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Reader Contribution du Jour: San Cono
My friend and neighbor, Sam Sanseverino, is the current president of Saint Cono American Society in Brooklyn, New York. Located on Richardson street, aka San Cono Strada, in Williamsburg. The shrine at the late Nancy Capobianco’s home, which includes the hall in back the house, is an enduring, living legacy to love of family and faith. The hall serves as a meeting place for its members to gather and share with each other. Recently one of their projects was to restore the statue of Saint Cono at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.
Nancy Capobianco, who passed away this year was a friend of mine that I had the pleasure of knowing for many years. I would come to her house to do her hair when she was no longer able to come see me at my salon. She was a warm, wonderful lady who I miss greatly. The eldest society member is a 91 year old woman named Rose. Some members are as young as their 40’s.
There was a period in the 70’s where membership and participation dwindled. In 1988 the quonset hut hall was erected behind Nancy’s house and it has been an active place for meetings, suppers, and casual gatherings for the community that shares this common bond of a love and reverence for Saint Cono.
One of their next goals is to get the exterior of the hall painted.
History:
Saint Cono, an obscure saint from the hilltown of Teggiano, near Salerno. Legend says that Cono was born with a cone shaped head, a symbol of the Trinity. He wanted to become a monk which was against his mother’s wishes that he marry a nice Italian girl and have some kids. Finally, she relented when she found Cono praying in a burning bread oven, unharmed by the heat and flames.Emigrants from Teggiano went to Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, and Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The small Italian community that still lives in the middle of Hipsterville, USA celebrates Saint Cono as a last remaining thread to Teggiano. Richardson Street between Lorimer and Union has the official second name “San Cono Strada” because his unofficial shrine remains there, in a private residence.
Source: The Feast of Saint Cono
By Danielle Oteri | September 29, 2009 | Stories, The Feasts of Saints
By Miss Mousey Brown.
From The New York Shitty Inbox: The East River State Park Lights
This item comes courtesy of a very nice lady named Jackie. The residents around East River State Park have a problem; very simply put, it is the solar lighting which was installed at said park to keep it lit at night. To this end they have been remarkably effective! In fact, they have been described to yours truly as “lighting up East River State Park like Yankee Field”. Hence why an online petition has been created requesting a more sensible solution be put in place. Here’s what Jackie has to say:
I am told the State used the $200,000 OSA donation towards the solar lights.The state was addressing community chatter a few years ago about wanting more access to the Park, longer days, and for that the State requires lighting. But there was no public forum that I know of. If the state had spoken to the community they would have realized that in the summer the park closes at sunset which is around 9pm, but all folks really wanted was to be able to stay in the park and watch the sun set, instead of being asked to leave 10 minutes prior. There is sufficient light during dusk to allow this. In the winter when the sun sets early, the Park is usually very cold, extremely windy and sparsely attended, so night access is not a big issue. In addition, the city installed a soccer field adjacent to the East River State Park, with large stadium style soccer lights that also light up the entire State Park and beyond and bounce off of THE EDGE building, causing a lot of light pollution. These lights are suppose to be turned off at 10:15PM. It seems the State and City do not work in concert so this was not factored in. In addition, the stadium lights stay on well past the 10:15PM time frame, as the timer is not reset to adjust to the shorter days and often is on until midnight or all night. These are electric lights that cost taxpayers dollars, that are on during snowstorms when there is no use of the soccer fields. These lights blare into bedrooms and also ruin the evening city skyscapes. But I digress.
Now these towering industrial solar poles in the park close off what was OPEN SPACE. Frisbee anyone? Williamsburg is a central hub of print and film shoots and a popular place for the industry to film. Yea, you can retouch out a pole or two in print, but not in film. “They ruined it”, said a location scout. The sun panels on top of these poles have a mirror quality and on sunny days it throw 50 rays of molten light into people’s homes. One sun is enough, thank you. Visually, the amount and placement makes the park look like a DOT parking lot, or some have described it as a UFO center. Many were placed next to trees that will overshadow the solars and render them useless.
There are many solutions to this problem, and the petition is meant to be a calling card so that the community can get a meaningful dialog going with the State.
Those of you who are interested can add your signature to this petition by clicking here.
PHOTO CREDITS: the solar panel photo comes courtesy of Blue4Rose.
NYS Flickr Pool
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