IACC celebrates 100 years
It began several decades ago. A group of Italian immigrants came to the city of Steubenville, making it their home away from home. These particular individuals were filled with passion …. passion for preserving their cultural identity within America, within Ohio, within Steubenville. And they chose to do so through the theater. A group of these men...
Coratti’s Pizzeria opening in Ann Arbor at former Cottage Inn site
The 75-year-old Cottage Inn on East William Street closed its doors last spring, and now Coratti’s is ready to open theirs. The old building has been transformed into a fun, colorful, open-concept restaurant, with two bocce ball courts, about 220 seats for guests, and a market next door. Vintage bikes hang from the ceiling and metal garage doors op...
Italian street festival brings authentic Italian culture to Indianapolis
Holy Rosary Catholic Church is hosting its annual Italian Street Festival on June 13 and 14 in Indianapolis. The free, family-friendly event will take place at Holy Rosary Church and Lacy Park, offering a taste of authentic Italian culture. The Italian Street Festival will feature over 25 food booths serving Italian meats, pastas, salads, and desse...
Italian community in Michigan celebrates Festa della Repubblica with special event
The Italian community in Michigan celebrated this week as June 2 marked Italian National Day or Festa della Repubblica. Festa della Repubblica was a defining day in Italian history in 1946 when Italians chose to form a republic. The day celebrates Italian culture, tradition and excellence. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed June 2, 2025,...
North Italian Club Celebrates 100 Years
The North Italian club celebrated its 100th Anniversary on Sunday May 4, 2025 at the St. Adelbert Hall in Berea, attended by 255 happy members and guests. A delicious dinner was served, following appetizers, an opening prayer given by member Frank Pocci, and a toast made by the Event Chairman Joe Lucchese, whose many efforts made for a beautiful ev...
Celebrating Italian Speed in the US
Dallara and Purdue University started their engines on an innovative partnership at Indianapolis 500 race weekend. The Dallara IndyCar Factory will serve as the new home for Purdue’s motorsports engineering program and pairs Purdue’s unique motorsports engineering program — the only undergraduate, ABET-accredited such program in the country — and D...
'This is the place to be': Festa Italiana kicks off in Milwaukee
The California wildfire smoke impacting our region and Friday’s rain did not make it an easy day for festival goers in Milwaukee. Festa Italiana kicked off at Henry Maier Festival Park Friday. “This is the place to be,” said Sandy Winard, the executive director of Festa Italiana. “I mean, if you’re not Italian, you’re an official Italian as soon as...
Retired DePaul women’s basketball coach Doug Bruno
After 39 seasons of exemplary leadership on and off the court, Doug Bruno has stepped down as the head coach of the DePaul women’s basketball team. Through his long career, Bruno established himself as one of the most prominent and influential figures in collegiate women’s basketball. He was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022...
Board needs to work with community to keep MPS Italian Immersion Program open | Opinion
Our family recently learned of plans to end the MPS Italian Immersion Program as envisioned by our father, Tom Balistreri, and approved by the Milwaukee Board of School Directors in 2004. The proposed change would convert the Italian immersion school from an immersion program into a diluted “world language model,” merely consisting of one language...
Nessun Dorma Is a Riverwest Classic
Nessun Dorma, named for a famous aria in Puccini’s opera Turandot, lived up to its name when a companion and I came for dinner on a Wednesday. We noticed a keyboard in the corner of the bar and to our surprise, at exactly 7:30, a young woman with blue hair dressed in jeans, a sweater, and boots, stepped up and began singing an aria. She had a beaut...
Schoene takes next big step along volunteer path
Phyllis Colonna Schoene has been a member of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans for 60 years and was part of its all-volunteer staff for nearly a decade before being invited to asked to fill a big pair of shoes. That call came after Jo Ann Serpico, the organization’s beloved, longtime executive director, passed away last April. “We miss...
Army Staff Sergeant Eric Pulia
Eric Pulia is the youngest of three sons born in Hinsdale, Illinois, to James and Karen (Murrin) Pulia. He grew up in Westchester with his uncle and family nearby and his paternal grandparents living down the block. Pulia’s great-grandparents emigrated from the Sicily and Naples regions of Italy. Pulia formed a close bond with his grandparents whil...