Community Members Petition to Take Down New London’s Christopher Columbus Statue; Recently Vandalized With Paint
As passionate protests for racial equality march on around the country and here in Connecticut, some New London residents are also taking a stand to take down a controversial statue in the city. Thousands of people have signed petitions to remove the Christopher Columbus statue, which is currently covered on its base with red spray paint. This isn’...
Beheaded Christopher Columbus Statue In Boston Will Be Removed From North End Park
The Christopher Columbus statue in Boston’s North End will be removed Wednesday, hours after it was beheaded overnight. Mayor Marty Walsh said it will be put in storage and there will now be conversations about the “historic meaning” of the incident and whether it will ever go back up. The statue in Christopher Columbus Park on Atlantic Avenue was...
John R. Anastasia Sr., Veteran Westport Police Officer, 83
John R. Anastasia Sr, a veteran Westport police officer, died June 3 at home. He was 83. A native Westporter, he served 34 years on the force, retiring in 1993 as deputy chief. During his illustrious career in law enforcement, he received several promotions and commendations for his service. Born Nov. 28, 1936 to Placido and Carrie (Capasse) Anasta...
Local woman won’t let quarantine ruin milestone birthday
At 100 years old, Lolly Grello is still experiencing firsts in life. Grello, a longtime Narragansett resident who now resides at the Roberts Nursing Centre in North Kingstown, celebrated her first virtual birthday on May 20. There was cake, balloons and a glass of a sparkling cider-looking drink which Grello raised as if to toast the occasion. And...
A Taste of Italy in Norwich canceled
The cancellations of mainstay summer events is continuing and extending into fall, with Tuesday’s announcement that A Taste of Italy, scheduled for Sept. 12 in Norwich, will not be held this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. It would have been the 29th annual Italian food festival, hosted by the Norwich Italian Heritage and Cultural Committee,...
Antoinette Iadarola, retired president of Cabrini University in Radnor, dies at 80
Antoinette Iadarola, 80, the retired president of Cabrini University in Radnor, died Saturday, May 23, of cancer at her home in Clinton, Conn. Dr. Iadarola, known as “Toni,” was the sixth leader of the Catholic institution and its first lay president. She served from 1992 to 2008. “Toni’s spirit lives on in all the lives she touched, and her impact...
A New Generation of Stories: Returning to Italy – Skye Kuppig
Between 1861 and 1985, 29,036,000 Italians emigrated to other countries, the largest voluntary emigration period in documented history(1). They landed almost everywhere, from Europe to South America to the United States, like my family, and put down roots. Their stories are familiar to us: stories of strong family ties and communities that supporte...
North End Balcony Opera Concerts Liven Neighborhood
With restaurants closed for takeout only, the usual bustling North End is quiet. But for a couple hours on Saturday, there was a concerted effort to bring it back to its Italian roots. People strolling around the North End Saturday afternoon were brought to a standstill, captivated by professional operatic voices, like tenor Fred Van Ness. For two...
Exile and Creativity: Dante in 1320
Sunday May 24 2020 - 11 AM EDT. What was Dante Alighieri doing on his 55th birthday at the end of May, 1320? We don't know very much, but we do know that he was writing the Paradiso in Ravenna where he had recently arrived from Verona. From January, 1302 he had been in exile from his beloved Florence and was still under sentence of death. This conv...
Mount Carmel Society club in Springfield gets warning from state, but future still uncertain
It felt like a Prohibition-era moment. Investigators from multiple law enforcement agencies descended on the The Mount Carmel Society social club in the South End without warning in the late afternoon of Aug. 15, 2019. They were armed and in great numbers, according to witnesses, quizzing employees and board members about their alcohol inventory. “...
St. Peter's Italian Bazaar in Portland canceled
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland says that the St. Peter’s Italian Bazaar, scheduled for August, has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bazaar is scheduled to return in 2021.
Vincent Panella to discuss new book at virtual cocktail hour
Former Vermont Poet Laureate Chard deNiord will interview Vincent Panella on his soon-to-be-published novel, Sicilian Dreams, during the Brattleboro Literary Festival's virtual Literary Cocktail Hour, scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday on the Literary Festival's Facebook page. In this novel, Santo Regina, a 32-year old activist, immigrates to America a...