for staff and its own garage and petrol station to serve the companys fleet of trucks, as well as evidence of logging, including skidding tracks left by logs hauled from the forest.

The report estimated that more than 18,000 cubic metres of timber had been cleared, valued at 6.36m kina (AU$2.8m). As of October 2019, the company had declared log exports from the project worth about AU$2.8m.

Maxland Ltd has an address listed in Papua New Guinea. However, the Global Witness report reveals the company is linked to Joinland Group, a Malaysian conglomerate with a history of logging projects in PNG.

In documents filed with PNGs Investment Promotion Authority, seen by the Guardian, Joinland Group listed the Pohowa project as one of Joinlands operating locations and multiple people involved with the project confirmed Joinland was the mother company of Maxland.

Joinland was contracted to clear land on the island of New Hanover in New Ireland province in 2007 and establish a rubber plantation. An investigation by Global Witness found that despite its promises, no rubber was exported from this operation. A local activist told Global Witness the Hanover project was chaos, leading to the pollution of the local river system.

No one really cared if the rubber trees would grow, it was the logs they wanted, local activist John Aini told Global Witness.

This is the companys track record that we can point to, said Stanley. I hope thats not what is in store for Manus, but we worry that something similar is on the cards.

The Guardian attempted to contact Thomas Hah, the founder of Joinland Group, for comment. He did not respond before publication, but did respond to Global Witness denying all accusations about his company contained in their report.

For your information, all our projects in Papua New Guinea are granted by the National Forest Authority and proper[ly] monitored by the government, he said in an email to Global Witness.

Link:

Hardwood logging on Manus Island has not delivered promised local benefits, report finds - The Guardian

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An additional 83 Staten Islanders tested positive and 11 more people died of coronavirus (COVID-19) from Thursday to Friday, according to the latest city statistics.

A total of 12,535 Staten Islanders have suffered from confirmed cases of COVID-19 from the start of the pandemic through Friday. Thursdays total was 12,452, according to the most recent numbers released by the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Citywide, there have been a total of 177,481 cases of COVID-19, according to Fridays statistics.

As the least populated borough, Staten Island makes up seven percent of the COVID-19 cases citywide. Our borough falls far behind Queens at 31 percent, Brooklyn at 27 percent, Bronx at 23 percent and Manhattan at 12 percent, as of Fridays statistics.

However, Staten Island is second behind the Bronx in the number of positive cases per 100,000 people.

The number of Staten Islanders who have died from the coronavirus is 852 as of Friday. Staten Islands fatality total was 841 on Thursday.

The death toll as of Friday evening includes 688 people who had a positive COVID-19 laboratory test and 164 people with death certificates that list COVID-19 or its equivalent as the cause of their demise, although they did not have a positive laboratory test for the coronavirus.

Citywide, 19,809 people have died of the coronavirus, with the number of confirmed deaths set at 14,482, while probable deaths total 5,313, as of Saturday.

Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) in West Brighton has had a total of 223 deaths related to COVID-19 as of Saturday, said Alex Lutz, a spokesman for the medical facility in West Brighton.

Staten Island University Hospital did not provide its total death toll as of Saturday.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK***

RUMC has 60 admitted COVID-19 positive individuals, with 34 of those in-patients being treated in the Intensive Care Unit on Saturday. During the pandemic, RUMC has discharged 407 COVID-19 patients, including eight in the past 24 hours, Lutz said.

Staten Island University Hospital has 128 COVID-19 positive patients at the Ocean Breeze campus and 20 COVID-19 positive patients at the Princes Bay site, said spokeswoman Jillian M. OHara

A total of 1,669 patients with COVID-19 have been treated and released from Staten Island University Hospital.

Hospitalizations citywide during the pandemic are 44,256 as of Friday.

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Coronavirus claims 11 more Staten Islanders; more than 2K released from Island hospitals - SILive.com

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas In times of financial crisis, the housing market is an indicator of how the economy is fairing from a consumer perspective.

One of the first things sold is property, explained RE/MAX Elite Realtor Gayle Hood.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, properties were being sold at a higher rate and realtors were closing deals at market price or better on South Padre Island.

We dont get hit as hard for those desperate sellers as other areas do, said Hood.

South Padre Island has a unique market because the southernmost region of Texas and surrounding cities are considered low income, according to US Census data.

Neighboring city Port Isabel has an average of 32% of persons living in poverty.

Property on South Padre Island is predominately a second home or rental, according to Hood, but those on the market saw a drop in potential buyers amid COVID-19.

When this happened everything shut down and nobody could get to the island, there was a month that we had virtually no showings, no one could even get here.

As Texas Governor Greg Abbott has lifted travel restrictions, beaches have since reopened and consumer confidence is growing in the housing market, Hood has taken more calls and expects properties to be sold at higher market value as demand grows.

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South Padre Island properties unphased by COVID-19 housing market, realtor explains - KGBT-TV

Malin Andersson has opened up about recovering from being in an abusive relationship.

The Love Island, 27, star admitted she felt "shame" for staying with her ex boyfriend after he was physically violent.

She told OK! magazine : "All of this gave me feelings of helplessness, anxiety, depression, shame and worry."

"He'd beat me up and the next day I'd forget it because I wanted to be with him," Malin added.

Malin was speaking to the publication as part of its Closet Clear Out Campaign, which encourages readers to clear out their wardrobe and donate to domestic abuse charity Refuge.

Refuge has reported a 50 per cent inrease in calls to its helpline and online requests for help have increased by 400 per cent since the coronavirus lockdown began.

Malin admitted she is still feeling the psychological effects of the abuse she suffered.

"The psychological impact is horrible. There are triggers to this day." she added.

Malin continued: "I think the emotional damage can actually be worse than the physical.

"I get flashbacks, I have post-traumatic stress disorder, I hear noises at night and still call friends to stay over because I hate being alone.

"I retrace memories constantly of different scenarios where beatings took place."

Malin shot to fame when she starred in the second series of Love Island, which aired in 2016.

She has opened up about her struggles with her mental health after the tragic death of her daughter Consy last year.

Consy was born premature with a heart condition and lived for just one month.

If youre in need of help, dont suffer in silence. Call the Refuge Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. Its staffed 24 hours a day, every day of the year, with a dedicated team of experts on hand to offer help and advice. If youre in immediate danger, call the police on 999. If you cant talk and are on a mobile, press 55 when prompted and youll be connected to the local police force who will help without the need for you to speak.

Continue reading here:

Love Island's Malin Andersson felt 'shame' for staying with abusive ex after he 'beat her up' - Mirror Online

Love Island could yet return to our screens in 2020 with reports circulating that the reality show could be set for an Autumn edition this year.

Last week Love Island bosses had announced that the Summer edition would not be going ahead as usual this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the new reports indicate that ITV might have found a way around it.

And the alleged plans would include a potential change of location with a chance that the usual Majorca base could be replaced by a new villa in the Canary Islands.

As reported by The Sun on Sunday, an insider said, The location is up in the air, as Majorca would maybe be a bit chilly by September/October, but the Canary Islands could be possible.

It added, Casting was well under way for the summer season and producers dont want to lose some of the gems they had hand-picked.

The winter series lacked a few standout characters, so they had been careful to find reality TV wannabes with looks as well as brains and personality.

The reports seem to contradict the announcement last week, with ITVs Director of Television Kevin Lygo and Love Island host Laura Whitmore both saying the show would return in 2021.

Lygo had said, We have tried every which way to make Love Island this summer but logistically its just not possible to produce it in a way that safeguards the wellbeing of everyone involved and that for us is the priority.

In normal circumstances we would be preparing very soon to travel out to the location in Mallorca to get the villa ready but clearly thats now out of the question.

We are very sorry for fans of the show but making it safely is our prime concern and Love Island will be back stronger than ever in 2021.

RadioTimes.com has approached ITV for comment.

If youre looking for more to watch, check out out TV guide.

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Love Island 2020 could be set for surprise return this Autumn after cancellation - RadioTimes

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The EMTs at Priority One Ambulance were adjusting to the new daily conundrum as the coronavirus (COVID-19) took over Staten Island: Do you toss or reuse that mask and gown, unsure if thered be any personal protective equipment (PPE) left at all in a few days time?

Then, a timely donation of equipment from the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation gave them some much-needed breathing room.

We were doing what we had to do at the time, said Christopher Magnus, operations manager for the Graniteville-based private ambulance company, which handles non-emergency and emergency transfers of patients between hospitals, assisted living facilities, nursing homes and medical clinics. We were always worried that we were running out.

The Tunnel to Towers delivery of face masks and other PPE couldnt have been more timely for his 90-member staff, Magnus said.

Were busier these days, and getting PPE has been rough. They do some great work, and it definitely helped us out, big time," he explained.

Magnus said he understands why hospital emergency departments are the first priority when it comes to PPE, but that does not ease the challenge of protecting his staff and patients during a pandemic.

Maybe you have a three-day supply one day, and your trying to buy it, even though the prices are inflated, he said. But they supplied us with face shields. They were great guys, very generous.

So far, the foundations COVID-19 Heroes Fund has provided 100,000 meals, and sorely-needed PPE to EMTs, ambulance workers and health-care workers, first responders and nursing home workers on Staten Island and all over the country.

In fact, the foundation will soon have delivered 3 million pieces of PPE, said Frank Siller, its chairman and CEO.

But, for Siller, that is not nearly enough. So, a new fundraising initiative is now underway.

FUNDRAISING PRINT SALE

To recognize and honor the heroism of front-line workers, the foundation has teamed up with Staten Island artist Scott LoBaido, who created Sunrise: A Tribute to First Responders, a painting depicting a firefighter, police officer, member of the military, health-care worker and an EMT -- raising a tattered American flag at sunrise, as the bottom of the flagpole jams the coronavirus into the ground.

Prints will be on sale for a limited time, from May 10 through Memorial Day, May 25, for $100, at Tunnel2Towers.org. Those who become an $11-a-month donor to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation between now and Memorial Day will receive the print for free, Siller said.

Were really, really excited about this painting, said Siller, who recently received a presidential citation from President Donald Trump for the foundations efforts aiding front-liners in the midst of the coronavirus Not only does it depict greatness and heroes, but, at the end of the day, itll raise money so we can buy even more protective gear for those on the front lines.

LoBaido, known as an at-times controversial political artist, said this painting is not political, its American. He said he was influenced by the iconic images of Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima during World War II, firefighters raising the flag at 9/11s Ground Zero and the recent flyover salutes to todays heroes performed by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds, which the artist incorporated as a last-minute touch to his work.

After I finished the painting, I went down to see the Blue Angels at the boardwalk, LoBaido recalled. Theyre flying around, paying homage and tribute. How can I not include them in the painting? Its the perfect balance.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from sales will go into the COVID-19 Heroes Fund, established in April by the foundation to assist healthcare workers battling the coronavirus pandemic. The fund has grown to over $5 million, Siller said, and the goal is to raise $10 million.

The fund had an initial $1 million set aside to provide temporary mortgage payments for families of health-care workers who lose their life to COVID-19, leaving behind young children. Currently, the foundation has assumed mortgage payments for 25 first responders and front line workers. No one on Staten Island has qualified thus far, Siller said.

The foundation was created by Siller, along with his siblings, in honor of their brother, firefighter Stephen Siller, an off-duty firefighter who died on 9/11 after running to the towers to rescue those trapped in the World Trade Center.

And though the foundations truck and three cargo vans have delivered PPE to all five boroughs of New York City and to other U.S. cities, including Chicago, Detroit, Austin, Atlanta and Washington, D.C., Siller stressed that charity begins at home.

Being a native Staten Islander, my heart is here, first and foremost, Siller said, noting that the very first deliveries of PPE went to Richmond University Medical Center and both Staten Island University Hospital campuses.

Were in a position to make sure we give back to Staten Island, he said. The community of Staten Island is second to none. Staten Islanders always step up to help someone in times of need. Were based here, and well most certainly take care of Staten Island.

The original painting, which is 5-feet-wide and 6-feet-tall, is encased in a gilded frame and will be moved and displayed from place to place, Siller and LoBaido said.

Maybe it will be put in hospitals, maybe a police station, Siller said. Eventually it will be auctioned off. Im in the business of raising money. If we dont raise it, we cant give it away.

The prints are signed by LoBaido and are 20 inches tall and 16 inches wide.

LoBaido, whose artwork has raised funds for the foundation many times before, said he considers this work his most epic painting.

He said it is fitting that the painting is being unveiled on Mothers Day, and credits his late mother, Karen, with teaching him the value of charity.

I love being able to give to my community, he said. My mom taught me that. She said to take care of the less fortunate. It was great hooking up with the Siller Foundation. Its just a great, great organization. Everybody is a gem. Everybodys heart is in the right place.

Tunnel to Towers CEO Frank Siller receives a presidential citation recently at the White House, for the foundation's efforts in aiding front liners and their families in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. (Courtesy of Tunnel to Towers)

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Tunnel to Towers Foundation working to take care of Staten Island - SILive.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The following is a roundup of obituaries published on SILive.com. Viewing times and guestbooks can be found here.

James Salvatore Adinolfi, 87, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend to everyone he met, died peacefully on May 3, 2020 at his home on Staten Island.

Richard Currie, 78 Longtime English Literature professor at CSI died on April 16th 2020 of Covid-19. Richard is survived by his wife of 33 years, Margaret, his brother, Douglas Currie and his sisters-in-law Cindy and Patricia Kiley.

Eugene Harris Sr., 79 A familiar figure in West Brighton, sincere and benevolent. He passed away April 8, 2020 in his home. He is survived by his children, Chris Harrell, Eugene Harris, Deanna Miller, Kyle Harrell, Rochelle Harris; his siblings, Ernestine Harris and David Harris, and his beloved grandchildren.

Frank L. Hernandez, 94, WW II Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient. He passed away peacefully in his home on May 1, 2020. He was the beloved husband of the late Iris; loving dad to Julie Warbrick and Lisa Hernandez; and cherished grandfather of Danielle and Matthew.

Guy A. LaVignera, 76, of Morganville, N.J., a Army veteran, former Islander, retired from banking industry He passed away Tuesday, May 5th, at Bayshore Community Hospital, Holmdel, due to complications from COVID-19. He was the loving husband of Mary (Mazzella) LaVignera.

Robert Anthony Madrid, 65, grew up on Staten Island; He died from cardiac arrest in the early hours of May 7, 2020. He was the loving son of Manuel Madrid Sr. and Lydia Herrera Madrid, and loving brother of Manny, Philip and Frank Madrid. He is survived by his nephews, Frank Jr., Ronald and Kevin Madrid and his Uncle Otilio Madrid.

Margot H. OBrien, 80, former Staten Island resident of Kerhonkson, N.Y., passed away on Saturday, May 2, 2020 at Health Alliance Hospital. She was the the widow of Thomas D. OBrien. Surviving are her son, Thomas J. OBrien of Kerhonkson and her daughter, Margot K. Higgins of Staten Island and her grandchildren, Clare and Julie Higgins.

Mary Elizabeth Sullivan, 95, beloved aunt and native Islander Mary Elizabeth Sullivan ( nee Graham ) passed away on May 3, 2020. Mary lived in Leisure Village in Lakewood, NJ. Mary was predeceased by her husband of 54 years, John A. Sullivan, and survived by many nieces and nephews and grand- nieces and nephews.

Henry Toedt, 88, was a contractor, sports fan and longtime Dongan Hills resident. A proud father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he passed away peacefully at home on May 7, 2020 surrounded by his family.

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Staten Island obituaries for May 10, 2020 - SILive.com

With travel restrictions in place worldwide, weve launched a new series The World Through a Lens in which photojournalists transport you, virtually, to some of our planets most beautiful and intriguing places. This week, Benjamin Lowy shares a collection of photographs from Easter Island.

Some 2,200 miles off the coast of Chile, Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, is among the worlds most remote inhabited islands. When I visited in 2008, it took nearly 20 hours of travel to reach its shores.

In recent years, Easter Island has drawn more than 100,000 annual visitors, most of whom are lured by its ancient monolithic statues, called moai, around 1,000 of which dot the landscape.

Much of the history of the island including that of its sculptures and the Polynesians who discovered it 1,000 years ago is shrouded in mystery. Many of the descendants of the Polynesian settlers have fallen prey to tribal fighting, European disease and the Peruvian slave trade.

Who were these ancient craftsmen, and why did they build these human figures? How did they transport massive stone figurines, some weighing nearly 14 tons? What happened to their ancient civilization? No archaeologist has been able to answer all these questions definitively.

I spent a week on Easter Island, exploring the awe-inspiring moai, whose long faces look out across the landscape. They were made in ancient quarries: gigantic factories where the stones were mined and carved. When European settlers arrived in the 18th century, there were hardly any trees; one prevailing theory suggests that they were all harvested in efforts to move the moai from the quarries to the seashore. (There are certainly other theories, too.)

Massive deforestation and the lack of trees for boat production led to a collapse of fisheries and, eventually, its theorized, to cannibalism: a gruesome end for an ancient and unique society.

The land here is lush but treeless, a fertile carpet of swaying grass covering long extinct volcanoes. Wild horses roam free, galloping along the seaside crests of rocky hills.

Though beautiful, the island faces its share of challenges. Fishermen use huge numbers of rocks to sink their nets, contributing to the erosion of the shore. Garbage is often left to wallow in giant pits away from tourists eyes. And the ocean, with its rising levels, is swallowing up the island inch by inch.

Nearly half of the islands population considers itself to be native Rapa Nui. Many islanders are mired in poverty and receive little support from the Chilean government.

The chasm between their daily experiences and those of the islands tourists many of whom withdraw to high-end secluded resorts ensconced in dense rolling valleys has led to tensions and standoffs.

Still, the moai continue to attract visitors en masse. They have long inspired outrageous tales of U.F.O.s, ancient magic and secret societies. And its easy to understand why.

As the sun set in the Southern Hemisphere, with warm golden rays burning off the moisture of the rainy season, I stood before head after massive head. Dwarfed by history, I was left to grapple with archaeological mysteries that no one can or likely ever will fully explain.

But perhaps the explanations dont matter. Perhaps here, as with the great pyramids and other ancient human endeavors, what matters is that we bask in the beauty of their mystery.

Benjamin Lowy is an American photojournalist based in New York, N.Y. You can follow his work on Instagram and Twitter.

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Reveling in the Enigmatic Beauty of Easter Island - The New York Times

Workers keep Denos Wonder Wheel going during the coronavirus outbreak, May 7, 2020. Photo: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

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With staff down to six and prospects for the summer uncertain, brothers Steve and Dennis Vourderis still happily stroll through their shuttered amusement park a few times a week to crank up their iconic Wonder Wheel.

For the first spring in a century, the 150-foot Coney Island landmark remains stripped of passenger cabins including its famed swinging cars which were removed as cold weather descended late last year.

But when the giant wheel still spins, it signals brighter hopes.

We have to run the rides every once in a while to keep everything lubricated, Dennis told THE CITY. Its good for our mental health, believe me it is.

Denos Vourderis inspects rides at Coney Islands Denos Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, May 7, 2020. Photo: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

The duo behind Denos Wonder Wheel Park are already one month into their four-month window to make money for the year. The brothers, hopeful theyll be permitted to open the gates sometime before summers end, have been making adjustments to prepare.

Theyve installed markers six feet apart near lines, added hand sanitizer throughout the park and installed Plexiglass to protect employees. Theyve also come to terms with the likelihood theyd have to operate at no more than 50% capacity, or 1,500 visitors at a time.

In a typical season, they would have not a half dozen employees, but 70 or 80. But they cant hire more until they know when and how and if they can open.

With New Yorks PAUSE order still firmly in place and Mayor Bill de Blasio saying he has no plan in motion to open beaches this summer, owners of businesses in the seaside amusement mecca fear theyll be pushed to the brink.

Some Boardwalk businesses are calling for the city to help broker a rent break from Central Amusement International, which leases much of Coneys land from the city Economic Development Corporation and subleases to a half-dozen tenants.

The Mermaid Avenue business corridor already has one of the highest storefront vacancy rates in New York City, despite draws ramging from the sideshows to the Wonder Wheel to the Cyclone.

While business owners said theyre grateful to Central Amusement for helping revitalizing the local economy, some told THE CITY a rent break may be their only path to survival if theres a summer without customers.

The owners of Rubys Bar & Grill on the Coney Island boardwalk were planning to reopen for takeout during the coronavirus outbreak, May 7, 2020. Photo: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

There are really no resources that are available to us and our business at this time, said Michael Sarrel, whose family has run Rubys Bar and Grill on the Boardwalk for nearly 50 years.

What were trying to do is see if we can get some sort of rent concession from our landlord and that remains the best possible way we can sustain the season, Sarrel said. We need a lifeboat, because right now were treading water.

The Economic Development Corporation, City Hall and Central Amusement International which also operates Luna Park didnt return requests for comment.

Sarrel said he recently got rejected by the U.S. Small Business Administrations Payroll Protection Program.

But even businesses that got PPP loans are hamstrung by the requirement to hire back staff on payroll and use most of the loan by June 30.

People enjoy a warm spring day on the Coney Island Boardwalk during the coronavirus outbreak, May 7, 2020. Photo: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

Some seasonal businesses are still forbidden to reopen. Others, including restaurants, arent attracting the crowds needed to be profitable.

It wouldve definitely gone a lot further, I think, if they let us use that money for everything they wanted us to use it for, but use it over the timeframe we wanted to, said Jim Kokotas, the owner of Toms Coney Island, a popular Boardwalk eatery. It couldve helped us get to the end of the tunnel possibly.

We have to use it up in eight weeks, but we are not going to be able to open in eight weeks, not in New York, he added. I dont think theyre going to let us open.

Councilmember Mark Treyger (D-Brooklyn) told THE CITY hes penning a letter to the Small Business Administration calling for a new loan program to be crafted for seasonal businesses across the United States.

Its critical that a future federal business relief program is customized to meet the needs of a seasonal economy, Treyger said.

The business operators who spoke to THE CITY agreed that a controlled opening of the beach could be a lifeline for them, arguing that New Yorkers will likely trespass if forbidden to enter.

Treyger said he works with City Hall every year to determine a safety plan for the Coney Island beach. But he said he hasnt heard back from the de Blasio administration this time around.

Navy veteran DaSolovo Imeen said he spends time every morning on the Coney Island beach to get some fresh air and sun. Photo: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

The only thing the mayor seems sure about is fireworks on the Fourth of July, when its the least of our concerns on Coney Island when we want to make sure our people are safe and that our small business community can survive, said Treyger. We need a plan thats workable, feasible and is supported by strong science and public health experts.

Treyger acknowledged several logistical challenges. He noted that the city Parks Department hasnt been training lifeguards, which takes about a month.

The councilmember also said the city hasnt planned for social distancing enforcement on beaches.

Workers clean supplies for the Pauls Daughter food stand at Coney Island, May 7, 2020. Photo: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

Sarrel, whose family has been operating Rubys since 1972, said theres a significant chance theyll be running a loss in 2020. But he and his family are determined to stay open and will take out a loan from their bank to stay afloat.

Rubys is part of our family, said Sarrel. So if you have a family member and they were to get sick or ill and there are things you have to do to help them, then you do it to help them because theyre your family.

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NYC's Coney Island Beach in Cyclone of Confusion for Summer - THE CITY

With the Shelter Island School closed for the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, parents are trying to keep their children up to date with their schoolwork. But unfortunately, according to the New York State School Counselor Association, four out of 10 students are not doing their home instruction.

Richard OConnell, an educator who spent many summers on the Island teaching tennis in the Heights, was inspired to write a book to help teachers and parents learn how to motivate students. His experience in counseling and helping children includes serving as district guidance coordinator, assistant principal, director of guidance and counselor in various New York and New Jersey public and private schools over a span of 40 years. For the past 11 years, hes volunteered in a minority school assisting students in the college/career admissions process.

Hes the author of two previous books. One is for school counselors, The Secrets To Being A Great School Counselor, and he co-authored In My Mind, discussing Aspergers as it operates in the mind of a young man, Shelter Island native Alex Olinkiewicz.

Mr. OConnell is especially concerned about students falling behind by neglecting their school work while sheltering at home. Many of these children are poor students to begin with, he said, and as such, their future will not be too bright.

His new book has a brain-teasing title: Ad-For Every Vice-One* Unscramble it, of course, and hes offering advice for everyone and right now, it will be most welcomed by parents.

The book contains programs, reflections and anecdotes for the sole purpose of motivating students, the author said.

The anecdotes within the book are stories, instances and advice that the reader is asked to adapt to her/his special circumstances for the purpose of getting kids involved. The programs are innovative plans of action, offered for parents or teachers to incorporate into their school or home learning setting. The reflections are personal thoughts and ruminations from his own experience.

Learning from the experience of teachers

There are more than 40 anecdotes in the book. Some are shocking; some are funny; some are very didactic; but all relate to motivating students he said.

Heres one: A youngster in middle school came to school each day with a particular, unpleasant odor coming from his person. His teacher eventually called him aside. And as he came towards the teacher the odor got worse to the point where the teacher realized it was coming from his tie. In the day when students wore ties, this young man never remade the tie and just slipped it on each day.

Upon examining it, the teacher discovered a dead mouse, lodged in the webbing of the tie. If the teacher exclaimed, Oh! My God, a mouse! it would have been a grave embarrassment for the student and his classmates. And probably, it would have given him a nickname that would follow him for years.

The teacher discreetly invited him to step outside and requested he go to the bathroom and dispose of the tie in the garbage. While shocking, and humorous, Mr. OConnell relates the story to always remember to safeguard the self-esteem of every student.

Focusing on how parents can help

In light of the academic challenges many parents now face teaching their children at home, he offers the following advice, to ask their children: Do you want to get higher academic grades? Do you want your teachers to like you? Do you want to do well on school exams? Do you want to prepare for college?

If so, there are two simple rules to follow

1. Do your home work very, very well every night.

2. Ask your teachers privately for information about anything in your home work you dont understand. Mr. OConnell pointed out that psychologically, teachers are more inclined to give higher grades to students who demonstrate greater interest in their subject.

These rules are offered to answer all the questions listed above. And teachers will know you want to do well and reward you, he said.

Follow both rules, he urges parents to remind their children, and it will ensure theyll get higher grades.

Even if parents dont follow the literal guidance above, hes encouraging them to engage their children in a conversation about their goals and working together to overcome challenges, especially with material they find difficult.

All royalties from this book will be donated to charities. Its price [$11.99] is inexpensive, Mr. OConnell said, since its message is needed more than its price. The book is available by going to the Archway publishing site (archwaypublishing.com) and clicking through to the bookstore. Its fairly easy to find, since its near the top of their best-seller list.

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Help for parents and teachers; author gives tips - Shelter Island Reporter - Shelter Island Reporter

NASSAU, BAHAMAS Island Luck CEO Sebas Bastian called on the government to make its plan for economic reopening clear and inclusive, noting the prime ministers recent comments appeared to personally target the gaming industry.

Bastian questioned the decision to keep the sector that employs more than 3,500 people closed after Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis made clear last weeks amended order did not authorize gaming houses to reopen.

He pointed to Minnis projection during his national address that the countrys unemployment would hit 30 percent in the near term.

Why the government is intent on keeping the sector closed and these Bahamians out of work is unclear, Bastian said in a statement.

What has become apparent is that there is no logic or rationale to support the governments ad hoc decision-making. Like other sectors, the gaming industry closed its doors to help mitigate the growing public health crisis, complying with all of the emergency orders announced by the competent authority.

Bastian noted Island Lucks commitment to paying the salaries of all employees, inclusive of approval to pay unemployment benefits directly to all eligible employees.

He said Island Luck has also paid the balance of any shortfall not covered by NIB unemployment benefits.

Island Luck has implemented new technology, along with our existing drive-through capabilities, physical distancing, and sanitization protocols during the shutdown, according to Bastian.

If governments core objective is to reduce the possibility of the spread of COVID-19, we have gone above and beyond to meet that objective, his statement continued.

In fact, Island Luck has one of the most efficient and well-organized curbside services in The Bahamas.

Given the Prime Ministers fingering-wagging at the gaming industry despite these measures, it can only be assumed that reducing the spread of COVID-19 is not the governments core objective. And, with liquor stores and other non-essential businesses open, we now know that the aim is not to limit so-called vices or to restrict the operation of non-essential businesses.

With unemployment set to peak at a record high, likely over 30 percent as asserted by the Prime Minister himself, one would expect some dialogue between the government and an industry that employs a significant number of Bahamians. Instead, there has been silence and the gaming industry has been assailed by this government yet again.

The gaming industry is more than willing to do its part to halt the spread of COVID-19 and help return The Bahamas to a state of normalcy.

The statement added: To avoid further confusion, the government should make clear its decision-making processes as it relates to business openings and take an inclusive approach to this decision-making by engaging industry stakeholders the same way that courtesy is extend to other industries. Regardless it leaves a glaring question are these measures Purposeful or Personal?

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Island Luck CEO: No logic or rational in govt. decision making - EyeWitness News

Danny Dyer has made his feelings about Love Island perfectly clear, describing the ITV dating show as a "pile of s**t".

The EastEnders actor appeared via video link on the series 2 premiere of Romesh Ranganathan's The Ranganation, and it wasn't long before his daughter Dani's involvement in Love Island was raised.

After explaining the premise of Netflix's Too Hot to Handle a dating show in which the contestants are not allowed to kiss or engage in coitus until they've built a meaningful relationship Romesh asked Danny if he would have preferred Dani to have gone on that show instead, since seeing his daughter get intimate on national television was one of his main concerns.

"Yeah, also, the show's a pile of s**t, Love Island," said Danny with heroic conviction. "So that was the other thing I was worried about."

Bringing attention back to Too Hot to Handle, he continued: "I don't know. I can see what they're trying to do. Sort of trying to do all this spiritual connection stuff, but I would have thought you need quite intelligent people on the show to have some sort of spiritual connection."

Absolutely obliterated.

Romesh and his other guests, including comedian Katherine Ryan, immediately burst out laughing at Danny's damning indictment, as did those watching at home.

"This was the funniest thing Ive seen on telly in a while!! Danny Dyer talks about Love Island and calls it a 'pile of s**t'," tweeted one viewer.

Another wrote: "Danny Dyer saying that Love Island is a pile of s**t made me smile this evening. Nice distraction from the pile of shit coming out of Downing Street tonight."

Check out more of the reactions below.

The Ranganation continues next Sunday (May 17) at 9.15pm on BBC2.

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Danny Dyer says Love Island is a "pile of s**t" and leaves The Ranganation viewers - digitalspy.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- While the Staten Island Zoo is closed to the public, zookeepers are looking for alternate ways for people enjoy the exotic animals that reside at the West Brighton facility.

On Tuesday, the New York Adventure Club will host a webinar with the Zoos education department staff for a virtual meet and greet with animals in their environment.

According to the club, the Staten Island Zoo is home to more than 1,100 animals, and more than 350 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates from six of the worlds seven continents.

The digital meet and greet will be with six animal guests, ranging from small mammals to reptiles. The exact animal lineup is subject to change based on animal health and well-being, according to organizers.

There will be an educational overview of each animal, including the story of how each one arrived at the Zoo. There also will be a question-and-answer session for those who tune in.

The webinar will take place from 3 to 4:30 p.m. For the best possible viewing experience, organizers suggest using the latest version of Google Chrome. Exact technical requirements and a webinar user guide will be shared via email upon registration.

A full replay will be available after the experience for all registered guests.

Admission is $10 per viewer. To register for the webinar, visit nyadventureclub.com. For more information on the Staten Island Zoo, visit StatenIslandZoo.org.

This isnt the first time New York Adventure Club and the Staten Island Zoo have joined forces to provide educational entertainment to animal lovers. The organizations previously hosted in-person events like a Behind-the-Scenes Interactive Animal Experience, allowing a group of guests to see the Zoo from the view of an employee.

Recently, the Advance/SILive.com got some face time with Pancakes, the baby sloth born at the Zoo in February. Pancakes is the third baby born to CC and Sid. She is joined by big sister, Waffles, and older brother, Dunkin.

Along with weekly educational programming, the Zoo also hosts an annual Rattlemania event, which allows guests to see alligator, gila monsters and cobra feedings with informative keeper talks.

See more here:

Staten Island Zoo to host virtual meet and greet with exotic animals: How to attend - SILive.com

A founding father of one of Europes largest artist studio complexes has expressed grief, anger and a sense of betrayal after being told he must leave the community he helped create almost half a century ago.

The contemporary artist Howard Silverman, 73, said his part in the development of Spike Island in Bristol had been his lifes work, and being given notice to vacate the studio he considered his spiritual home had devastated him.

Fellow studio holders and artists from around the world are backing Silvermans fight to overturn the decision, with some suggesting the organisation is intent on squeezing out older, established tenants in favour of younger ones.

The New York-born Silverman, regarded as a cornerstone of the Bristol art scene, said: I wake up in the morning stressed and depressed. It affects family, friends and colleagues.

Silverman, whose award-winning work includes installation, sculpture, painting, printmaking, video and digital imagery, is angry that, after spending 46 years at Spike Island and its predecessor organisation, the panel considering his bid to renew his lease had just 20 minutes to study it before debating and then making its decision.

He is also distressed that after his appeal was rejected he was served three months notice to vacate during the first days of the Covid-19 lockdown, which would have made packing up and leaving even more difficult. My studio is my spiritual home, he said. It has always been my laboratory and my launch pad. I will be lost without it.

Spike Island is the base for more than 70 artists, dozens of creative businesses and hundreds of fine art students.

It began in the 1970s as Artspace Bristol, founded by Silverman and a group of other idealistic, radical artists who sought out and administered affordable studio spaces in old industrial buildings.

In 1992, the organisation moved to its current home, a former tea-packing warehouse and rebranded as Spike Island. A trust was set up and last year introduced a system of lease reviews. Half of the six artists who have so far reapplied for their leases have been told they must leave.

The Spike Island artist Julian Claxton said the decision to evict Silverman was outrageous. He said Silverman remained a cutting edge artist but always had time to encourage and help others. Another artist aid he was the life and soul of the community, while a third said it was a mystery why he was being evicted.

Within 48 hours, more than 500 people including artists from all around the world had signed a petition protesting against the eviction.

A spokesman for Spike Island refused to speak about an individual case, but denied it was favouring younger artists. He said: The studio review process is a way to ensure that our artists studios are managed fairly. Our [studios] must be inclusive and accessible to all in order to support local artists from different backgrounds and at different career stages.

The Guardian has seen a letter dated 26 March after the coronavirus lockdown from Spike Island giving Silverman three months to leave from that day which would have involved planning the move during physical distancing. After he objected, Spike Island said the three months notice would begin after lockdown was lifted.

The spokesman said Spike Island was being incredibly flexible with artists who were being told to leave. He confirmed the review panel members were given 20 minutes to read submissions from tenants, adding: An extensive period of discussion then follows.

Read more:

Artists campaign against Bristol Spike Island eviction of Howard Silverman - The Guardian

KINGSTON The Transportation Safety Board has issued three safety concerns following a long and tumultuous investigation into a local tourism boat hitting bottom in 2017.

The safety boards report was extensive, Hugh Mackenzie, general manager of the Kingston 1,000 Islands Cruises, said, explaining that the company saw a draft report and was able to provide feedback for the final one.

The report is exhaustive and we were heavily involved with discussions back-and-forth dealing with the Transportation Safety Boards inquiries, and were satisfied with the quality of the report. Were happy there were no recommendations coming out of the report in the context of our operation, but general concern that should be addressed by the industry at large.

On Aug. 8, 2017, at about 12:45 p.m., the Island Queen III, with 290 people on board, set sail for a three-hour cruise around the Thousand Islands. As it passed Fort Henry and Deadman Bay, the ship came across a sailing school and was forced slightly more north along its intended route. As it travelled between the mainland and Whiskey Island, navigating visually only, the ship hit bottom.

A rudder was left useless and the hull of the ship was breached, causing water to rush into a compartment below the main deck. The captain turned the ship back to its port and it arrived there 30 minutes later, with the water onboard having reached 1.4 metres deep.

No one was injured during the incident, but the company called the Transportation Safety Board as required. The board started its investigation the next day.

Everything seemingly went well until the board requested a copy of the ships passenger manifest and a list of crew members on other company vessels. As reported by Postmedia Network in July 2018, Mackenzie refused to hand over the information, claiming in court documents that the TSB was using the incident to perform an intrusive audit of its operations in the Thousand Islands.

The TSB issued a legal summons for Mackenzie to hand over the documents by Nov. 8, 2017, but instead, Mackenzie filed an application to the federal government asking for it to be declared unlawful.

As legal arguments were being prepared by both parties, the board applied for, and was granted, a warrant by a justice of the peace in Ottawa to seize the documents. RCMP seized the documents on March 6, 2018, but then the board was instructed by Ontario Superior Court Justice Graeme Mew to not use them after Mackenzie went to court and asked for the seizure to be declared abuse of process.

It is a particular concern when a government agency acts to undermine a legal process that it would be expected to engage in good faith, the judge said, explaining theyd have to wait until after the Federal Court process.

Four months later, the federal court disagreed with Mackenzie and found the TSBs search, seizure and request of documents were all justified.

As reported by Postmedia, Justice James OReilly wrote in his decision that the documents and information about passengers and staff were important because they were all witnesses of the event, potentially with relevant photos or video.

OReilly said, The investigators identified some safety issues that they brought to the attention of the tour operators, noting that the TSBs mandate allowed it to address broader, systemic safety concerns.

Those three safety concerns were highlighted in a news release sent out on Thursday, though theyre also directed to Transport Canada and the passenger vessel industry as a whole.

The first concern was about the availability of life-jackets for children and infants. For a vessel like the Island Queen III, it is required to carry a life-jacket for every person on board, and a childrens life-jacket for 10 per cent of the maximum complement or one for each child on board, whichever is greater.

On the day the Island Queen III hit bottom, it had 32 children and four infants onboard, but only 31 childrens life-jackets. There are no Transport Canada requirements for infant life-jackets. The TSB wrote that, The master and crew were unaware of the number of children and infants on board, as there was no procedure in place to determine and record these numbers.

Mackenzie explained that childrens life-jackets are for individuals 45 kilograms or lighter and that they do not weigh each of their passengers. On that day, they were above Transportation Canadas requirements for adult life-jackets because they always carry the ships capacity 307 though they rarely have more than 185 guests and crew members on board.

The board wrote that it is concerned that if Transport Canada doesnt provide requirements for infant life-jackets, or documenting how many children are on board, there remains a risk.

It is a conundrum that is not unique to us. These are (Transport Canada) regulations that relate to the full passenger industry, Mackenzie said. According to the pricing of our tickets, we had a number of people who were 12 or under on the vessel that day, but with no regard to what their weight was.

Another safety concern the board highlighted was that there wasnt a procedure in place on the day to evacuate the Island Queen IIIs passengers should there have been an abandon-ship signal. Transport Canada is responsible for overseeing compliance of the procedure but does not have a formal procedure to do so.

Until Transport Canada implements a formal validation and approval process for passenger vessel evacuation procedures, crews and passengers may not be prepared to evacuate safely in an emergency, the board wrote.

The final concern issued by the board is that crew members on vessels such as the Island Queen III are not required to be trained in passenger safety management: Until the crews of these vessels are required to take the appropriate passenger safety management training, there remains a risk that crew members will not be adequately prepared in emergencies.

The TSB said in its release that Kingston 1,000 Islands Cruises has taken steps regarding the concerns.

Since this incident, the operator of theIsland Queen III has undertaken a number of steps to improve safety by addressing some of the identified deficiencies, including changing how the pre-departure safety briefing is given to passengers, and having crew members demonstrate how to put on life-jackets, the release said. The company has also reviewed its safety management system and developed detailed evacuation procedures.

Mackenzie told the Whig-Standard that the investigation was an amazing learning experience.

I have to compliment Transportation Safety Board, Mackenzie said. Their investigation was exhaustive. They came here on a number of occasions, we had three-hour-long phone calls, they gave us the draft of the report eight months ago, I think, and we provided them with a 17-page commentary on their findings and they changed a number of the issues that they found.

scrosier@postmedia.com

twitter.com/StephattheWhig

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TSB investigation into Island Queen III incident issues three concerns - The Kingston Whig-Standard

A woman who took her 11-year-old son to a Greek island to protect him from COVID-19 should not have done so, a UK judge said.

The boy's father wants judges in Greece and London to order he is returned to England.

He says the boy was taken from London to Paros, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, without his permission.

Mr Justice Mostyn, who oversaw a recent private hearing in London, said the man and woman are both Greek but had lived in London for more than two years.

Details of the dispute emerged on Friday in a ruling published by the judge overseeing family court litigation in London, but he said the family could not be identified in media reports.

He has adjourned the case and says a judge in Greece should hear evidence from the woman and make a decision.

The woman left London with her son on 20 March, three days before Boris Johnson announced a national lockdown, and travelled to her mother's home in Paros, Mr Justice Mostyn said in his ruling.

"She did so in the belief that she and (the boy) would be much safer from the virus there," he said.

"That may well have been a valid view, it being common knowledge that by virtue of pre-emptive action, Greece has a much lower rate of infection and mortality than this country.

"However that does not justify in the slightest what was a wrongful removal of (the boy) from the place of his habitual residence and, more importantly, from his father."

She had emailed her estranged husband's lawyers to explain why she left, Mr Justice Mostyn said.

"I do not intend to stay in Greece permanently," she had said.

"The main reason that I have come to Greece is that I am very afraid of the coronavirus and I want to do whatever I can to keep (my son and me) safe from it.

"The small Greek island where my mother lives, where (we) are now staying with her, is naturally isolated from the mainland and has its own medical facilities.

"It is absolutely safe for until now there were zero incidents of coronavirus contamination.

"I believe that it is a much safer place to be for us, given the numbers of people (who are) affected and die in London on a daily basis.

"I do not know exactly when we will return, but that is because the whole situation is moving so quickly and no-one knows what things will be like in two weeks let alone a month.

"When I arrived in Greece it was not in complete lockdown.

"Since we got here they have closed the borders and travelling is banned completely and I don't think that I could even return now to England if I wanted to - which I do not at this time as I believe staying in Greece gives (my son) a much better chance in this pandemic."

There have been 2,591 coronavirus cases confirmed in Greece, with none in Paros, while the UK had seen 177,454 cases and 27,510 deaths by Friday.

See more here:

Coronavirus: Woman took son to Greek island to 'protect him from COVID-19' - Sky News

As our lives have become a seemingly endless series of work meetings on Zoom and FaceTime or WhatsApp catch-ups with friends, were all getting a bit sick of seeing peoples faces enclosed in a cold, almost lifeless, digital frame.

A tech worker from New York had a different idea for his tech conference, which he announced, in all seriousness, on April Fools' Day. The free conference is called Deserted Island DevOps and is happening on Thursday, entirely inside Animal Crossing, the Nintendo Switch hit game released in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Speakers are doing their talks on an island in Animal Crossing specifically built for the conference, and attendees can follow along in the game, on Twitch, or Zoom, as a fallback option.

Other than the unusual, and incredibly colorful and fun setting, the conference is very much like any other conference. The speakers avatars are standing behind a podium, their slides are being displayed next to them, and attendees sit in the audience. Crucially, the conference isn't about Animal Crossing, it's kind of a standard software development type conference. It just happens to be happening inside a video game.

The organizer, Austin Parker, said earlier this week that more than 1,000 people registered to virtually attend it.

Judging from the enthusiasm both speakers and attendees are showing, it seems like the idea was a success.

Ultimately, this is just another tech conference, but hosting it on Animal Crossing, as opposed to having people speak in front of their webcams in their home offices is a genius idea.

Read this article:

This Tech Conference Is Being Held on an Animal Crossing Island - VICE

Updated 5:00 pm

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the Island rose to 19 Thursday marking the third day in a row with a new confirmed case.

In their daily update, the Marthas Vineyard Hospital reported that a total of 413 patients had been tested for COVID-19. Of those 388 had negative results and six are pending results.

There are currently no COVID-19 hospitalizations at the hospital.

According to a report from the Islands boards of health, of the 19 confirmed cases, ten are female and nine are male. Seven of the cases are aged 50-59 years old, six cases are 60-69 years old, two are 30-39 years old, three are 20-29 years old, and one is 20 years old or younger.

In a press conference Thursday, Gov. Charlie Baker said the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide has plateaued.

We have, in fact, bent the curve, Baker said. We did, in fact, reduce the spread. We are now living with a plateau that Im sure all of us would like to see dip a little bit.

Baker stressed that now was not the time to let up.

Infectious disease specialists now believe this virus can go undetected for days and some people who test positive actually never show symptoms at all, he said, adding that efforts are focused on eliminating a scenario where the virus comes back.

Communications director Katrina Delgadillo confirmed that one of the confirmed COVID-19 patients transferred to Boston due to health complications has died due to medical complications not proven to be related to COVID-19.

That patient is one of three who have been transferred off-Island. Two COVID-19 patients were transported to Boston by helicopter and a third maternity patient was taken off-Island by ferry in a private vehicle. The two other COVID-19 transfers have been discharged, according to Delgadillo.

The hospital reported on Friday that it had one patient who was hospitalized. Hospital communications director Katrina Delgadillo told The Times the patient had been discharged on Saturday in stable condition.

On the state level Thursday, the Department of Public Health reported that 275,647 COVID-19 tests had been conducted, with 62,205 confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide.

A day after reporting its highest number of deaths in a day at 252, DPH reported Thursday 157 new deaths for a total of 3,562. The bulk of the states deaths, nearly two thirds, have been patients 80 or older and the average age of a hospitalized COVID-19 patient is 69. According to the state data, 6 percent of the confirmed cases are hospitalized.

Updated with current state COVID-19 numbers and Island boards of health statistics. Ed.

Excerpt from:

Island COVID-19 confirmed cases rise to 19 - Martha's Vineyard Times

Just north of Manteo on Roanoke Island lies a coastal farm replica, known as Island Farm. This unique farm was designed with its roots in mind.

In the late 1700s, the land where Island Farm rests now was deeded to members of the Etheridge family. Jesse, Tart and Adam III Etheridge began what would, at one point, cover over 400 acres of farmland.

The Etheridge family became well known on Roanoke Island for their agricultural dominance and wide swept, abundant fields of crops and livestock.

The site today showcases what the farm produced back in the mid-1800s. The Etheridge farm grew corn, peas and potatoes. It housed horses, sheep, oxen, pigs and chickens and would supply fish for the community.

The son of Adam Etheridge III, Adam Etheridge IV, married Francis Fanny Baum and built a large farmhouse on the property around 1845. The timber frame of the structure was built mainly from heart pine; the area on Roanoke Island where the homestead lies was commonly called Logtown during that time period.

Along with the growing of crops, the Etheridge farm would produce butter, milk, tea and more. A large windmill overlooks the farm from across the street today. At one point, a windmill on the farm was used to make cornmeal.

The Etheridge family had hired help for daily chores around the homestead, such as cooking, cleaning and working in the field. One cook, Crissy Bowser, lived on the farm until she was believed to be 100 years old.

Bowser worked as a cook from 1900 to 1910 and she continued to live on the farm until her death. She is buried at the foot of a large oak tree on the property.

A gravesite dedicated to the Etheridge family borders the farm and holds those that began the now historic site. Decedents are the only ones that can be buried alongside their ancestors there.

Island Farm features a blacksmith shop, which would not have been found on the farm, but would have been likely close by back in the 1800s. Looms are contained within the walls of the structures at Island Farm as well to demonstrate the intricate weavings that took place back then.

The farm now resides on 14 acres of land and still focuses heavily on agriculture and preserving the history of the Etheridge family. It was donated to Outer Banks Conservationists in 1997 by descendants.

In 2001, restoration to the Etheridge farmhouse began and it is now one of the only original structures on the property. In 2010, the farm was opened to the public.

To learn more, visit the Island Farm website at http://www.obcinc.org/vist-our-sites/island-farm.

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VIRTUAL TOUR Island Farm: Going back in time to coastal farm life in the 1800s | The Coastland Times - The Coastland Times