The DeCecco Little Italy Italian Festival Returns to Rochester this Summer
The DeCecco Little Italy Italian Festival, one of Upstate NY’s biggest and most popular Italian festivals, returns to Rochester this summer, after a nearly three year hiatus. This year’s theme is: “Party at the Beach – Paisano Style!” The event will be held at Ontario Beach Park on Saturday, August 30th, from Noon to 9pm, featuring delicious Italia...
Chuck Zito documentary premieres on Staten Island
Patrons recently filled three theaters in the Atrium Cinemas in Eltingville to see “Chuck Zito: An American Story,” a documentary about the Italian-American known for his time as a boxer, bodyguard, stunt man, actor and president of the New York Hells Angels motorcycle club. Zito, who was born in the Bronx, has been in films such as “Homefront” and...
Life stories: A teacher for decades, she was ‘a true supporter of Staten Island’
As a young girl, Joanne Capolongo aspired to be an educator. Through hard work in school, she made her dreams come true, eventually forging a 35-year long career teaching first graders on Staten Island. Capolongo passed away on May 26 at age 90. The cause of death was congestive heart failure. Born and raised on Staten Island, Capolongo grew up t...
Survivors of disastrous 1956 Andrea Doria sinking mark anniversary in NYC with tear-jerking museum exhibit
Survivors of the disastrous 1956 Andrea Doria sinking honored the anniversary of the crash Friday at a tear-jerking new Manhattan museum exhibit that features dozens of treasured items recovered from the ship. Four survivors of the tragic ocean crash — including a young mother traveling alone with her baby at the time — gathered at The Italian Amer...
Vandals Defile Statues at Bay Ridge Catholic School
Police are seeking vandals who beheaded a stone lamb and defaced other elements of a shrine to the Virgin Mary outside of a Catholic girls’ school in Bay Ridge, according to the Daily News. The damage at Visitation Academy at 8902 Ridge Blvd., which was discovered Thursday morning and includes toppled statues of child supplicants as well as the dec...
Meet the 84-Year-Old Godfather of Little Italy
“You gonna make me look good? Okay. Come on, take your picture.” We’ve all seen it. In Little Italy, on the busiest restaurant street in the city, oysters and negroni bazaars all around it, a singular limoncello-yellow residence stands stubborn like the house from Up, with one distinct difference—the man on the porch. From his perch, Nick Pecoraro...
At 93, Gay Talese is still a literary champion of the everyman
Ten years ago, I sat across from Gay Talese in his Manhattan townhouse, trying to steady my nerves as I prepared to interview the man whose writing had attracted me to the genre of New Journalism. At the time, Mr. Talese was immaculately dressed, deliberate in his words, effortlessly magnetic. As a proud Italian-American and teacher, speaking with...
A historic evening at the United Nations!
On July 22, NIAF proudly celebrated its 50th anniversary and the 70th anniversary of Italy’s membership in the United Nations alongside the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations at UN Headquarters in New York City. Distinguished remarks were delivered by NIAF President & CEO Robert Allegrini, NIAF Chairman John Calvelli, Permanent Repres...
NYPD legend Tosano Simonetti, the first Italian-American deputy commissioner, dies at 91
A towering figure in New York City law enforcement who became the first Italian-American appointed to the rank of first deputy police commissioner, Tosano Simonetti, of Oakwood, died Monday at the age of 91. Prior to holding one of the highest ranks in the NYPD, Simonetti, known as “Tough Tony,’' led Patrol Borough Staten Island. He was known acros...
Brooklyn's Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast celebrates towering Giglio tradition
Under the blazing July sun on Sunday, more than 100 men hoisted an 80-foot wooden tower into the air, swaying to the rhythm of a live brass band. Known as the Giglio, the towering structure is the centerpiece of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast, a tradition brought to Brooklyn by Italian immigrants more than a century ago, and one that traces its...
Fostering International Connections Through Tradition and Innovation with Dawn Marie Hays IAP 376
What if the rich flavors of Italian American culture could speak the stories of centuries? This episode promises a delicious exploration of Italian American heritage, as John and Pat take you on a captivating journey through the heart of Little Italy in New York City. From the humorous mishaps with Sicilian garduna to the challenges of sourcing aut...
Sons of Italy Lodge 2561 Hosts Annual Charity Golf Outing at Knoll West
The Morris County Sons of Italy Lodge 2561 held its Annual Charity Golf Outing at Knoll West Country Club on Thursday, July 10. This year’s outing was dedicated to the memory of two beloved and irreplaceable members of the Lodge and the greater community: Joseph Jannarone Sr. and Adam Gragnani. Despite early forecasts predicting rain, the weather h...