UNICO National is seeking qualified applicants for its Executive Director position
This individual serves as the principal professional resource to the UNICO National Executive Committee, and in cooperation with the National President, represents UNICO National to the members, benefactors and volunteers throughout the country. This position has overall responsibility for strategy implementation, staff leadership, and day-today op...
Father Ferdinand Buccafurni, who served Italian parishes, dies
Father Ferdinand Buccafurni, pastor emeritus of the former St. Donato Parish in Philadelphia, died Dec. 16, 2021 at Lankenau Hospital, Wynnewood. He was 91. He was born in Calabria, Italy. After moving to the United States in 1940 with his family including parents Vincent and Marina (Mazza) Buccafurni and residing in Philadelphia, he attended St. M...
Family celebrates 100th anniversary of grandfather's immigration
On Dec. 19, 1921, Gary Zuchelli’s grandfather, Guido Zucchelli, came to America looking for new opportunities. On the same date, 100 years later, his family came together to celebrate just that. “He came over from Pranzo, Italy,” Gary said. “When he was born, the land was under the control of Austria, but it was included in the land given to Italy...
Milo Ventimiglia reflects on six seasons of playing a yinzer on 'This Is Us'
Before “This Is Us,” Milo Ventimiglia had only a cursory familiarity with Pittsburgh. The Southern California native had been here a few times doing branded-content work with American Eagle Outfitters at its South Side headquarters, but he had never thought too critically about what it means to be a yinzer. That changed when he got the role of Jack...
Historic Montclair church built by Italian immigrants is struggling to restore Sunday Mass
On Nov. 27, for the first time in two years, the pews at Montclair's Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church were packed, and voices joined in prayer and song. "It was such an important occasion, and so beautiful," said Marielena Marzullo, a longtime parishioner who grew up on Pine Street two doors down from the church, and attended its grammar school, now...
Italian American Police Officers Society of NJ Hosts Party for Big Brother’s and Big Sisters of Northern Jersey
The Italian American Police Society of NJ hosted a Holiday Party for hundreds of children and volunteers from Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Northern New Jersey at the Parsippany Police Athletic League. Santa and Mrs. Claus joined officers to provide toys, gifts, pizza, and gift cards to children in single-parent families. The Society, founded in...
Alessandro Crocco is the new President of the Comites New York, New Jersey and Connecticut
During a meeting held at the Consulate General of Italy in New York, the new members of the Comites in the presence of the Consul General of Italy Fabrizio Di Michele, elected Predident Alessandro Crocco, 35 years old, of White Plains, New York. The new President immediately addressed the assembly, thanked everyone for having participated in the f...
18 months later, the Columbus statue is still standing in Marconi Plaza, inside a box
As 2021 comes to a close, the statue of Christopher Columbus remains standing in Marconi Plaza. And as it has for the past year and a half, it remains entirely enclosed in a wooden box. The legal battle over whether the City of Philadelphia is allowed to relocate the statue could take another year or two to reach a conclusion, said the lawyer argui...
Dominic Averza, a leader in Baltimore’s Italian American community and downtown contractor, dies
Dominic Averza, a leader in Baltimore’s Italian American community who led a firm that completed numerous downtown sidewalk, road and bridge projects, died of congestive heart failure Dec. 11 at his Baltimore County home. He was 94. Born in Baltimore and raised in Little Italy on South High Street, he was the son of Joseph Averza and Vittoria...
New Book Celebrates Philadelphia's Italian Influences
A new book is celebrating Philadelphia’s Italian influences, including the first settlers, business leaders and politicians. NBC10’s Tracy Davidson speaks with Andrea Canepari, the book’s co-editor and Philadelphia’s former Consul General of Italy.
Pittsburgh argues that Italian-American group has no right to challenge Columbus statue removal
Attorneys for the City of Pittsburgh said that a lawsuit filed against it last year to save the Christopher Columbus statue at Schenley Park ought to be dismissed because the organization that filed it doesn’t have standing. In documents filed last week in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court, the city said the group suing it, the Italian Sons and D...
St. Leo's Church 140th anniversary campaign doubles goal
St. Leo's Church 140th anniversary campaign has exceeded - and doubled - its $140,000 goal one month ahead of its six-month close, totaling approximately $170,000, the amount before an anonymous donor has committed to matching the $140K. Separately, a generous and anonymous couple who had visited the church last month donated $25K. The Anniversary...