WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES DECEMBER 26, 2019 13
BY JENNA BAGCAL
JBAGCAL@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Here are the top stories from
August 2019.
Popular pizzeria in Ridgewood
celebrates 60 years of serving up
classic Italian dishes
Corato Pizza celebrated its 60 year
anniversary at Corato II on Myrtle
Avenue. Assemblywoman Catherine
Nolan, Assemblyman Mike Miller,
Senator Joseph Addabbo and Councilman
Robert Holden joined in on
the Aug. 29 celebration.
Original owners Sal, Leo and
Richard Ferrucci came to America
in 1959 to open the restaurant. The
trio named the pizzeria after the
town in Italy they emigrated from.
The Ferruccis brought home recipes
with them that are still used at
the restaurant today. They opened
Corato Pizza II in 1988 and the establishment
was bought 10 years later
by Marco Cerbone, who co-owns it
with his son Marco Jr.
Nolan noted that when the restaurant
first opened, the neighborhood
was mostly German-American. As
time went on, Ridgewood underwent
“radical changes” in the ethnic
makeup.
Cerbone said that Corato II is
a relic of the 1980s when Italians
started moving to Ridgewood in
greater numbers. He immigrated to
the United States in 1974 and started
working at Corato when he was 14.
Together, he and his son have come
up with original recipes like pasta
boscaiola, a creamy pasta dish that
features mushrooms, bacon and
tomatoes.
Ridgewood and Glendale to
get two new homeless shelters
housing at least 330 people, city
agency says
In August, the Department of
Homeless Services confirmed that
it would be opening two homeless
shelters in Ridgewood and Glendale.
The agency said that the two
facilities would house “at least” 330
people.
Councilman Robert Holden broke
the news on Facebook on Aug. 24
after DHS told him about the “extensive
renovation” happening at
78-16 Cooper Ave. The site at Cooper
Avenue will house 200 single individuals
who are currently employed
or seeking employment. DHS plans
to open the shelter in 2020.
DHS plans to open the Glendale
shelter at 1616 Summerfield St. in
late 2020. It will house approximately
132 families will children.
The agency said that housing priority
at both locations will be given to
residents who are originally from
Community Board 5.
On Aug. 23, Holden blasted DHS
for not going forward with his alternate
plan to build a school at the
Glendale site instead of a homeless
shelter. He said that his “strong plan”
to build a new District 75 school
was supported by many city agencies.
But when Chancellor Richard
Caranza got involved, he did not
support the plan.
Maspeth family fears missing
teenage girl was lured to London
by older man
On Aug. 27, the police investigated
the case of a missing Maspeth teen
who had allegedly left the country
to Europe. The family of 16-yearold
Victoria Grabowski said that
they had last seen her on Aug. 24.
Grabowski’s uncle said that the
girl’s parents discovered texts on
her cellphone between herself and
an older man from London. The
texts revealed that Grabowski had
plans to leave via JFK airport and
meet the man.
The chats showed that the young
Grabowski was keenly interested
in London and had intentions to
move there. Her uncle, Arkadiusz
Grabowski, said that his niece paid
for the ticket in cash though her
parents did not know where she
got the funds. Grabowski, a Polish
citizen, used her Polish passport to
board the flight.
The texts between the teen and
the British man were part of a group
chat that included other individuals.
The girl’s family could not say how
old the other participants were.
Her parents hired a private investigator
to assist in the case. At the
time, the NYPD could not confirm
that Grabowski had boarded the
flight.
YEAR IN REVIEW
The top stories from August 2019
Marco Cerbone Jr. takes a customer’s order at the satellite location of Corato Pizza. Photo: Max Parrott/QNS
Victoria Grabowski Photo courtesy of NYPD
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