Italian Festival To Honor Beau Catalano as Italian-American of the Year
The Undo’s Family Restaurants founding partner, who created the taste of the restaurant’s signature bread and salad dishes, was named the 2025 Italian American of the Year on Thursday by the Undo’s Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival Board. Beau Catalano received the honor during a ceremonial dinner with friends, family and Italian Heritag...
The power to move mountains
“Many hands make light work,” the Old Testament tells us, and that time-honored proverb is as true today as it was when the Jewish people rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls 2,500 years ago. For proof of that, you need look no further than Casa Italia during the holiday season. As many of you know, the village of Stone Park bought the property on which the C...
Insights in History - Traditions and Progress: Italian Americans in Northern Indiana
Wednesday March 5. 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm EST. The History Museum - 897 W. Thomas Street, South Bend, IN 46601. Joe Agostino and colleagues discuss the history, heritage, and contributions of local Italian Americans. Joe is one of several members of local Italian American clubs that provided substantial assistance to The History Museum’s exhibit Traditi...
IAPC to honor trio of titans at heritage event
The Italian American Political Coalition will present Judge Lisa Marino with its Public Service Leadership Award, Melrose Park Mayor Ronald Serpico with its William Paca Award and Patrick Santoro with its Lifetime Achievement Award at its annual Heritage Celebration on March 6 at The Elmcrest Banquets in Elmwood Park. To make reservations, call 708...
Italian American group says Chicago Columbus statues need to be reinstalled as expressions of art
Back in 2020, then-Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had three statues of Christopher Columbus removed in Chicago. For all the time since, Italian American groups in the city have been fighting to put them back. They continue to do so, and now call the removal of the statues "selective censorship." A few weeks ago, there was an uproar at City Hall over...
Making connections
Never underestimate the power of one person to make a difference, especially if that person has the vision, drive and reach of Pat Capriati. In a matter of months, Capriati was able to conjure an American-Italian Sister Cities relationship out of thin air, bringing together good people on both sides of the Atlantic who otherwise never would have me...
Marine and Army Reservist Eric Marella
The youngest of four sons, Eric Marella was born in Melrose Park to Dominic and GraceAnn (Russo) Marella. He grew up surrounded by family on both sides. His father’s parents emigrated from Marche and Tuscany, and his mother’s family from Basilicata. The family sat down to Sunday dinners of pasta with neck bones and sausage, never knowing who might...
JCCIA honors elected officials at Government Relations Luncheon
The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans honored five elected officials at its second annual Government Relations Luncheon on Nov. 19 at the Des Plaines Theatre. The event was spearheaded by JCCIA President Ron Onesti, with Enza Ranieri, a recipient of last year’s awards, chairing the committee. More than 150 organization presidents, elected...
Com.It.Es honors Cherry Mine disaster victims
On Nov. 10, Com.It.Es (Comitato degli italiani all’estero) organized a pilgrimage to the town of Cherry, Illinois, on the 115th anniversary of the 1909 mine disaster that took the lives of 250 souls, 73 of whom were Italian immigrants. A group of 28 in the company of Italian Consul General Mario Bartoli traveled by bus to the tiny town 100 miles so...
Padovani a tireless advocate for veterans
Greg Padovani’s resume includes 17 bullet points under the list of organizations he has served with, and 12 under the list of honors he has received. And neither list is fully complete. A U.S. Army veteran, Padovani is the president and founder of PENS Communications Systems, LLC, and lives in his hometown of Arlington Heights. He is widely regarde...
Caravello caps tenure of giving
Over the six years Stuart Caravello has spent with Columbian Club Charitable Foundation, the organization doubled the amount of money given to each academic scholarship recipient. Being part of the foundation’s scholarship program is the thing Caravello will miss most now that his time as foundation trustee and chairman has come to an end. “It’s bi...
VoluntarItaly 2025 Program
This is Your Opportunity to Volunteer in Italy! Summer Camps organized by the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan in partnership with the Oratories of Lombardy, Italy. Do you speak some Italian? Do you want to live in Italy with a family next summer? Here’s a great opportunity – volunteering at a summer camp in Italy! Since 2016, the Dante Alighier...