april 13, 2012 the signature

Eggstravaganza

Page 3 Page 6

Ricotta CheeseFestival

Read about the yearlyfestival in Vizzini.

Page 8

Q&A with The Front Men

Meet the menbehind the music.

NAS Sigonella children celebrate

Easter.

Scan for direct linksto NAS Sigonella

APRIL 13, 2012VOL. 29 NO. 14 cnic.navy.mil/sigonella

SIGNATURETHE

SIGONELLA, SICILY

BY MR2 GARY SPENCENAS Sigonella Public Affairs

The Front Men superstars (left to right) Larry Stewart of Restless Heart, Tim Rushlow formerly of Little Texas and Richie McDonald of Lonestar performed for a crowd of servicemen and women and theirfamilies at Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella on April 6 as part of a world tour in conjunction with Navy Entertainment. (Photo by Jackie Trembath)

The country music group, The Front Men, performedfor service members and their families at Naval AirStation (NAS) Sigonella, April 6.

The Front Men is a trio of country music superstars in-cluding Tim Rushlow, formerly of Little Texas, Larry Stewartof Restless Heart and Richie McDonald of Lonestar. Thegroup is on a world tour in conjunction with Navy Entertain-ment which began in Japan and has taken them all the wayto Souda Bay, Greece, Sigonella and Naples and will end inSpain.

"This show is totally unrehearsed and unscripted. It’spretty spontaneous. It’s funny, our sound guy Gino, he putsa set list on stage every night and all it says is 'Set List'. There’sno songs on it or anything," said McDonald. "We just throwout whatever we feel like. If we feel like the crowd wants tohear something up tempo then I’ll play 'Front Porch Looking

In' or if I feel they’re in the mood for a ballad, I’ll play 'I’mAlready There'.”

The Front Men have performed for military membersaround the world, including concerts on aircraft carriers andseveral locations overseas.

"We did a 21 day tour in the Middle East in October andwe said 'We want to do this again'," said Stewart. "We’re justhonored to come over here and salute our servicemen andwomen."

Prior to the concert, the group signed autographs andposed for pictures with service members and their families.

When the show began, the concert arena was filled withpeople of all ages, many of whom sang along with Rushlow,Stewart and McDonald.

"The highlight of my day is getting up on stage to play,"said Rushlow. "Back home I always say it like this, 'You get

paid for being gone, being in a bus and traveling.' The hour Ido on stage is free. I get paid for all the other stuff. That houron stage is what you love to do. So to me you get paid for allthe traveling and inconvenience of being gone from my fa-mily and all that. [Military service members] know all aboutbeing gone from your families. You make a big sacrifice forus, protecting and giving us our freedom."

Behind the scenes interview with The Front Men on page 8.

Country superstars rock NAS Sigonella

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Music is what feelings sound like.”

~Author Unknown

THE SIGNATURETHE SIGNATURE APRIL 13, 2012PAGE 2

THE SIGNATUREU.S. Naval Air Station Sigonella

Capt. Scott Butler, Commanding Officer

Cmdr. Eric Vosler, Executive Officer

CMDCM David Graham, Command Master Chief

EDITORIALLt. Tim Page, Public Affairs Officer

[email protected]

Dott. Alberto Lunetta, Communtiy Relations Officer

[email protected]

Jackie Trembath, Editor

[email protected]

STAFFWriters/Photographers

MC1 Christopher Delano

[email protected]

MM2 Johnnathan Archbold

[email protected]

MC2 Gary Prill

[email protected]

MR2 Gary Spence

[email protected]

MCSN Brian Glunt

[email protected]

CONTACT USNaval Air Station Sigonella, [email protected] 624-5440; 095-86-5440

PSC 812 Box 3020, FPO, AE 09627

CONTRIBUTINGWriters/Photographers

Kim Delano

Ann Forrest

Hillary Gillett

Lt. Nicholas Schaal

PUBLISHERStampa Generale S.r.l.,Sig. Bruno Brandi, Publisher,Naval Support Activity Capodichino (Naples), [email protected]

Tel. 081-568-7884 – Fax 081-568-7887

This civilian enterprise (CE) newspaper is anauthorized publication for members of themilitary services overseas. Contents ofThe Signature are not necessarily the officialviews of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government,the Department of Defense (DoD), or theU.S. Navy. The appearance of advertising in thisnewspaper, including inserts or supplements,does not constitute endorsement by the DoDor Stampa Generale S.r.l., of the products orservices advertised. Everything advertised inthis publication shall be made available forpurchase, use or patronage without regard torace, color, religion, sex,national origin, age,marital status, physical handicap,political affiliation or any other non-merit factorof the purchaser, user or patron.

A confirmed violation or rejection of thisequal opportunity policy by an advertiser willresult in the refusal to print advertising from thatsource until the violation is corrected.The Signature is published weekly by StampaGenerale S.r.l., Sig. Bruno Brandi, Publisher,Naval Support Activity, Capodichino (Naples),Italy - Tel. 081-568-7884, Fax 081-568-7887.E-mail: [email protected].

Editorial submissions are welcomed from allNaval Air Station Sigonella departments,divisions and tenant commands. Editorialsubmissions should be sent to the Public AffairsOffice via [email protected], guard mail stop#68 or hand-delivered to our office no later thanthe close of business on the Friday proceedingthe expected publication date. All articlessubmitted by non-staff members will beconsidered contributing writers.

The Signature will not publish any anonymousarticles. All advertisements in this publication arethe property of Stampa Generale S.r.l. Anyreproduction of advertisements in The Signatureis unauthorized without the written consent ofthe publisher.

cnic.navy.mil/sigonella

Be prepared to be on your own forat least three days. Seven is better!

The BASIC FIVE:

� Water � Food � Heat

� Cash � Radio

Family Communications Plan: Phone Numbers& Rally Points; Public Protection Strategies:Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place; Web info:

Ready.gov; Emergency info: AFN 106.0 FM;Questions Call the EM Office at

624-2630, 8265 or 2621.

EmergencyManagement

Office

We received so many questions forApril’s Feedback Live that we couldn’tcover them all during the show, so I’ll usethis Direct Line columns to answer a few ofthem. Your questions are very important tous, and we encourage you to keep sendingthem via email. Remember that FeedbackLive is a LIVE call in show – if time per-mits, you can get your question answeredon the spot. The show is held on the firstThursday of each month, from 6:30 – 7p.m. To call in live on the show, please dial624-4265 or 095-56-4265.

QThe sprinkler system for the Ma-rinai sports fields runs during the

mornings 0630-0930 when commands aretrying to use the fields for PT. Is it possiblefor the maintenance folks at Marinai tochange the time?

AField watering has been adjustedover the years and can be again

but for watering to be beneficial it needs tobe done in the early morning or evening(dusk). Over the years, the Base has indi-cated that there is more demand for fielduse in the evenings, and the Lessor has ac-commodated our request by watering inearly morning.

QFor months, the Diet Pepsi at thegalley has not been working. I eat

at the galley almost everyday and it haseither been so fizzy that you hold upthe line getting a drink or it tastes likecarbonated water. Is there anythingthat can be done to fix this or replacewith another diet soda?

AWe are in the process of re-doing the plumbing. The issue

in the past has been with water pres-sure; however, that issue specificallyshould be corrected. We are addressingthis issue. Once all the work is done inthe upcoming months there should beno problem. If there is any type ofissue, please don’t hesitate to contact astaff member at Ristorante Bella Etna.

QThe NAS I gate in the mor-ning has a problem with peo-

ple coming from the A19/Maranai(W) monopolizing both entrances,and effectively blocking people whohave to cross traffic and take a left onto basefrom front Motta road (E). It means that inmany instances the first lane has NO ONEutilizing it and creates a backup on SS192.In the past, Security would have a patrol-man out front directing traffic like they doat NAS II; can we please return to the past?

AWe have as many personnel on thegates as we can support and ma-

nage traffic to the greatest extent possible.The safety of our community is the priority.We will continue to revise procedures toensure we have the right people in the rightplace in the interest of safety.

The questions, comments and concernsstated in this column do not constitute the offi-cial position of the U.S. Navy and are submit-ted by members of the community.

NAS Sigonella Command Master Chief David Graham

Ideas are blooming at Sigonella Elementary SchoolBY HILLARY GILLETTSigonella Elementary School

Through Writers Workshop, young wri-ters are encouraged to branch out andcreate fun and interesting poems, stories,and research projects. The students of Sigo-nella Elementary have been assemblingtheir works and are excited to share theirmasterpieces with their parents, teachers,and community members.

During Writers Workshop, each stu-dent is an author and the teacher is a wri-

ting professional, guiding the authors asthey explore the writing craft. Teachers pre-pare compact, well-organized lessons sothat the children can spend the maximumamount of time with pencil in hand, crea-ting original works. Writers Workshop les-sons are driven by the needs of the childrenand the DoDEA curriculum standards.

During the week of April 23 - 27, eachclassroom teacher will be planning a special

classroom event for their students to cele-brate their writing accomplishments thusfar. In conjunction with our writers’ cele-bration, the children have created “spicy”word t-shirts; this activity fosters vocabu-lary development and encourages the chil-dren to utilize powerful, descriptive wordsin their writing. Please see your child’s tea-cher for more information about writers’week in his/her classroom.

Jan. 12 Jan. 12 April 12 April 11

Accidents 67 100

Injuries 7 18

DUIs 2 3

Traffic Deaths 0 0

Please, don’t become a statistic!

TRAFFICNUMBERS

THE SIGNATURETHE SIGNATURE PAGE 3APRIL 13, 2012

Around NAS Sigonella ...

BY MC2 Gary PrillNPASE - East Europe Detachment

Service members and their families attached to Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella, joined local Italians at the landannex on the support base Saturday for an Eggstravanganza that kicked off Easter weekend in Sigonella.

The Eggstravaganza is a free annual event sponsored by Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR). More than 4,000plastic eggs were filled with candy and some with prize slips for specialty Easter baskets.

“There’s alot of coordination for an event like this. It’s a whole MWR evolution. Everyone comes together to makeit a successful event,” said MWR School Liaison Officer Chris Mckibbin “This year we did things a little differently, wegot the Girl Scouts involved, and they helped fill thousands of eggs. We also got Sigonella’s Animal Welfare Society(SAWS) involved, because we wanted an organization fighting for a great cause. They volunteered their time to put outall the eggs for the kids.”

The event was divided into five different age groups, allowing children of all ages to participate in Easter egg huntsamong their friends.

“The event was wonderful! We had five or six hundred kids out from all different age groups and that made this afantastic event,” said MWR Director Bill Bray. “We also had a bounce house, and everyone had a lot of fun. It’s been agreat community event.”

Eggstravaganza is one of the many events MWR sponsors every year to enhance community morale.

NAS Sigonella children celebrate Easter

Sailors from NCTS help keep NAS I cleanSailors from Navy Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) conducted a clean-up along the trail that runsbeside the Commissary in support of NASSIG schools. The sailors cleaned up trash and cleared debris, cut back over-grown trees and cut down weeds, making the area safer for everyone who utilizes the trail. (U.S. Navy photo by MR2Gary Spence/Released)

To raise money for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) ActiveDuty Fund Drive (ADFD), the ADFD committee hosted a Jail and Bail onApril 5. The NASSIG community was able to call in and have a boss and/orco-worker "arrested". The final Jail and Bail will be on April 13 at NAS II from11 a.m. to 1 p.m. To date, NMCRS ADFD has raised more than $59,000. Witha goal of $85,000, there is still a ways to go. Future fundraisers include a carwash on April 14 at Maranai Youth Complex from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on April21 at NAS I Child Development Center (CDC). The NMCRS is also lookingfor participants for an upcoming Pie in the Face fundraiser. For information,contact Chief Enninful at [email protected]. (U.S. Navy photo byJackie Trembath/Released)

NMCRS raises money with Jail and Bail

Sigonella Elementary students visit local attractionSigonella Elementary School students visited the Butterfly House Monteserra,a large greenhouse located near the center of Viagranda, where hundreds oftropical butterflies are free to fly. (Photo by Kim Delano)

7th Annual Sexual Assault Awareness WalkApril 24

3:30 p.m. on NAS I

Self Defense Classes At the Fit District on NAS I

April 24, 26 and 27

(U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Gary Prill/ Released)

Need an appointment at thehospital? Call DSN 624-CARE (2273) or commercial095-56-2273, M-F: 7:30 a.m.- 4 p.m.

For non-emergent medicalquestions that arise over theweekend, a holiday or afteroffice hours, please call 335-578-8077 if you are normallyseen at the hospital or 335-578-8150 if you are normallyseen at the Flight Line Clinic.

THE SIGNATURE APRIL 13, 2012PAGE 4

FFSC can be reached at x4291American Red Cross at x4900

Does your command or organization have an event you’d like to see on the Community Calendar? Email us at [email protected] and let us know!

13 14 15

16 17 18 19

20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

C O M M U N I T Y C A L E N D A R

FRIDAYFRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

TUESDAY WEDNESDAYMONDAY THURSDAY

APRIL

2012

Ricotta Cheese Wor-kshop

9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Red CrossCPR/AED/1st Aid Class

9 a.m. - 4:3 p.m.

Pet Relocation Class3 - 4:30 p.m.

Free Movie of the Month

BingoCompass Room

6 p.m.

2 for 1 Bowling

Foam Party & iPodBattle 8p.m. Connections

Incredible ToddlerClass FFSC

Noon - 1 p.m.

Karaoke Idol OpenAuditions

7 - 11 p.m.Connectons

Taking Back Sunday Hangar 6308:30 p.m.

Red Cross BabysitterTraining

9 a.m. - 4:40 p.m.

GeoCaching HikeLIBerty8 a.m.

(Register by April 18)

Cosmic Bowling

Karaoke Idol OpenAuditions1 - 3 p.m.

Connections

UFC Clinic andMeet/GreetNAS I Gym

7 p.m.

Youth PlexSpring Fling4 - 11 p.m.

Cosmic Bowling

Poker Tourney atConnections

5:30 p.m.

Italian Holiday

Job Search 10110 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Acoustic Night atConnections6 - 10 p.m.

Cooking Class9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Self Defense Class11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Call 624-4291.

Daddy Boot Camp4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

BingoCompass Room

6 p.m.

Self Defense Class7:30 - 9 a.m.

Call 624-4291.

Incredible ToddlerClass FFSC

Noon - 1 p.m.

Mommy Boot Camp3 - 4 p.m.

Motta Extreme Trail Run

10:30 a.m.

Cosmic Bowling

Togo Party8 p.m.

Connections

Flag FootballTake 5

SAPR AwarenessWalk 3:30 p.m.

Community Plazaoutside of FFSC

Self Defense Class4 - 5 p.m.

Call 624-4291.

Infant Massage ClassFFSC Noon - 1 p.m.

Bowling $1 Day

Infant Massage ClassFFSC Noon - 1 p.m.

Bowling $1 Day

Studies show, men who were exposed to domesticviolence as children are twice as likely to abuse theirwives than sons of nonviolent parents. What can you doto help?

As a man, you have the opportunity to make a diffe-rence everyday. Your son, grandson, nephew, youngerbrother, neighbor, the boys in your community needyour time and energy. The boys you teach, coach andmentor, all need you to help them grow into healthyyoung men.

Boys are swamped with influences outside of thehome – from friends, the neighborhood, television, theInternet, music, the movies, etc… They hear all kindsof messages about what it means to “be a man” such as,that they have to be tough and in control. There are nu-merous conflicting and some harmful messages beinggiven to boys about what constitutes “being a man” in arelationship. Your guidance is needed in setting them onthe right path to healthy relationships.

Boys need your advice on how to behave towardgirls. Boys are watching how you and other men relateto women to figure out their own stance towards girls.Therefore, teach boys early, and teach them often, thatthere is no place for violence in a relationship.

Here's How: Teach early. It’s never too soon to talk to a child

about violence. Let him know how you think he shouldexpress his anger and frustration – and what is out ofbounds. Talk with him about what it means to be fair, toshare and to treat others with respect.

Be there. If it comes down to one thing you can do,this is it; just spending quality time with boys is crucial.The time doesn’t have to be spent in activities. Boys willprobably not say this directly -- but they want a male pre-sence around them, even if few words are exchanged.

Listen. Hear what he has to say. Listen to how he andhis friends talk about girls. Ask him if he’s ever seen abu-sive behavior in his friends. Is he worried about any of

his friends who are being hurt in their relationships? Areany of his friends hurting anyone else?

Tell him how. Teach him ways to express his angerwithout using violence. When he gets mad, tell him hecan walk it out, talk it out, or take a time out. Let himknow he can always come to you if he feels like thingsare getting out of hand. Try to give him examples ofwhat you might say or do in situations that could turnviolent.

Bring it up. A kid will never approach you and askfor guidance on how to treat women. However, that doe-sn’t mean he doesn’t need it. Try watching TV with himor listening to his music. If you see or hear things thatdepict violence against women, tell him what you thinkabout it. Never hesitate to let him know you don’t ap-prove of sports figures that demean women, or jokes,video games and song lyrics that do the same. In addi-tion, when it comes time for dating, be sure he knowsthat treating girls with respect is important.

Be a role model. Fathers, coaches and any man whospends time with boys or teens will have the greatest im-pact when they “walk the walk.” They will learn what re-spect means by observing how you treat other people.So make respect a permanent way of dealing with people– when you’re driving in traffic, talking with customerservice reps, in restaurants with waiters, and with yourfamily around the dinner table. He’s watching what yousay and do and takes his cues from you, both good andbad. Be aware of how you express your anger. Let himknow how you define a healthy relationship and alwaystreat women and girls in a way that your son can admire.

Teach often. Your job isn't done once you get thefirst talk out of the way. Help him work through pro-blems in relationships as they arise. Let him know hecan come back and talk to you again anytime. Use everyopportunity to reinforce the message that violence hasno place in a relationship. Show him how important theissue of violence against women and children is to you.

THE SIGNATUREAPRIL 13, 2012 PAGE 5

Fleet and FamilySupport CenterAdministrationBuilding Bldg. 319 (NAS I)

Monday–Friday7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. DSN 624-4291 Commercial095-56-4291

Coaching boys into men, what you can doAdapted from: Family Violence Prevention Fund


Mark on your calendar! The annual Ricotta andCheese Festival will be held Tuesday, April 24 andWednesday, Apr. 25 in Vizzini, a town which is a maindistribution point for farmstead cheese making in theIblei Mountains area.

Food booths will open at 9 a.m. Local cheese ma-kers will perform the Mescita (the preparation of thericotta) in Piazza Marconi and Piazza S. Maria di Gesùin the city’s historic center. Festival goers can learnhow ricotta is still made according to the ancient tra-dition. In the evening, live music will be performed atPiazza Umberto I.

When visiting the festival, be sure to sample otherlocal specialties such as Cudduruna and Impanate.They are plain pizza shells topped with sun-dried to-matoes (Cudduruna) or vegetables (Impanate) inclu-ding broccoli, spinach and more.

The festival also offers a plethora of events andshows including flag throwers, vintage cars and Siciliancart parades, town band concerts and music and thea-ter shows in the local breathtaking baroque palaces.

RicottaThe name ricotta derives from the word Recocta

that in Latin means cooked twice. Ancient Romansused to serve it to important guests and offered as a sa-crifice at religious ceremonies. Ricotta became verypopular in the Middle Ages. Bartolomeo Sacchi, a 15thcentury novelist, wrote a vivid description of the ri-cotta making: “When the cheese is taken from the cal-dron, the whey is heated so that any remaining fat willfloat to the surface. The country people call it ricottabecause it is cooked twice to extract the cheese fromthe buttermilk. Ricotta is extremely white and has a ra-ther pleasant flavor.”

Ricotta is considered more as a milk product thana cheese. The whey obtained from the curd of freshsheep milk is poured into a pot, named Quarara andplaced over a gas burner set an inch or two off thefloor. Ricotta forms when proteins from the whey se-parate, rise and coagulate. Once ready, the cheese hasa granular structure and is white in color. The flavor istasty and appealing. It must be consumed fresh other-wise it acidifies. Ricotta is eaten as fresh cheese orused in baking and in fillings for lasagna, ravioli, andother pasta dishes.

If mixed with sugar, candied fruits, and chocolatedrops it is a perfect filling for cannoli and other pa-stries.

Yet, some of the fresh ricotta is set aside to hardenand is heavily salted. After a week, ricotta salata (salted

ricotta) is ready to be shredded over pasta and othertasty dishes.

What to see in VizziniVizzini, a town placed between two hills, is located

on the northwestern slopes of the Iblei Mountainsabout 40 miles from Catania. Its altitude ranges from187 to 919 meters.

Vizzini was first a Greek town, then it fell under theRoman rule and later Byzantines, Arabs, Normans,Swedes and eventually Spaniards conquered it.

In 1693, Vizzini was half destroyed by a terrible ear-thquake. Its reconstruction took more than 100 years.The natural disaster spared the medieval part of thetown. Most of the 20 churches located in the historiccenter were rebuilt in their original beauty.

The Chiesa Madre (main church) and the Churchof San Giovanni Battista are among the city buildingsto be visited. The Chiesa Madre partly resisted the1693 earthquake and was rebuilt on the old SenatorialPalace and on the remains of Benedictine monasteryfounded by Gregory the Great, patron of the town. Onthe left flank of the church a beautiful Catalan Gothicstyle portal decorates the entrance portal. A woodenceiling by Natale Bonaiuto and two paintings by theFlorence master Filippo Paladini embellish the inte-riors. Also worth a visit are the Baroque Palaces TraoVentimiglia and Costa.

San Giovanni Battista is the biggest church of thearea. Stuccos from Natale Bonaiuto and splendid altarsin Rococo style decorate the interiors.

Your Vizzini tour must also include the CapuchinConvent. The Capuchins are among the first religiousorders that settled in Vizzini. Dominican and Augu-stinian Convents were also built in the area. The fasci-nating painting Deposizione (the Deposition) paintedin 1607 by Filippo Paladini is preserved in the Capu-chins Church.

Vizzini is also famous for being the setting of “Ca-valleria Rusticana” and “Mastro Don Gesualdo,” twofamous novels from Sicilian writer Giovanni Verga(1840-1922). Verga wrote realistic novels on the lifeof the poor peasants and fishermen of Sicily. If you liketo read them but you don’t speak Italian, you can stilllook for the English translations by David Herbert La-wrence (1885-1930). Verga spent his childhood onhis property in Vizzini at his beautiful family house(Palazzo Verga) located in Piazza Umberto I, the mainsquare.

For more information and detailed schedule callVizzini Tourist Office at 0933-1937319 or visit http://www.comune.vizzini.ct-egov.it/

Ricotta Cheese Festival in VizziniThe annual Vizzini Ricotta Cheese Festival will be held on April 24 and 25 and offers a chance for attendees to sample tasty ricotta.(Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Stimolo)

A new wave of Sicilian winema-kers are making an offer you can't re-fuse. This isn't the old-fashionedmob piling the pressure on local far-mers — these are new economiccooperatives making prize-winningwines from Italian vineyards cultiva-ted on land once held by the Mafia.

Wines from the Centopassi coo-perative — on display at the Vinitalywine fair recently held in Verona —are the result of a €1.2 billion ($1.6billion) European Union-Italianproject to integrate ex-Mafiosi pro-perty in the southern regions of Si-cily, Calabria, Puglia, Lazio andCampania back into the legal eco-nomy.

The project aims to boost the re-gion's legal economy, creating realjobs that can help establish a culturewhich rejects, rather than protects,organized crime. It also puts Ma-fioso land confiscated by authoritiesback into productive use. So far €61million ($81 million) has been inve-sted in relaunching ex-organizedcrime businesses under the EU-Ita-lian Pon Sicurezza banner.

"The companies show that bydefeating the Mafia you can begin tolegally produce wines, oil and high-quality agricultural goods in the in-terest of the workers and theproducers," Sicilian Gov. RaffaeleLombardo told The Associated

Press at the Vinitaly show last Mon-day.

Each of the Centopassi wines isnamed after someone who took onthe Mafia but were assassinated.Grillo, which has been awarded aprize in the Gambero Rosso Bere-bene guide to Italian wines, is a ho-mage to Nicolo Azoti, a union leaderkilled in 1946 by the Mafia.

In a fresh project announced thisweekend, Unicredit bank will helpfund the establishment of new vine-yards on 150 acres near Palermoconfiscated from ex-Mafia boss Mi-chele Greco, who died in prison in2008. Nicknamed "the pope," Grecowas serving a life sentence for orde-ring numerous murders, includingthe 1982 assassination of Italy's topanti-Mafia fighter, Gen. Carlo Al-berto Dalla Chiesa, and his wife."What was an emblem of the econo-mic force of the Mafia is now beco-ming a symbol of Sicily's rebirth,"Sicilian Economic CommissionerGaetano Armao told reporters.

Most of the land converted intoproductive use by the Pon Sicurezzaproject has long been left fallow byformer masters after they ended upin jail, and then stayed unproductiveduring the long legal process — upto seven years — before authoritiescould formally confiscate the pro-perty.

Ex-Mafia land produces prize-winning Italian wines(Story by AP)

Wines from the Centopassi cooperative were recently on display at the Vinitaly winefair that runs annually in Verona. They are produced in lands formerly owned byMafiosi in the southern regions of Sicily, Calabria, Puglia, Lazio and Campania. (Photoby http://www.i-italy.org/ )


JUST SAY IT!

Practice your Italian

English: WhiteItalian: BiancoEnglish: BlackItalian: NeroEnglish: RedItalian: Rosso

Learn how to saycolors in Italian!

The 2012 Corri Catania Charity Run is Sunday, April 15. The event, aimed at suppor-ting the Catania Cannizzaro Hospital Spinal Injuries Unit, will kick off in the Cataniahistoric heart at 10 a.m. Last year, the run was attended by more than 15,000 peoplefrom all ages. For more information and registration for the run, please visithttp://www.corricatania.it/ or the Facebook page of the Sigonella Scuba Club.

By the time those fields or vineyards can be turned over to new owners,most of the vines have died from neglect and the vineyards must be replan-ted, said Francesco Galante, a spokesman for the Libera network, whichoversees the reintegration of Mafia lands.

"At the beginning, there were acts of intimidation," Galante said, inclu-ding arson fires set to just-harvested grain at one farm. "It was discouraging,but then the project did well and created opportunities to work. At thatpoint, the mood changed and the acts of intimidation stopped."

The obstacles, however, are still considerable. Some 40 percent of far-mlands confiscated from the Mafia are legally in the hands of banks. ManyMafiosi, facing the loss of their property, took out loans on it and then deli-berately defaulted in an effort to keep the property from being developed."The thinking is "if it can't be mine, it is no one's," Galante said.

Libera's agricultural businesses employ 130 people and generated €4million ($5.3 million) last year. The wine business, including Centopassi,produced half a million bottles in 2011 for revenues of €900,000 ($1.2 mil-lion). The jobs are a welcome relief amid Italy's over 9 percent unemploy-ment rate.

For more information visit: http://www.centopassisicilia.it/cento-passi-en.php

Charity Run in Catania this weekend

English: GreenItalian: VerdeEnglish: YellowItalian: GialloEnglish: BlueItalian: BluEnglish: BrownItalian: MarroneEnglish: GreyItalian: GrigioEnglish: PinkItalian: RosaEnglish: OrangeItalian: Arancione

Naples - Interior Minister Anna Maria Cancellieriannounced in Naples on Thursday the creation of a hi-ghly specialized Italian National Fire and Rescue Ser-vice unit for emergency situations involving culturalheritage sites. The unit will be established under the in-terior and culture ministries and use the experience ofthe firefighters who dealt with the Aquila earthquakeemergency in 2009, said Cancellieri.

"Heritage sites are delicate and require appropriateattention," said Cancellieri, highlighting the need to im-mediately protect monuments and works of art in thecase of emergency, ensuring the best conditions for fu-ture restoration.

Rome - More Italians are paying their taxes, a reportfrom Italy's tax agency said Wednesday. Estimated un-declared income was 15.9% in 2010, down from 42.2%in 1995. In the past ten years, collectors say they haveeffectively received 40% more in taxes on declared in-come.

Milan - Milan police have arrested six people forfraud after investigators discovered a criminal ring po-sing as doctors and purchasing autos with false checks.

The scam artists allegedly bought the vehicles viaInternet and then met to close the deals dressed as phy-sicians.

Immediately after sealing the purchase, the su-spects transported the autos out of the country, sayinvestigators.

Mondragone - Italian police on Monday arrested 20people in the Neapolitan Camorra mafia includingthree women for drug trafficking north of Naples. Po-lice said the clan, which they had "decapitated", also hada stranglehold on funerals in the area, using threats topreserve a monopoly for a Camorra-approved firm.

Monasterace - A Calabrian mayor resigned Tue-sday in response to multiple mafia death threats. "Thestate has been working very closely with me, but I con-firm my resignation," Maria Carmela Lanzetta, mayorof the town of Monasterace, told ANSA. Lanzetta, amother of two and a pharmacist by trade, was given asecurity escort after someone fired shots at her car lastweek. Last June her pharmacy was burned by arso-nists. "There's a heavy atmosphere in Monasterace, soI've decided to leave with the hope that this wholetown will calm down," she said. "I no longer have thefreedom to perform my role as mayor". Lanzetta tookover in 2003 after the town was dissolved for infiltra-tion by the 'Ndrangheta mafia, which is based in Ca-labria.

Rome - The European Commission on Thursdaybacked Premier Mario Monti's assertion that Italy willnot need more austerity measures to hit its target of ba-lancing the budget next year. There has been speculationItaly could be in for more austerity after a piece publi-shed in Tuesday's FT cited a report it said circled at lastweek's meeting of eurozone finance ministers in Copen-hagen which suggested that the recession threatened Ita-ly's budget targets. Monti said on Friday that therecession Italy slipped into in the second half of last yearwould not necessitate more austerity on top of the 30-billion-euro package of spending cuts and tax hikes hisemergency government of non-political technocratspassed in December. He said that this was because thegovernment had been cautious when forecasting factorssuch as revenues from the fight on tax evasion and theinterest rates Italy will have to pay on its massive debt inthe calculations for that package. The EC agrees. "Thefull application of the measures adopted up to now willmake it possible for Italy to achieve the goal of balancingthe budget," an EC statement said. "Therefore, any refe-rence to new consolidation efforts is unfounded".

Naples - The mafia will not get its hands on any ofthe 105 million euros earmarked to fix up Pompeii, saidthe Italian government, who on Thursday visited Na-ples to present a spending plan to keep the world's lar-gest archeological site from crumbling.

"It will be done in a way that not even a euro will fi-nish in the hands of the Camorra," said Andrea De Mar-tino, the Interior Ministry's main representative inNaples, referring to the powerful mafia syndicate withits roots in and around Naples.

Prime minister Mario Monti and other members ofhis unelected government were in Naples to present theItaly-European Union's pricey "Grand Plan for Pom-peii" initiative to save the Roman city that was preser-ved by volcanic ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted around2,000 years ago.

The 66 hectre Unesco Cultural Heritage archeolo-gical site since 2010 has been the object of internationaloutcry following a series of highly-publicised collapses.

The 2010 crumbling of a portion of the House ofthe Gladiators in November led to Sandro Bondi's re-signation as culture minister. Former prime ministerSilvio Berlusconi's government was accused by criticsof starving culture of needed funds as the country im-plemented austerity measures to save tens-of-billionsof euros to put its financial house in order.

Mafia involvement in public works projects in Italyis common and considered a reason for the south's re-lative underdevelopment. Scandals involving mafia si-phoning off Pompeii funds or placing its ownemployees to work at the site spring up periodically.

Italy pledged to be more vigilant this time, perhapsbecause a large part of the funds come from the EU.

"The danger of the Camorra is very high in this area,"said interior minister Annamaria Cancellieri at the pre-sentation. "Every company that works on the Plan forPompeii will be checked. Even if it's for tiny jobs," .

Italy is spending 63.2 million euros to for the Pom-peii work, while the 41.8 will come from the EU.

Firefighter unit for historic sites established,Lessons from Abruzzo earthquake drawn upon

(Story by ANSA)

More Italians paying their taxes, Cheating downalmost threefold since 1995

(Story by ANSA)

Fake physicians purchase autos with false checks,Criminal ring trafficked cars out of the country

(Story by ANSA)

20 Camorra arrests include three women,'Decapitated' clan also had 'stranglehold on funerals

(Story by ANSA)

Calabrian mayor steps down after mafia threats, 'Ihope this town calms down' says Carmela Lanzetta

(Story by ANSA)

EU says Italy does not need more austerity,European Commission backs Premier Monti's line

(Story by ANSA)

Italian government says Mafia 'won't get any'of Pompeii's 105 million Euros

(Story by AKI)


Whenever I would hear Lonestar's song, "I'm AlreadyThere," I would cry a little. Whether I was driving somewhereand heard the song through my car radio, or listening to theradio online. Music has the power to do that to me - to makeme cry. Especially country music. At the time, my husband wasa door gunner deployed on his ninth tour in Iraq. When thatsong would come on and I would listen to the words, my heartwould melt. It made me think of him. The feelings of fear andlonging, of hope, they would overwhelm me. And tears wouldjust flow. Even thinking about it now, I can't help the water-works. So when I had the opportunity to meet Richie McDo-nald, the man behind that song, I couldn't wait.

Richie is also one of the members of the group The FrontMen along with Tim Rushlow, formerly of Little Texas andLarry Stewart of Restless Heart. Growing up listening to coun-try music with my father, getting to meet these county super-stars meant a lot to me. They stopped by Armed ForcesNetwork's (AFNs) morning show for a brief interview the mor-ning of the concert. In the evening, they would be playing beforea crowded room of military families. I was amazed by how hum-ble and down-to-earth each of these county music icons are.

When they started talking about "I'm Already There" duringthe interview, I couldn't help myself. Tears.

QHow did you guys meet up and come up with the con-cept of The Front Men?

Richie: I was doing a show a couple of years ago with a coupleof guys that was kind of the same concept and I just felt like afish out of water. I just didn’t feel like I was really meant to be

in that group. But I thought if I had a couple guys that I had so-mething in common with, that we were all lead singers ofgroups, that would be a pretty special event. So I called LarryStewart. Larry got a head start on all of us. Larry Stewart andRestless Heart opened a lot of doors for a lot of country groupsout there, Lonestar being one of them. But I admire him, lovehis music. If only I had a dime for every time that I got to sing“Bluest Eyes in Texas” when I was in a cover band. So I thoughtLarry would be the perfect match for this whole concept andthen we got a hold of Tim Rushlow, who had some pretty bighits in a group called Little Texas. It’s been a blast. Getting tosee the world, getting to see all these men and women, gettingto see their reaction to this whole concept. We’re just up therehaving a good time and laughing, and there are also some peo-ple crying. That makes it all worthwhile to us, that we knowthat we’ve touched somebody’s heart while doing this.

Tim: It’s been really great. I don’t think one of the things weexpected when we first started was seeing the families. You’vegot families that are deployed, families making sacrifices. It’sneat to see at the show a guy walk in with his wife and his threekids and they sit down for a show and they like it and have agreat time. We had a guy the other day in Greece who came upand he had his wife with him and he says, “Man, I gotta tell ya,you’re puttin’ the romance back in my deployment.” It was agreat compliment. Basically he was saying I got to go on a datewith my wife and hear some great music from home. This wasa treat for me. And that’s really why we’re here. In Naples, itwas really touching, there was a guy who couldn’t come to theshow, his daughter wasn’t feeling well, so Richie walked them

into the theater so we could play them a couple songs just tomake sure they got a piece of that night because they couldn’tbe there for the show. We’re official tailhookers. We’ve gone out and landed on somecarriers and done some fun stuff that no civilians will ever getto do, which is a huge blessing for us. That’s kind of our paybackif you will. We also get to leave here with great memories, greatstories, heartfelt handshakes and hugs and go home and I thinkthat makes us better singers and songwriters and obviouslyAmericans. We love our country and you guys are here aroundthe world protecting and keeping us safe and doing it at an ho-norable level with integrity. The least we can do is say thank you.

QWhat does country music mean to you guys?

Larry: I grew up in western Kentucky, so I grew up listening tothe Grand Ol’ Opry with my dad at a very early age. We couldbarely get it on our AM radio. But it means a lot. That’s the be-auty of country music. It’s about real life. It’s so lyrically orien-ted. Songwriters come to Nashville to write about real life andto reach out and touch people with words, with stories and thento put along with it hopefully some great music. Country musichas come so far over the last 30 years and I still believe it’s thebest music on earth.

Tim: I’ve got to second that. We love all kinds of music. We li-sten to everything. We’re fans of music. We’re songwriters. Welove to create. We can respect all music. But I really do thinkthat country music has sort of slowly become America’s music.

Behind the music: The Front Men speak from the heart

On April 6, (left to right) The Front Men came to the Armed Forces Network (AFN) studios to chat on air before their concert at Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella.Pictured left to right, Tim Rushlow (formerly of Little Texas), Richie McDonald (of Lonestar) and Larry Stewart (of Restless Heart). (Photos by Jackie Trembath)

Tim

BY JACKIE TREMBATHNAS Sigonella Public Affairs

The Front Men performed for military families during a concert at Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella. The concert was part of a tour courtesy of Navy Entertainment in conjunction with Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR). Pictured left to right, Tim Rushlow (formerly of LittleTexas), Richie McDonald (of Lonestar) and Larry Stewart (of Restless Heart).


It’s where Americans can speak freely. We’re not out to do a lit-tle ditty on the radio. When Little Texas and Restless Heart andLonestar were touring in our original concepts, I just think itwas a special time. I don’t think I knew that at the time. I knowit now.

QWhere did you get your inspiration from growing upto become a country music singer?

Richie: I grew up in Texas and I think the great thing aboutTexas is that there’s just a wide variety of influences whenyou’re listening to the radio, especially in west Texas. You haveGeorge Strait, Alabama, even the Eagles. There’s just a widerange of music that I grew up listening to. Then when I was injunior high, high school I was in choir. I loved football, but Ithink I loved singing more than playing football because in fo-otball we’d go out every day and basically get my brains beatout. In choir I could just sing songs and just tell a message. Iknew that’s what I wanted to do years ago living in Texas. Sothat’s kind of where I got my start, singing in little coffee shopsand country clubs around town. Now here I am with thesetwo guys.

Larry: I kind of backed into this. I played three years of collegebaseball. I grew up singing with my dad from an early age,around Louisville, Kentucky. I probably dreamed about italong the way, but really, my first love, at least vocally, wassports. I grew up in an area where it really wasn’t that cool tobe a musician. You needed to be an athlete, you needed to bea “real man”, a “real jock”. So, I guess God takes you where yo-u’re supposed to go and he took me to Nashville, and I got ascholarship to play baseball at Belmont College, which oddlyenough has the number one music business program in thecountry. One thing led to another. I met some guys, met somepeople and started singing in the studio and met some moreguys and we started a band. I’d never fronted a band before inmy life. The very first time we did a show for the public as Re-stless Heart, the head of our label was there and I was so ner-vous I threw up all over his shoes. It was not something I wasreal comfortable with, so I had to figure it out and grow intoit. I knew I was supposed to be there a few years after I gotgoing. It’s just been a really great run.

Tim: I was born at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City.My dad was a singer in a sixties style soul band. My mom sangcountry, my dad sang rock ‘n’ roll. I grew up just kind of alwaysknowing that was my base. Home base was music, whether Iwas playing drums, guitar or tinkering on the piano or whate-ver, that was where I felt most at home. I was not at the level

that Larry was, but I was a tennis player and had a scholarshipopportunity to continue to play and kept taking my tennis rac-ket and turning it around as an air guitar. I realized that mademe a lot happier than tennis did. I had talent in tennis, but Ididn’t take it serious like someone who would go hit a tourwould. So I packed up and moved to Nashville.

I’ve always had the mentality that “no” means “not yet”. It doe-sn’t really mean no. That tenacity instilled from my family ena-bled me to have Teflon skin long enough to hear “you stink”50 million times until one person finally said “Hey, he’s notbad.” I took that as a yes and I just stayed at it. I bugged theheck out of Warner Bros. until they finally said, “Okay, givethis guy one song. If it doesn’t work let’s get rid of him. I can’ttake it anymore”! So, they gave me one shot with the band Iwas with, which was Little Texas and we had a hit. Of coursethen the label loved us! It was a pretty interesting ride. But it’sbeen a great one.

QThe song "I'm Already There" really spoke to the tro-ops. A lot of the troops really associate that song

with being deployed, kind of telling their lives of how it isbeing deployed. Can you tell us a little about that song?

Richie: That song, I wrote it out of personal experience but Inever realized the meaning and affect it would have on menand women in the military after 9/11. There’s a mix called “Amessage from home” and it’s “Already there” but it has recor-dings of spouses in the military that are leaving this messagesaying, “Honey, please hurry home. We miss you”. You hearthese kids and it just rips your heart out. That’s what it’s allabout for us. Making that connection and helping everybodythrough these times. Just trying to keep them close.

QAs an American, what do you want to say to men andwomen here that are serving their country? What

does it mean to you to be able to perform for our service-members?

Larry: I didn’t grow up with anyone in the service in my family.I knew nothing about someone being in the service. All I knewabout it was camouflage, jackets, and all that stuff. Seriously, Iwas so ignorant growing up. I came over here one time to per-form for the troops, probably 2004 was the first time I’d everdone that and it rocked my world, changed my whole perspec-tive on what’s really going on over here. The people and theprofessionalism and the friends that you make and you just getblown away by the stories and the wonderful people that youmeet. I was hooked. The band Restless Heart and I did a few

trips and then last October we did it again together. Again, itjust renewed my whole feeling of how powerful music is andreally what it means to people. To me that’s what it’s all about.We’ve all been lucky enough to sing a ballad or sing a song thatjust reaches out and touches somebody’s heart. That’s the coo-lest thing I could ever imagine doing and to be able to do it forthe men and women who protect us every day, to bring thatpower of music, is just something that I’m going to be able todo for a long time as long as anybody wants us to do it. I’ll behere.

Tim: Thank you. Just thank you. I have military in my familyand my best friend is a just retired Navy SEAL. His wife andmy wife are first cousins, so I always say I get marriage therapywith him. We hang out quite often but I remember his six,eight and nine month deployments and for him not being ableto say a word about where he was. These were sacrifices. Thereare families that make a huge sacrifice. It would be a crime inmy opinion to say no to a trip where you get to go and do whatyou love to do and say thank you to the men and women thatserve our nation. I can’t imagine saying no to that.

Richie: I can’t say anything that they didn’t already say. I thinkwe all feel the same. I think this is something that every Ame-rican should experience but they won’t get a chance to. Theywon’t get a chance to see what we see, to be this close to themen and women that fight for our freedom. Like Tim andLarry, I want to say thank you from me and my family. My wifeand my three kids are back home going to school and goinghome after school and jumping on the trampoline and playingin the yard because of the men and women who are over herefighting for our freedom. Families that are just like our families.Tell them thanks!

Tim: We’re keenly aware of the sacrifices they make. We got acountry we can write whatever we want to write, we can singwhatever we want to sing. Those are really major liberties,major freedoms we have. You can’t discount that. I rememberwhen we came home from the last trip in October, we had leftthe middle east and flew straight home. I came home to Fran-klin, TN and there was this festival going on. I walked into thefestival, there’s my wife and me and my kids, there’s an oceanof heads, everybody’s walking around and buying these thingsin the fall. It was a beautiful day and I looked around and Ithought - half these people, their happy today, they have noidea what is going on across the pond, whether it’s in Sicily orin Afghanistan or beyond. What our servicemen and womendo - it’s a major sacrifice and we are so thankful for that andthat’s why we come, to say thank you.

Behind the music: The Front Men speak from the heartRichie Larry

The Front Men performed for military families during a concert at Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella. The concert was part of a tour courtesy of Navy Entertainment in conjunction with Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR). Pictured left to right, Tim Rushlow (formerly of LittleTexas), Richie McDonald (of Lonestar) and Larry Stewart (of Restless Heart).


Friday, 13 APR 12 *Breakfast: Hot Oatmeal, Grilled Sausage Links, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order,Roasted Potatoes, Waffles, Asstd Doughnuts, Cinnamon Rolls.*Lunch: Cream of Potato Soup, Breaded Pork Chop, Baked Breaded Fish pollok, Oven Glo Potatoes, Tossed Green Rice, Seasoned Mix Vegetables, Summer Squash, OatmealRaisin Cookies, Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Pudding.Speed Line: Grilled Hamburger/ Cheeseburger, French Fried Potatoes, Baked Beans.*Dinner: French Onion Soup, Chicken Cacciatore, Steamed Rice, Spinach, Cauliflower Polonaise, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Pudding.

Saturday, 14 APR 12 *Breakfast: Farina, Grilled Ham Slices, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, RoastedPotatoes, Buttermilk Pancakes, Asstd Doughnuts, Crumb Cake.*Brunch: Breakfast Items, Beef Noodle Soup, Swedish meat balls, Buttered Pasta, Brown Gravy, Carrots,Fried Cabbage w/ Bacon, Snickerdoodle Cookies, Apple Crisp.*Dinner: Pepper Pot Soup, Spaghetti w/meat sauce, O’Brien Potatoes, Peas w/ Celery, Squash,

Snickerdoodle Cookies, Apple Crisp.

Sunday, 15 APR 12 *Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Grilled Minute Steak, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roa-sted Potatoes, French Toast, Asstd Doughnuts, Italian Croissant.*Brunch: Breakfast items, Chicken Gumbo Soup, Sauerbraten, Mix Vegetable, Asparagus, Peach Cob-bler, White Cake w/ Frosting.*Dinner: Manhattan Clam Chowder Soup, Teriyaki Chicken, Paprika Buttered Potatoes, Pork FriedRice, Carrots, Whole kernel Corn, Peach Cobbler, White Cake w/ Frosting.

Monday, 16 APR 12 *Breakfast: Hot Grits, Minced Beef on Toast, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, RoastedPotatoes, French Toast, Asstd Doughnuts, Butterfly Rolls.*Lunch: Creole Soup, Turkey Roast, Baked Fish, Steamed Rice, Peas, Cauliflower, Crisp Drop Cookies,Cherry Crumble Pie, Strawberry Gelatin.*Speed line: Pizza, French Fries Potatoes.*Dinner: Tomato Bouillon Soup, Baked Breaded Pork Chops, Penne Alfredo, Steamed Rice, Brown Gravy,Green Beans Nicoise, Carrot Slices, Crisp Drop Cookies, Cherry Crumble Pie, Strawberry Gelatin.

Tuesday, 17 APR 12 *Breakfast: Farina, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Waffles, Biscuitsand Gravy, Grilled Sausage Patties, Asstd Doughnuts, Bran Muffins. *Lunch: Spanish Soup, Beef Tacos, Burritos, Chicken Fajita, Mexican Rice, Refried Beans, Calico Corn,Carrots, Jalapeno Cornbread, Raspberry Filled Cake, Pecan Pie.*Speed line: Italian Sausage, F. Fries Potatoes .*Dinner: Navy Bean Soup, Roast Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Chicken Gravy, Seasoned Asparagus,

Cauliflowers, Raspberry Filled Cake, Pecan Pie.

Wednesday, 18 APR 12 *Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Creamed Ground Beef, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Pancakes, Asstd Doughnuts, Danish Diamonds.*Lunch: Puree Mongole Soup, Baked Fish, Brown Gravy, Potatoes Oven Brown, Spaghetti Meat Sauce,Spinach, Peas w/Carrots, Vanilla Cookies, Strawberry Shortcake, Tapioca Pudding.*Speed line: Grilled Hamburger/Cheeseburger, French Fries, Baked Beans.*Dinner: Beef Rice Soup, Baked Chicken, Steamed Rice, Savory Squash, Steamed Broccoli, Vanilla Cookies, Strawberry Shortcake, Tapioca Pudding.

Thursday, 19 APR 12 *Breakfast: Hominy Grits, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, FrenchToast, Asstd Doughnuts, Danish Diamonds.*Lunch: Velvet Corn Soup, Roast Pork Tenderloin, Brown Gravy, Lasagna, Oriental Rice, Oven BrownPotatoes, Spinach, Cauliflower Au Gratin, Easy Chocolate Cake, Crisp Drop Cookies.*Speed line: Pizza.*Dinner: Cream of Asparagus Soup, Chicken Tetrazzini, Corn on the Cob, Lyonnaise Rice, Collard Greens, Easy Chocolate, Crisp Drop Cookies.

Friday, 20 APR 12 *Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Sausage Patties, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, RoastedPotatoes, Waffles, Asstd Doughnuts, Apple Fritters.*Lunch: New England Clam Chowder, Lemon Baked Fish, Steamed Rice, Spaghetti Carbonara, Asparagus, Carrots , Sugar Cookies, Cheese Cake, Vanilla Cream Pudding.Speed line: Grilled Hamburger/Cheeseburger, French Fries, Baked Beans.*Dinner: Vegetable Supreme Soup, Italian Sausage, Spaghetti Garlic & Oil, Oven Browned Potatoes,Spinach, Oriental Stir Fry, Sugar Cookies, Cheesecake, Vanilla Cream Pudding.

Many Sigonellans have noticed increa-sed occurrences of water infiltration, waterdiscoloration, and in some cases, mold bothwhere they work and live especially after re-ceiving recent extreme weather. There areseveral basic facts that should be known tohelp protect against the effects of mold.

First, molds are the most common formof fungus and include yeasts, mildews, andmushrooms. Mold is found in multiple lo-cations both indoors and outdoors yearround so we are exposed to it regularly.Growth may occur when excessive moistureaccumulates in carpet, ceiling tile, wallbo-ard, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

While mold eventually develops as a re-sult of moisture accumulation, severalevents occur first including water infiltra-tion from flooding, leaking pipes, and pipe“sweating.” If the source of water intrusionis not quickly identified and affected surfacedried out, conditions may become favorablefor mold growth. As we saw with Sigonella’srecent flooding and rain, many of our buil-dings’ resilient properties were tested andas a result, some buildings did not fare well.

Large amounts of mold growth in buil-dings can lead to structural damage andpoor aesthetics creating odors. People havea wide variety of responses to these odorsranging from no response at all to nasal stuf-finess, eye and skin irritation.

“Toxic mold” is an incorrect phrase usedin reference to molds that produce severehealth effects in humans. This is not a scien-

tific term and it implies that some molds aremore toxic than others.

All molds may lead to adverse health ef-fects if conditions are favorable. Individualsthat believe they are suffering from mold re-lated symptoms should seek medical atten-tion.

Regulatory standards governing moldor mold spores are limited so the primarymethod of protecting yourself is by remo-ving all mold as soon as it is initially identi-fied.

The first key to prevention is moisturecontrol. Within your workplace, this shouldinclude visual inspections to ensure the buil-ding envelope and drainage systems are inproper working order; ensuring there are nowater leaks in seals around doors, windows,and expansion joints; and proper HVAC sy-stem moisture control (relative humiditybelow 60%). While at home, vent moisturegenerating appliances in areas such as dryers,cooking areas, and bathrooms. All is not lostif your efforts to prevent water intrusionhave failed. Clean and dry wet surfaces assoon as possible and no later than 24-48hours after identifying wet surfaces.

If mold growth occurs there are severalactions that should be taken. The leakshould be repaired to prevent future moldgrowth. Also, the mold needs to be cleanedand completely removed with water and amild detergent then allowed to dry comple-tely. Killing mold is not sufficient since resi-dual biomass can still produce adverse

effects. When cleaning small areas, use pro-tective gloves such as rubber household ornitrile gloves and goggles or safety glassesto avoid skin and eye contact. Absorbent orporous materials such as ceiling tiles mayneed to be replaced entirely if mold growthis significant.

In summary, the “rules” for protectingagainst mold include the following:

• Prevention is the best way to keep bio-logical contamination from becoming a pro-blem.

•Prevention’s key elements are timelymaintenance and prompt repair of facilitiesand general moisture control.

• If contamination is found or suspec-ted, immediate action is required to identifyand fix the water intrusion source, dry thearea, and clean or discard contaminateditems. The goal is to minimize the healthrisk for occupants.

Resources: Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Preventing Mold-Related Problems in the Indoor Workplace (OSHA 3304-04N 2006). Retrievedfrom http://www.osha.gov/Publications/preventing_mold.pdf. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Mold. Retrieved from http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/molds/index.html. Environmental Protection Agency. Mold and Moisture. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldresources.html#Regulations

Mold: What you should knowBY LT NICHOLAS SCHAALHead Industrial Hygiene Department, Naval Hospital Sigonella

Lt. Nicholas Schaal

Homeschooling andthe military family:A perfect match?BY ANN FORRESTHomeschooling support group

In honor of April’s “Month of the MilitaryChild”, the homeschooling support group inSigonella is sponsoring a brief presentationabout how homeschooling can ease some ofthe unique challenges military children face.Topics to be covered include:

- Impact on the family- Relevant DoD guidance- Socialization concerns - Cost - Parent qualifications - Available resources If you’ve ever been curious about home-

schooling as an option for your child’s educa-tion, or just want to learn more about thisgrowing trend, please stop by.

Saturday, April 283-4 p.m.Meeting room 1 (above Connections)NAS IBY ANN FORRESTHomeschooling support group

For those currently homeschooling, orplanning to start soon, we are hosting a curri-culum fair on April 28 from 2 - 5 p.m. Home-schooling parents will be on hand to show youthe resources they use and answer questions.

For any questions, contact Ann Forrest [email protected]. Welook forward to seeing you there!!

Tuesday, April 175:00 PM Big Miracle PG 5:30 PM TP Good Deeds PG-137:30 PM The Hunger Games PG-138:00 PM Wanderlust R Wednesday, April 185:00 PM Ghost Rider 2 PG-135:30 PM Chronicle PG-13 7:30 PM Wrath of the Titans PG-138:00 PM Safe House R

Thursday, April 19 5:00 PM Star Trek PG-13 5:30 PM Woman In Black PG-137:30 PM Ghost Rider 2 PG-138:00 PM This Means War R

Friday, April 20 5:00 PM Good Deeds PG-13 5:30 PM Wrath of the Titans PG-137:30 PM Wanderlust R 8:00 PM Act of Valor R

Saturday, April 21 2:00 PM Journey 2 PG 2:30 PM Good Deeds PG-134:30 PM Wrath of the Titans PG-13 5:00 PM This Means War R7:30 PM Gone PG-13 Sunday, April 22 2:00 PM The Hunger Games PG-132:30 PM Ghost Rider 2 PG-134:30 PM Gone PG-135:00 PM This Means War R7:30 PM Wanderlust R

* FREE MOVIE

Movie schedule is subject to change. Please call to confirm.

Movie Hotline: 624-4248

MIdtOwN MOvIe theaterSSchedule & deScriptionS


COMING SOON:Gone, A Thousand Words, Friends with Kids, Project X,Silent House, John Carter, Mirror Mirror, American Reunion, 21 Jump Street

MWR and Navy Entertainment arebringing hard rockers Taking Back Sun-day to Sigonella! The group has returnedto its 2003 lineup that produced their pla-tinum-selling album, “Tell All YourFriends.”

Taking Back Sunday has releasedthree studio albums and was featured insome of the biggest rock festivals in theworld, including the Sonisphere Festival,Bamboozle and Linkin Park’s Projekt Re-volution Tour. They’re also planning tojoin the Vans Warped Tour this summer.

The band made headlines last monthafter a tree fell on lead singer Adam Laz-zara, crushing his leg. In true rock star fa-shion, Lazzara has not allowed the injuryto slow him down. The singer is still set totake the stage with his band next week atSigonella, though he may be rocking acast as well!

Taking Back Sunday is scheduled toperform Friday, April 20 at 8:30 p.m. inthe Global Hawk Hangar, Building 630on NAS II. They’ll also be doing a meetand greet before the show from 7 - 8 p.m.

MWR has a new website, www.sigmwr.com! The new siteputs all the fun Sigonella info you need at your fingertips athome and anywhere you go on your mobile device! You’llfind ITT trips, sports, movie and fitness schedules, and eventhe latest Preview magazine! All the latest upcoming eventsare featured and so much more! Save www.sigmwr.com toyour favorites today!

MWR website is here! Don’t miss TakingBack Sunday Friday, April 20

TYLER PERRY’S GOOD DEEDS…………………..PG-13STARRING: Tyler Perry, Gabrielle Union and Thandie Newton

Businessman Wesley Deeds is jolted out of his scripted life when he meets Lindsey, a single mother who works on the cleaning crew in his office building. (1 hr. 50 min.)

WRATH OF THE TITANS….PG-13STARRING: Stars: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson and Rosamund Pike

Perseus braves the treacherous underworld to rescue his father, Zeus, captured by his son,Ares, and brother Hades who unleash the ancient Titans upon the world. (1 hr. 39 min.)

WANDERLUST….RSTARRING:Stars: Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd

Rattled by sudden unemployment, a Manhattan couple surveys alternative living options,ultimately deciding to experiment with living on a rural commune where free love rules. (1 hrs. 38 min.)

THE HUNGER GAMES…......PG-13STARRING: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth

Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to thedeath on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place for thelatest match (2 hrs. 22min.)

Register from April

2 - 27

at the NAS I a

nd NAS II Gyms.

No day of race re

gistratio

n.


Find the way!

GAME

Find the words!

AVALON

BONJOVI

BUFFET

CAMPBELL

CASH

CHESNEY

COLE

CURTIS

DARIN

DYLAN

GAYE

HENDRIX

HOLLY

IGLESIAS

JACKSON

JAGGER

JONES

KRAVITZ

MARLEY

NELSON

OSBOURNE

PRESLEY

PRINCE

REDDING

SINATRA

SPRINGSTEEN

STING

TWITTY

URBAN

WEST


Did you know?- Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak formed Apple Computer on April 1, 1976.

- The sweaters Mr. Rogers wore on the show were hand knitted by his mom.

- April and July start on the same day of the week each year.

- A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.

- When you sneeze, all your bodily functions stop even your heart.

- A cockroach can live 9 days without its head before it starves to death.

- A quarter has 119 grooves around the edge.

Sudoku!

2009 Harley Davison, SporsterNightster Gloss Black, More than$1,000 in accessories to includeMustang Leather saddle, ExtendedControls and New Dunlop tires. Ask-ing for $7,000. Blue Book value plusaccessories is at $9,000. Call todayfor test ride. 3351938809.

2007 Honda VTX1300 Motorcycle.12000 Mi. First owner. New wind-screen, back tire, and several spareparts. Garage kept and covered. KBB$6K. Will take $5K. Contact Donat3392898823.

2003 VW GOLF 2.0 TDI. 213K kilome-ters, maintenance well documented.Has been a great ride from coast tocoast! $5,500.00. Contact Chuck at3403460688.

2001 TD4 Landrover Freelander.turbo diesel, Automatic. (Transmission2-yrs old) 150K clicks, chrome sideboards mounted. Immaculate con-dition. 4,900 euro. Contact Lina at624-3789 or 334-962-7641.

1997 Chrysler Voyager, diesel, greenmetallic, 7- passenger van. Manual.A/C. Five doors, 2500cc, 150k kilo-meters. Great family vehicle. 2,500Euro OBO. Call 3492936727.

2000 Silver BMW 318i 5 Speed Ma-nual, 4 doors, Xenon front lights, sixairbags, 17" wheels, alarm system,new brakes, A/C, CD, Runs great.Ready to drive. 4,600 Euro. CallTommy at 331-954-4486.

Volunteers needed to help plan theRed Cross's Bike Rodeo and Bike toWork Day events in May. Attend thenext Special Events Meeting, April17 at 1630 at the Red Cross office.Volunteers will organize stations forrefreshments, childrens bicycle sa-fety, helmet fitting, and registration.Please contact the Red Cross at DSN624 4900 for more information.

PTO board members needed for allpositions. Contact current PTO Pre-sident ElisaThompson ([email protected]) or PTO teacherrepresentatives, Sallie Davis([email protected]) or CathyIndresano ([email protected]).

Sigonella's All Officers Spouses Club(AOSC) will be accepting applica-tions for community donations. Eachyear AOSC raises funds in order tosupport the Sigonella community. If

your group or organization could be-nefit from a donation, please [email protected] and re-quest an application. Completed ap-plications will be due April 24.

The triennial Overseas Housing Allo-wance (OHA) Utility and Move-InHousing Allowance (MIHA) survey isopen during all of April for personnelstationed in Italy. The voluntary sur-vey is for military personnel who re-side in privately leased quarters andreceive an overseas housing allo-wance. Survey results will be used toupdate OHA utility and MIHA allo-wance rates for Italy. The DefenseTravel Management Office (DTMO)encourages participation from everyeligible service member. Individualresponses will be held in strict confi-dence by DTMO and will not be sha-

red with any other office or agency.The survey can be found athttps://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/aprutilmiha.cfm and will be ac-tive starting April 1 until the close ofbusiness April 30. The survey maytake as much as 45 minutes to com-plete. The regional commander,Navy Region Europe, Africa, Sou-thwest Asia will be coordinating sur-vey participation for installations inItaly. If you have any questions orneed more information, please con-tact the regional coordinators at DSN314-626-2551.

Gracie, 5 months, female, black, dog,very sweet and easy going dog thatwill get along with all types of dogs.A little shy with new people but will

warm up quickly to the right home.Current on shots, microchipped.Princess, 5 monnths, female, brownand white, dog, she gets along greatwith everyone and thinks she can fitjust perfectly on your lap. Current onshots, microchipped.

Fuzzy, 6 months, female, brown withblack tips, dog, she starts off a bit shybut she is a real sweet and calm dog.Current on shots, microchipped.

Binks, 6 months, male, tuxedo, cat,enjoys other pets. current on shots,microchipped. Next pet relocationworkshop is April 18 at FFSC at 1500.

To volunteer, adopt or foster, visitfacebook.com/Sigonella.Animals orhttp://sigonellaanimalwelfareso-ciety.webs.com/

AUTOMOB I L E S

VO LUNT E ER S

SAWS AN IMA L S


NOT I C E

PA I D A D S

2000 FIAT SEICENTO, Kilome-ters 71,000 miles, gas mileage42 MPG (regular unleaded). Thisvehicle has been used as a sec-ond car and has been mostlyused on short trips in the localarea. It is easy to drive and isvery small making it easy to getaround town and find parking.We have been the only owners ofthis car. It is registered at MVROand was last inspected in No-

vember 2011. $3,000 OBO. Con-tact # 345-631-4602.

SIgN up TOdAy! Your LocalClassified Site. www.sigonella-treasures.com

2000 COugAr, 2.5V6, 17"Rims/Spoiler/Fogs, AirBags,Traction Control/ABS, Alarm,Very Clean, Silver, 3,200 Euro.e-mail: bt745@ yahoo.com


Men’s Basketball Tournament: January through March | Teams: FIL-AM (CaptainWillie Ruffy); Security (Captain Marlon O’Neil);COMSTA (Captain Terrence Washington); OPS(Captain Kevin O’Connor); Rolling 30+ (CaptainMarlon Brown); NAS II Goondocks (Captain Na-thaniel Squall)

Preseason Tournament“Single Bracket Elimination”: First Place: NAS II Goondocks

Regular Season Tournament“Double Round Robin”: First Place: Security

The Finals “Double Bracket Elimination”: First Place: Security, Second Place: COMSTA,Third Place: NAS II Goondocks

Top 10 Players of 2012Total Points for the Year (TPFY) and AveragePoints Per Game (APPG)1. Lonnie Richardson, NAS II Goondocks: 268

PFY / 15 APPG2. Jarret Jenkins, NAS II Goondocks: 260 PFY /

14 APPG3. Maurice Wong, Security: 240 PFY / 15 APPG4. Marlon Brown, Rolling 30+: 238 PFY / 14

APPG5. Alton Shelman, Security: 205 PFY / 13 APPG6. William Evans, NAS II Goondocks: 204 PFY /

14 APPG7. Kenneth Stewart, COMSTA: 201 PFY / 15

APPG8. Kristopher Mackey, COMSTA: 169 PFY / 11

APPG

9. Deandre Tron, OPS: 162 PFY / 12 APPG10.Theo Pardo, FIL-AM: 145 PFY / 11 APPG

Player of the Year: Lonnie Richardson, NAS II Goondocks

Coach of the Year Award: Willie Ruffy, FIL-AM

Wallyball Tournament “Single Bracket Elimination” Wins and LosesMarch 12 through April 11 | Teams: Greene (Cap-tain Mike Greene): 0/4; Hospital (Captain JoeSantinceto): 2/2; USAF (Captain Ron Briggs):2/2; FIL-AM (Captain Jester Cabanting): 2/2;Pippo’s Army (Captain John Lenz): 4/0.

Racquetball Tournament “Single Round Robin”Players: Ron Briggs, Nick Coker, Robert Coan,Scott Butler, Jon Eddy, Luciano Matazqzzo andKimberly SamaniegoLeading with 7 wins: Ron Briggs

Coming Soon: Adult Softball Season 15 Teams: OPS, Security A, Security B, PWD,AIMD, HOSP, NCTS, Aftershocks, EOC, GlobalHawk, NAS SIG Admin, Supply, FLC/CTS, VP-47 and Kanto Boyz

Adult Soccer Season12 Teams: HOSP, AIMD, Security, DODEA,NCTS Sicily, ETD, CTF-67, OPS, FLC/Supply,PW, and GH

Adult Rugby Season60 players and growing!

Sigonella Adult Sports

april 13, 2012 the signature

Documents

men superstars

tim page

naval airstation nas

world tour

cluding tim rushlow

richie mcdonald of lonestar

military service members

day tour