HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

 

Whatever you are celebrating this holiday season, may it be a joyful time for you and your family!



Link to OHS Class of 1965 New Year's Card... Click HERE.

Holiday Family Photos and Messages

Barbara (Gagliardi) and Marty McGlynn's Family Photo

Here is our Christmas photo after we put up the tree. Missing are my husband Marty (taking the photo)and my oldest grandson Bobby.

P.S. My Grandaughter Trista (Back row wearing Black delivered my Third great-grands on Dec 19th, 15 hours this picture was taken, welcome baby Travis!

Mike and Laura Sellazzo's Grandbabies

Gary and Jan Stroh's Granddaugher, Isabella Sophia

Totels Family Card

We Mourn the Passing of Tina Gulland, Wife of Gene Gulland

With sadness I report the passing of Gene Gulland's wife, Tina, this past May. Thanks to Howard Young for passing along the information... I contacted Gene today and received the following note along with this article from the Washington Post.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to you, Gene.

- Pook

"It's been a terrible blow to my kids and me, but we're getting by-- and you're right, the wonderful memories help.   Attached is Tina's Washington Post obituary, which can only begin to suggest what a force of nature she was!" 
- Gene 

Click on article to enlarge.














Since there is a limit to how many postings appear on a page, you will need to click on "older posts"  (below right) to see more posts.  Alternatively, you can go to the BLOG ARCHIVE on the left sidebar and search for postings by date.

David Perugini's Dad is Honored on 11/11/11

My father, a former member of the 101st Airborne Division, Company E ("Band of Brothers") was honored to represent all branches of the U.S. Military Services by ringing the Closing Bell on Wall Street on Veterans' Day, 11/11/11.  Below is photo of Dad in a photo op at the event luncheon, surrounded by members of the U.S. Marine Corps. If he looks familiar to any of you, that's because my father was the Head Custodian at Ossining High School during our years there. You might remember the familiar P.A. announcement, "Philip Perugini, please come to the Main Office!" He's a cool guy.
- David Perugini

Here's a link to the NASDAQ website, that has a bit more in the way of photos and such:

http://www.nasdaq.com/marketsite/marketsite-events-detail.aspx?fn=201111-close11112011.txt

Mr. Perugini, the OHS Class of 1965 remembers you and we are very proud of you!  Thank you for your service to our country!!

David and Martha Perugini Visit Arizona

David and Martha Perugini joined Phil and Pook Bellini and Bill Bruni for trip down memory lane over dinner. 
Sue Bruni was out of town and unable to be with us. 

Evening Star Cruise on the Hudson

Thanks to Marianne Indusi Solak for sharing these photos of the Hudson River cruise!

Cliff Obenauer, Marianne Indusi Solak, Arlene Gabrielian Lazaro, Ronald Lazaro, Debra Pidgeon O'Connor, Marie Scarfi Kooney, Donna Drago Burniston, Nina Jones Suchy, Carol Moshier Desiderio, Rodney Kooney

Arlene  and Donna

Cliff, Marianne, and Marie

Carol

Bear Mountain Bridge

Bear Mountain Bridge

Donna, Marianne, and Carol

Thayer Hotel at West Point

West Point

Bear Mountain Bridge

Osborn Castle

Ossining Takes Brunt of Storm

Submitted by Linda White Alexander 

Crews restore power, clear trees as Ossining takes brunt of storm

We Mourn the Passing of Paul Stavis

Submitted by Sue Swanson
Obituary Published in Albany Times Union from July 12 to July 13, 2011

Stavis, Paul F. CASTLETON Paul F. Stavis, loving husband of Nafsika Stavis (nee Socaris) and father of Dominique Stavis, the light of his life, passed away on Sunday, July 10, 2011, in the comfort of his home with his family at his side. Paul waged a very brave and courageous battle against multiple myeloma, a blood cancer. Paul was born on May 19, 1947 in Ossining, N.Y. He is a graduate of Syracuse University and Buffalo Law School. He was an honorably discharged second lieutenant in the US Air Force. Paul served as a law clerk to the Hon. James T. Foley, chief judge of the US District Court for the Northern District of New York and as the first assistant to the director of the Ohio Organized Crime Prevention Council. Paul also served as the General Counsel to the NYS Commission On Quality of Care For The Mentally Disabled for 21 years. In that capacity, he helped develop and implement innovative programs such as the Surrogate Decision Making Program and the state's first forensic fiscal investigations team. He also served as the director of the Bureau of House Counsel for the NYS Department Of Health and as deputy counsel in charge of litigation for the NYS Department of Mental Hygiene. He also served as a senior attorney for the Office of Medicaid Inspector General. He was a recognized expert in the Medicaid program and published articles on combating fraud and abuse in that program. As a legal scholar, he was the founding director of the Law and Psychiatry Center at George Mason School of Law in Arlington, Va. from 1999-2002. He also served as an adjunct professor of Law and Psychiatry at the Albany Law School, as a professor of Law and Bioethics at the Alden March Bioethics Institute of Albany Medical College. In addition, he held teaching positions at the State University of Albany School of Criminal Justice, Union College Graduate School of Management, and the New School of Social Research. He was a prolific and respected writer of articles on mental health and the law. He was committed to providing pro bono services to those in need, including serving on committees studying aspects of legal problems affecting persons with disabilities in New York and as an advisor to the commission on Mental Hygiene Reform of the Supreme Court of West Virginia. Paul had a zest for life. He traveled widely, was an avid and expert skier, a motorcyclist who loved to ride his Harley Davidson, a parachute jumper, and dedicated swimmer, and bicyclist. He was an extremely proficient handyman, with his last project being the elaborate treehouse for his daughter. His last accomplishment was attending his daughter's graduation at Holy Spirit school. Paul never lost sight of the importance of faith, family, and friends. Paul always strove for the best-to do his best, to give his best, and to bring out the best in people. He was always kind, and in his quiet way, encouraged each of us to be strong and carry on, regardless of what we were facing. The lessons Paul taught us all will live in our hearts forever and will help us persevere and remember him always. Paul is also survived by his parents, Gus and Margaret Stavis of Boynton Beach, Fla.; his brother Robert (Jeanne) Stavis of Buchanan, N.Y.; and his sister Anna (Frank) Scalise of Lake Worth, Fla. Paul's extended family included his aunt, Helen Maurer; cousins Paul, Eric and James Maurer of Earlton, N.Y. Paul was a brother-in-law to Maria (James) Mahar, Spiro (Lisa Trubitt) Socaris, George (Debbie) Socaris, Sophia Socaris (George Danes) and Peter Socaris. He is survived by many nieces, nephews and godchildren. Paul was a member of St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church and AHEPA Chapter #140. Funeral service will be Thursday, at 11 a.m. at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, 440 Whitehall Rd., Albany. Calling hours will be Wednesday, 4 until 8 p.m. at the Tebbutt Funeral Home, 633 Central Ave, Albany. Trisagion service will be held at 7:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Paul's memory to the Jerome Lipper Center for Multiple Myeloma at Dana Farber Cancer Institute at 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215 or to St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church Iconography Fund.

Coach John Covert Enshrined in OHS Hall of Fame

 Coach  & his lovely wife Carol looked great !!

In his acceptance speech he suggested that OHS return to being the "Indians" being that the term Indian means building one stone upon another. Makes sense!!

Having 2 National Championships under his belt and more state championships than I have fingers, he shared that, "Good coaches have good athletes" !! We know that is pure modesty !!

 I know many of you were with us in spirit !!

Many blessings to you all !!
Jim Burhans

Jim Burhans Shares The Covert Blessing

Near that Hallow named Sleepy, John N. Covert rose from the fast motorcycles of his Dad to be fleet on own feet.

Stormy Buffalo State forged him even greater strength and determination. And what step could he possibly take to further his focus & organizational abilities?? Answer: the USMC !!!!

Working with Wes Santee, a fellow Marine, and America's premier miler in the Roger Banister era, must have an eye opener for the young Covert.

A more worldly man returned to his beloved Hudson River Valley. He awaited his chance to step on the cinders...(one year) and this time as the leader  of the soon to come terror of all the cross country trails and cinder ovals initially in Westchester yet a nano second later his legend grew throughout the Empire State, a few seasons later our beloved nation and then, the Caribbean, Mon !!! And still being at the helm at OHS.

The COVERT BLESSING still touches the fortunate ones: directly & indirectly. There are thousands: the athletes he directly touched, their families, neighbors, & communities for generations to come.

If you didn't know right from wrong and how to conduct yourself, you did after hopping, running, jumping, or hurdling for "The Jet". The post meet meetings in the bus could be and probably were a little intense.

Initially, there was a single drum with an appealing, inspiring rhythm....it said, "you're good but you could be better...maybe great...come try!! Coach played it every day with his lovely wife Carol at his side. Soon other drums began to accompany his. Young men were to be seen running the streets of Ossining in their "pajamas". The Drums of the Covert Years created a Symphony of Record Breaking Achievement. The drum level reached such intensity that Universities wanted some of that music and Lehigh became the new center for John Covert's majesty.

Along the way, a lanky soccer playing ice racing Hollander by the name of John Lengers immigrated to Ossining to become an Indian. He annihilate all who dare challenge him, including myself. 

What a team. These two Johns !!! Their drums encouraged many others to challenge the hallowed cinders and paths of Indian glory.

On a dark & quiet night along Mr. Hudson's River you can still hear those drums inspiring the young athlete to work out harder...to be up to the challenge

Thank God and Carol for the Covert Blessing!!

Gary Stroh Gator Hunting in His Driveway

Submitted by Mike Sellazzo

Way to go, Gary!

Paul Stavis

This article, which quotes our own Paul Stavis, appeared in the Wall Street Journal on January 28, 2011.  By JACOB GERSHMAN  The state agency in charge of recovering money stolen from the state's $52 billion Medicaid program fell into negative territory in 2009. For the first time, it returned more money in fraud cases to Medicaid providers than it brought back to the state. The Office of the Medicaid Inspector General, which has a $90 million budget and a full-time staff of more than 650 people, reported fraud recoveries of minus $66,000 in its most recent annual report. The inspector general collected more than $1 million from fraud cases, but the agency lost more than that sum after an administrative law judge ordered the state to return fines paid by a Queens alcohol treatment center accused of fraud in 2005.

Agency officials defended their record, pointing to $100 million they recovered last year through audits that found Medicaid violations—often clerical errors—but made no determination of fraud. But to critics of the inspector general's office, the agency's inability to get big fraud recoveries indicates a lack of vigilance over the nation's most expensive Medicaid program.

"OMIG does not look for fraud, despite its statute clearly requiring it to do so," said Paul Stavis, a former senior lawyer for the state Health Department who also worked under the current inspector general, James Sheehan. "Fraud litigation is very difficult and expensive and OMIG has not equipped itself to cope with such cases. They don't look for fraud as a matter of practice."

Getting a grip on the Medicaid program is a big issue for the new governor, Andrew Cuomo. Growth in the state Medicaid spending, which makes up about a fifth of Albany's operating budget, is a major factor driving up the state's $10-billion spending gap in the upcoming fiscal year.

In 2006, after a series of high-profile reports about widespread Medicaid theft, then-Gov. George Pataki and state lawmakers created the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General to act as a central watchdog over the system. The legislation said the purpose was to create "a more efficient and accountable structure, dramatically reorganize and streamline the state's process of detecting and combating Medicaid fraud and abuse and maximize the recoupment of improper Medicaid payments."

Michael Little, who runs the agency's investigative unit and oversees about 60 investigators, said he was unsatisfied with the 2009 fraud total. But he said it represents a small part of the inspector general's function. He said the agency, which lacks criminal prosecutorial powers but can pursue civil charges, often turns over more complex cases to the attorney general's office or federal authorities.

In 2009, agency audits, which catch billing mistakes and other violations of state Medicaid law, recovered more than $100 million from hundreds of physicians, hospitals, managed care companies, pharmacists, clinics, and other providers. Little of that money is collected in lump-sum payments. Instead, the state usually recovers the money from providers gradually by docking 15% from future Medicaid billings.

Since OMIG's audits usually don't allege fraud, providers can repeatedly run afoul of the law without facing harsher consequences. For example, Healthfirst, a rapidly growing Medicaid managed carecompany, has been audited numerous times and has paid back millions of dollars to the state for failing to keep proper records and for billing Medicaid for patients who are dead or incarcerated.

Medicaid providers owing money can also suspend collections through administrative appeals or if they are able to demonstrate that repayment would cause financial hardship to their institutions.

In 2008, for example, OMIG stopped collecting payments from three health centers that each owed the state more than $3 million but ultimately paid less than 20% of the amount originally due.

"The distinction between 'audit findings' and 'recoveries' is a good example of this chess game to keep the public and press in the dark,"said Mr. Stavis, the former state health official.

A spokeswoman for the inspector general's office said the agency's recovery totals don't reflect other measures it takes to crack down on abuses. For example, she said, the office has a program that restricts recipients who show patterns of "doctor shopping" to using one doctor and one pharmacist. The agency has placed just under 10,000 Medicaid recipients under that restriction.

The attorney general's office, itself, recovered more than $280 million in 2009, helping the state meet a federally mandated collection target. More than three-quarters of that came from global settlements with pharmaceutical companies in federal cases in which state prosecutors in New York played little role, or from home-health agencies that hired people with fraudulent certificates.

The largest hospital case, which recovered $3.5 million, involved a Bronx medical center that over-billed for drugs more than six years ago. Another 2009 case that recovered $44 million centered on a Staten Island man who had been expelled from the Medicaid program in 1997 because of fraud charges but was able to keep billing Medicaid by forming new companies.

Carol Moshier Desiderio

Just to let you know we had a great time in early December at the Pow Wow!
Our "regulars" and even some new comers enjoyed meeting and greeting. I'm sure you
have seen our resident, Marianne's pics! (Link is on left sidebar.)

Seems
everyone is already looking forward to our spring meeting, after our winter
thaw!

Anyone that has a idea on the next get together please let me know!

Sending prayers and thoughts to our AZ friends!

Always, Carol