Army Specialist 5th Class Allan Zitella
The youngest of three children, Allan Zitella was born in Chicago to Joseph and Christina (Zipparo) Barrile. His mother died when Zitella was 3 years old and he and his siblings, Richard and JoAnn, were eventually adopted by their maternal great-aunt and -uncle, Anna and James Zitella. Zitella grew up in the neighborhood around Harlem and North ave...
Perrone, Clark honored by Greater Rockford Italian American Association
As Italian Heritage Month came to an end last month, we once again honored local Italian-Americans of note. The Greater Rockford Italian American Association held its annual Italian Hall of Fame and Special Recognition Award Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, at the Venetian Club in Rockford, Illinois. The GRIAA is a non-profit organization of volu...
Salute to Veterans: Italian connections for an American sailor
I am a first-generation American and a World War II veteran. My parents came to the U.S. from Lucca, Italy, and settled in LaPorte, Indiana. I was born four short months after their arrival. I grew up speaking only Italian at home. Little did I know at the time that this would have a major impact on my time in the U.S. Navy in World War II. After a...
A Sign of Great Things to Come
There’s no place like home, especially in the heart of Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood. And what better place for the Northern Ohio Italian American Foundation (NOIA) to establish its new, permanent headquarters, now open at 12018 Mayfield Road? This past December, the NOIA executive staff moved in while work on the interior design progresse...
Cleveland Museum of Art to return 13th century Italian artwork
The Cleveland Museum of Art has agreed to return to the Italian government a work that dates to the 13th century. A manuscript leaf, once reportedly part of a choral book near the city of Siena, has been in the museum’s collection since 1952, obtained in good faith from a collection in New York. It’s described on the CMA website as “Christ in Majes...
Belmonte helps residents celebrate life in Hillside
Not everyone can say they found their calling in life. Evelyn Belmonte is among the lucky ones. For nearly three decades, Belmonte has worked for the village of Hillside as special events coordinator and administrative assistant to Mayor Joseph Tamburino. “Working for the mayor has been such an amazing experience, with new ideas all the time and me...
Crivellone finds his place in Public Defender’s office
Although it started almost accidentally, John Crivellone’s path to the Cook County Public Defender’s Office has resulted in a successful and fulfilling 16-year career as an investigator. “The best part of my job is the people and staff that I work with. The Cook County Public Defender’s administration goes out of their way to make sure that I have...
Consulate of Italy in Detroit donates mural to the city
October 19th was a beautiful fall day in the city of Detroit, the perfect day for celebrating Italian Heritage Month with the unveiling of a symbolic new mural donated to the city by the Consulate of Italy in Detroit. Consul of Italy in Detroit Allegra Baistrocchi welcomed the artists, Italian artist in residence Nico Bruchi and celebrated Detroit...
D’Ambrosio proud to helm vibrant IAET
A resident of Westchester, in suburban Chicago, D’Ambrosio is the longtime president of the Italian American Executives of Transportation. He serves on the executive board of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans and on the board of directors for the Columbian Club of Chicago. He is a member of the Fr. August Feccia Charitable Foundation,...
Army Radioman Samuel Cascio
The only son among four children, Dr. Samuel Cascio was born in Chicago on Aug. 27, 1924, to Joseph and Josephine (Guercio) Cascio. His father, a barber, was born in Baltimore, and his mother emigrated from Cefalù, Sicily, with her family. Cascio grew up in the Portage Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side of Chicago with his maternal grandmother...
Lecture / Uncovering Contemporary Archaeology of Southern Italy
When: Event date: The November 07 2024, 18:00 (Local time) - Place: Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago - For a fee: No Prof. Giuliano De Felice, associate professor at the University of Bari “Aldo Moro” presents Uncovering Contemporary Archaeology of Southern Italy. We often think of Italian archaeological heritage as a series of beautiful site...
Blue Island, Castrolibero solidify their sister-city bonds
Blue Island Mayor Fred Bilotto joined local and state officials in August to welcome Orlandino Greco, mayor of Castrolibero, Calabria, to Casa Italia in Stone Park. The get-together was organized by Tony Turano and the Calabresi in America Organization. Blue Island is sister cities with Castrolibero as well as Ripacandida, Basilicata, and Estancia...