The story began some years ago when the parishers first noticed oil drops on the icon of Christ the Archpriest, which the man responsible for filling the oil lamps undoubtedly characterized as a mirage, since he said he hadn’t spilled oil on it.

The reported urative powers of the oil tears spread around and Kouremetis said that many parishioners, who did not want to be named, had experienced the power of God through the icon. However, many others remain skeptical over the issue and the church Council’s president Dimitrios Tsagkaris has openly questioned the claims and noted that the church worker was directed by Kouremetis to sign a statement proclaiming the icon miraculous.

According to a Salt Lake Tribune report, the dispute escalated when Tsagkaris called the circumstances surrounding the weeping icon suspicious and the head priest of the Church characterized disbelievers as “black souls.” The council has written Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver asking him to remove the priest from his position.

Isaiah publicized the council’s letter to all parishioners and asked them to take responsibility over the matters occurring within their community and not simply put the blame on the priest. “In Salt Lake City, it appears that the priest is always to blame. … is there no sharing of the responsibility of any lay members of the church as well? A realistic self-examination must reveal accountability from more than one direction,” he said, according to the newspaper. Isaiah, however, promised to look into the matter and make a decision.

Olga – co-founder of critically-acclaimed Noiti Grammi theatrical company in Athens – presents Noiti Grammi: When the Red Toyota Went off The Road and Sank in Black Water. The story has eerie parallels to the incident at Chappaquiddick Island off Massachusetts in 1969 in which a young campaign aide, Mary Jo Kopechne, drowned when a car driven by then U.S. Teddy Kennedy of Massachusetts went off a narrow bridge after the two left a party together.

Pozeli puts her story this way: “A prominent politician meets, at a party, a young woman who works for his party’s campaign. After several drinks and a solitary walk on the beach, the politician expresses his interest in the woman. Towards the end of the evening they leave the party together. While driving his car, the politician loses control and the car falls into a dark swamp and immediately sinks into black water. He manages to escape the sinking vehicle, leaving the woman to drown.”

The story is followed through the eyes of the young woman, an impressionistic jumble of memories and voices from the past intersected by images from the day of her death. These images, stretched in time and constantly repeated, try to give an explanation for the tragic accident that leads to her slow and agonizing death. It’s performance on the corruption of power, as well as attitudes about the absurdity of a violent and unjust death.

Pozeli  has directed original devised works as well as plays by Berkoff, Bennett, Mamet, Ives and more. This show is supported by the Greek Ministry of Culture. To find out more about the schedule, the artists and their performances visit:

www.betweentheseas.org

“It is an honor and a great thrill to be elected Grand President,” said Saltas, who is a member of Charai Chapter 79, Salt Lake City. “I look forward to working with the Grand Lodge and the membership to take our existing successful programs in education, philanthropy, and social services to greater levels to the benefit of the community.”

Saltas, a 38-year member of the group, has served all the major positions at the national, district, and chapter levels within the organization, including Grand Vice-President (2011-12) and all offices at the Grand Lodge level.  In 2007, she was selected as National Penelope of the Year. Saltas’ theme for the administrative year is “Achieve.” She challenged the membership to reach new heights of tolerance, respect, and patience and to achieve more in the way of programs, events, and outreach in the community.

“I believe strongly in the philosophy of our organization’s founder, Alexandra Apostolides,” noted Saltas, who was born and raised in Salt Lake City. She is a graduate of the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education and a Master’s degree in Computer Science. Although Saltas is now retired after a 30-year teaching career, she currently does part-time work for the University of Utah School of Medicine. She is also active in other community organizations, including the Philoptochos, and a past president of the local Pan Arcadian chapter.

Founded in San Francisco in 1929, the Daughters of Penelope is the first women’s organization of its kind established in the United States. It is an affiliate organization of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA.) The mission of the DOP is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of Hellenism, Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence.

2012-13 Daughters of Penelope Grand Lodge

Elected to the Daughters of Penelope Grand Lodge were:  Grand Vice President Anna-Helene Grossomanides, Westerly, R.I.; Canadian President Aspa Kostopoulos, Ontario, Canada; Grand Secretary Demi Thomas, Ridgewood, N.J.; Grand Treasurer Connie Pilallis, Boca Raton, Fla.; Grand Governor Zone I Maria Cookie Patelos, Albany, N.Y.; Grand Governor Zone II Kathryn Tripodis, Parma, Ohio; Grand Governor Zone III Barbara Maligas, Spring, Texas; Grand Governor Zone IV Jan Spanos, Sacramento, Calif.; and Grand Advisor to the Maids of Athena Niki Pallas, Chandler, Arizona.

Can you sense the sarcasm in my voice? Don’t get me wrong I have lived the whole “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” story with my father working at four different Greek diners and my mother telling me every day of my life to find “a nice Greek boy to marry.” But I don’t think, I can say that every Greek-American reading this believes the same thing, that this is not the way to promote Greece. The person responsible for this brilliant idea is the deputy minister of tourism and culture Mr. George Nikitiadis. His idea goes as follows, to grab a bunch of Greek artists put their work on these placemats, which as well know that these very same placemats get crumbled, doodle and wipe off everybody’s spills and leftover food daily. The sad part is not just the idea but that commercial sponsors from Greece, like ΟΠΑΠ and the restaurant association are giving money for this idea to blossom and come alive.

About 6 million euro’s are being given for 7 million throwaway placemats to be printed and distributed to diners across America. It doesn’t end here also plastic throwaway cups are going to be given to the customers of these diners as well. What happened to posters, art exhibits with various Greek or Greek-American artists, concerts and dance festivals to raise money to promote Greece? You can just shoot a commercial in Astoria, Queens in New York City and you have your promotion right there.

I might be the only one angry and annoyed about this “awesome”, “brilliant”, “extraordinary”, and “wonderful” tourism idea but I believe Greece deserves better than throwaway placemats and plastic cups, especially in the times that we are in now.

Back in 2007, a survey amongst parishioners has shown that 87% were against the split of the Greek Orthodox Community into two parishes, the Holy Trinity Cathedral located in Salt Lake City downtown and the Prophet Elias Church in Holladay.

In the October 24 meeting, 90 community members discussed ways of keeping the 105-year-old community intact, which included possible suing and judicial action on behalf of them.

Holy Trinity Cathedral was the original parish church and then in the 1960’s the community added a second church, the one of Prophet Elias. Today, the combined parish has more than 1,200 families.

Metropolitan Isaiah claimed that the two churches have been “de facto” separate parishes for several years, and he has become convinced that most parishioners want them to formally separate.

“The anger and the animosity between these parishes, involving an increasing number of members, have verified the fact that this situation could last for many more years,” Metropolitan Isaiah wrote, “and this would be a continuing detriment to the teachings and traditions of our holy Orthodox faith.”

Parishioner John Saltas finds no particular reason to undo what the community has built over more than a century. “Our community has been neighbors, work partners and communes at the holy altar for over 100 years,” he said. “The majority of us do not want this to happen, and that’s by a wide, wide, wide majority.”

Now, the concerned parishioners are planning to continue with the legal actions against The Metropolitan and the Proistameno of Prophet Elias Church, since their only wish is to get things back the way they were before the arrival of the Proistameno.

“Crown Burgers” has 21 locations around Utah and other states but Salt Lake City businesses relying on the local NBA team Utah Jazz to boost profits will witness a serious 25-30% decline due to the lockout.

“Tremendous impact on our business. It’s cutting into us,” said Crown Burger Manager, Mike Catsanevas, who has decided to represent all local businesse owners in an attempt of making everyone involved in the NBA realize what a severe economical blow this lockout means for their businesses.

The restaurant employs 41 workers who rely on Utah Jazz games to pack the parking lots outside the Energy Solutions Arena and the cash machines with money. If NBA games continue to be cancelled Mr. Catsanevas fears he will not be able to survive this time, as he did back in the 1999 last work stoppage.

“People were upset and had a right to be. Everybody needs to be paid for their jobs,” he said. “But how much money do you need to make? Let’s be honest here. Everybody else is suffering (in this economy). I don’t want to bad-mouth players or the owners, but how much money do these guys really need to keep making?” told Mr. Catsanevas the USA Today.

Businesses are hoping the NBA will resolve the lockout before the season begins because even a single lost game means bad businesses for everyone.

The classic Greek tragedy will be hosted at the Noorda Theatre, UVU campus, under the guidance of Sarah Ruhl, who has adapted the play for stage and also written its dialogues.

The play will be taking on a more modern perspective than the original myth.”In Sarah Ruhl’s version that we are performing, the story is set in a dream-like, surreal version of the 1950s,” said Lisa Hagan, assistant professor of theater history and dramaturgy. “It plays off postmodern images and humorous, contemporary language.”

This particular stage version of “Eurydice” is written from the perspective of the leading lady, Eurydice in Ruhl’s version in comparison to the classic version. The role of Eurydice is being played by Aubrey Bench, a sophomore at UVU who is studying theater performance.

The leading actress said: “We hope people will have an experience to think and examine their own lives. If one person leaves the theater feeling like they have experienced a sense of rebirth, then it was worth it”.

She indirectly sent another message to the Skopian Republic with the option of using the term “Makedonia”, referring to the northern neighborhood.  Clinton has strongly supported the Greek “2014 Agenda” for the accession of the whole Balkan network of Serbia, Bosnia, and Kosovo into the E.E.

The Katsanevas family immigrated to America from Greece. And while you may not know them personally, their prominent businesses are well known in Utah .
Crown Burgers, for instance, is one of them.
Their story is, as they say, a dream come true to be living in America.
Their story in America dates back to 1947, when Mike brought his young family to the U.S. and later to Salt Lake City in 1954, where they have made their home ever since.
They started in America with nothing, arriving at the end of World War II. “That was my first pair of shoes, when I was 11 years old. It was a real treat,” says Mike’s son Louie Katsanevas (foto).
But a few years of poverty here turned to success through a lot of hard work and their culture of hospitality.
“When I came here, at first, it was tough,” says Louie. “I couldn’t speak English, I had to learn and I had to work. It was tough at first, but the next few years everything came naturally. You make friends, you start work, get married, have kids and a family.”
Sunday at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral, the Katsanevas family was honored for 55 years of contributions they have made to the Greek community and also Utah.
“Our grandparents came here and worked terribly hard and left for us a good family name,” says grandson Ted Sargetakis. Granddaughter Angie Katsanevas says she’s grateful for her heritage.
“I am proud of being a Greek girl. I’m very proud of how we were raised. I’m very proud of the strong culture we have behind us,” she says. The New York Times recognized Crown Burgers last year as one of the best burgers around. According to the next generation, the family’s success is not from their hamburgers — it’s their heritage, traditions and culture.
“Greeks are known for their hospitality and truly, regardless of what industry you are in, as a Greek, hospitality comes first,” Michael says. “And when people come first, success follows.”
That success is more than the family members who immigrated here nearly 60 years ago ever dreamed of.
“I have a really nice family, extended family, immediate family. I live the life of my dreams in America,” Louie says.
The Greek community honors one family each year for overcoming the obstacle of immigrating, finding success in the U.S. and continuing to honor their Greek traditions.
Beyond Crown Burgers, the Katsanevas family is involved in beauty salons, a jewelry store and other small businesses.
(source: ksl)