New Haven should keep Columbus Day: Op-Ed
The New Haven Board of Alders is scheduled to hold hearings this week on whether the city should turn Columbus Day into “Indigenous Peoples’ Day.” Although the proposed resolution does not mention Columbus by name, it calls upon the city to “permanently recognize ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Day” on the second Monday in October each year — the day currentl...
Festa Nazionale della Repubblica Italiana Celebrated in the North End
The 73rd Anniversary of the Italian Republic was celebrated at the annual Festa Nazionale della Repubblica Italiana on June 2, 2019, held outdoors with a “Piazza Italia” at Christopher Columbus Park. Kicking off the event was Boston’s Italian Consul General Federica Sereni with local dignitaries. The day long festa featured various exhibits, childr...
114th Feast Honoring Santa Maria di Anzano [Procession Photos]
The first Sunday of June always brings the first Italian religious procession of the season to Boston’s North End, honoring Santa Maria di Anzano. The 114 year old society held a Mass in Italian at St. Leonard Church followed by a lunch at St. Joseph’s Hall, the newly renovated function space under the church blessed just last week by the Cardinal...
Wall of Honor: Dinner’s served, Barry DePaolo continues his family legacy on the SHS Wall of honor
Successful restaurateur Barry DePaolo, who has traveled around the world cooking and opening popular restaurants, has joined both of his parents on the Southington High School Wall of Honor. DePaolo spent the early years of his career traveling from place to place to work as a chef or assist in opening various businesses, including Hard Rock Café i...
Life on the Corner: The Roma Pharmacy
There’s been a lot of discussion about the building at the corner of Prince and Salem Streets which is owned by Joe and Fred Giangregorio. The building is slated to be demolished and replaced with an attractive, modern apartment building. North Enders refer to it as the “Postale” building because the latest tenant was a popular mail box company, bu...
Torrington’s winning Memorial Day essay
“America - Land of the Free, Home of The Brave,” means something to each individual who lives in America. To me, this statement hits closer to home, because of the long history of veterans in my family. My family’s journey started in Italy and ends in America. As immigrants, America was a place to be free and was considered a land of opportunity. M...
Michael A. Ferro honored as Marlborough’s 2019 Veteran of the Year
The city of Marlborough has recognized Michael A. Ferro as its 2019 Veteran of the Year. Ferro served in the National Guard from 1970 to 1978 and has been involved in countless city veteran services and activities for 35 years. President of the Marlborough Veterans Council Richard Jenkins presented Ferro with a plaque at the May 6 City Council mee...
Identical twin sisters celebrate their 100th birthday in Portland
Ninety years ago, Amelia and Mary Pizzo spent their 10th birthday aboard a ship bound for Ellis Island. On Wednesday, the identical twins spent the afternoon with close family members, celebrating their 100th birthday together. They shared pizza and cake, and reminisced over photo albums and obituaries clipped from newspapers through the years. Tho...
St. Sebastian feast to display passion of devoted in Middletown
A massive chorus of devotees of all ages will take to the streets Sunday, clad in white garb, bright red sashes and carrying bouquets of flowers, barefoot or in socks, shouting “Primo Deo San Sebastiano!” as they run into their church, then parade around the block hoisting a heavy likeness of their patron saint. “First God and then St. Sebastian!”...
ABCD North End / West End Service Center Pasquetta
The ABCD North End/West End Neighborhood Service Center (NE/WE NSC) recently celebrated the arrival of spring and Pasquetta. Pasquetta is often translated to “little Easter,” and is a day to relax. It was instituted in the post-war period to create a long weekend, which allows people to have a weekend getaway, or at least a “scampagnata” (jaunt to...
Vermont Ditches Columbus Day, Renames Holiday To Honor Native Americans
Vermont has joined a handful of states in renaming Columbus Day to honor Native Americans. Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill into law on Friday recognizing the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day. A half dozen states, including Vermont, and several cities, have made the change. The governors of Maine and New Mexico signed sim...
Celebrating Ella
Friends, family, former colleagues, and local leaders celebrated what would have been former Gov. Ella Grasso’s 100th birthday Friday, paying tribute to the first woman in the country elected to the position without having been the wife of a former governor. Before being elected governor in 1974, Grasso served as a state representative from Windsor...