The Forgotten 5th: Little Caesars Coming, Improving Public Space, Wu Tang Concert, Avoiding the Mob, Highest Death Rate

Little Caesars Pizza franchise coming to Staten Island

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Little Caesars, a franchise known for “Hot-N-Ready” pizza, is planning to open a store in Dongan Hills next week. It is located at 1743 Richmond Road. 

The site will sell freshly baked carry-out pizza – $5 for a 14-inch pie – to be picked up by drop-in customers without the need to call ahead. 

It’s a formula that became successful nationwide after the first Little Caesars restaurant opened in Garden City, Mich., more than 50 years ago. 

The company, which franchises to independent owners, has not operated on Staten Island for some years. 

Improving Public Space: Expand the Narrows


The Verrazano Narrows Bridge carries cars between Staten Island and Brooklyn, but it could do so much more. The “Expand the Narrows” vision widens the bridge to include adjacent space for walking, joggling, bicycling — even sunbathing and fishing. In short, it’s “a way to get across, but also a place to get away.”


Some of the ferries that connect Staten Island with lower Manhattan contain an “obsolete vehicle deck” nearly 5,400 square feet large. Why not transform that space into a cultural showcase? That’s the idea behind “Art Bar,” which injects the unused deck with theaters, galleries, and other art venues that host a variety of performances during the 25-minute ride.

Celebrate Hip-hop in the five boroughs: Wu Tang in Shaolin

The Five Out of Five tour will start this Sunday with Queens duo Mobb Deep performing their albumThe Infamous, featuring special guest Lloyd Banks. From Tuesday on, featured artists will include Slick Rick repping the Bronx with The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, the Wu-Tang Clan for Staten Island with Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Black Moon with Big Daddy Kane for Brooklyn with Enta Da Stage and the Diplomats and Vado performing Diplomatic Immunity on behalf of Manhattan. 

Hulking gangster “Frankie Steel” complains to judge that he can’t avoid mobsters on Staten Island

 

A whiny wiseguy told a federal judge that he wants to stay clear of the criminal life, but it’s just too tough while living on Staten Island, what with all the mobsters everywhere.

Frank “Frankie Steel” Pontillo made the statements at a sentencing in Brooklyn federal court — before the same judge he asked leniency of because the FBI traumatized his Yorkie puppy during a January 2010 raid.

Lifestyle is blamed as Staten Islanders far outpace city and state residents in heart, cancer deaths

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Overindulgence and laziness are killing Staten Islanders at a higher rate than elsewhere in the city. 

Lack of exercise, eating too much and smoking are among the factors that contribute to the borough’s greater mortality rates compared to other parts of the Big Apple and many areas of the state, experts say. 

According to statistics compiled by the state Health Department, Staten Island had the highest death rates per 100,000 people among the five boroughs for heart diseases, cancer, pneumonia and chronic lower respiratory disease. 

The Island had the second greatest death rate for hypertension and strokes, trailing only Manhattan, and finished just behind the Bronx in deaths due to diabetes. 

Fifth & Forgotten Minute: DJ Megatron killed, Coffee Shop closing, Mob daughter w. book deal, Census shows population growing

DJ Megatron, aka Corey McGriff, identified by police as victim of Staten Island shooting

Police have idenitifed Corey McGriff, aka DJ Megatron — a HOT 97 disc jockey and BET personality — as the victim in the early-morning shooting in Stapleton.

The 32-year-old resident of Stapleton was shot at about 2 a.m. in front of 120 Osgood Ave., not far from his home.

Police responded and discovered McGriff with a gunshot wound to his torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting yet.

DJ Megatron was a regular on BET’s “106th and Park,” and also was heard on HOT 97.

Beloved Staten Island coffee shop to close its doors on Sunday

It’s a story told a million times: A longtime family business is pushed out by the landlord to the detriment of a small community of patrons. 

But for the people packed into the tight-but-comforting quarters of the Island Coffee Shop on Victory Boulevard in Castleton Corners yesterday, it was their own story, and a seismic change.

“I’ve been coming here since I’m, like, 10 years old,” said Rob Vonderosten, a tall, 27-year-old Annadale resident, wolfing down sausages and eggs as he sat with friends at a four-top booth. “Why is it unique? I don’t know, there’s just something about it. It’s home-y.” 

Many of those eating at the counter, the booths or waiting in the street to get their grub had similar things to say about the restaurant, open since 1985. Having lost its lease, the business will close its doors Sunday for the last time, as owner George Bakratsas and his staff search for another home.

Daughter of mob turncoat Sammy Gravano to write book about upbringing on Staten Island

Not satisfied with her star-turn in the “Mob Wives” reality show, set to air next month, the daughter of murderous Mafia turncoat Graniteville’s own Salvatore (Sammy the Bull) Gravano has reportedly inked a six-figure book deal with St. Martin’s Press about what it was like to grow up mobbed up. 

Karen Gravano, 38, is slated to pen a tell-all about life on Lamberts Lane and how it changed after her hitman father testified for the feds in the 1990s and entered a short-lived stint in witness protection to keep his family safe. 

Census figures show considerable drop in Staten Island’s rate of population growth

The official count is in: There are 468,730 of us. 

Figures released today from the 2010 U.S. Census show Staten Island’s population increased 5.6 percent since the last decennial tally. 

While the jump is noteworthy and the largest in the city, the rate of growth has slowed considerably from the blistering pace of expansion the borough experienced between 1990 and 2000, when the population increased by 17 percent. 

(credit: SILive.com)