Louisiana Hospitality Foundation Awards $5,000 Grant to Gendusa’s Italian Market After Restaurant Fire
The Louisiana Hospitality Foundation marked its 14th year of giving by granting $5,000.00 to support Gendusa’s Italian Market, a locally-owned restaurant located in Kenner, LA. The restaurant was destroyed by fire before dawn on Tuesday, June 16, which was determined a complete loss but no one was hurt. The grant from the Louisiana Hospitality Foun...
“Aviate, Navigate, Communicate”: Astronaut Luca Parmitano Talks Handling In-Flight, Spacewalk, Everyday Emergencies. And Much More.
On July 15, 2020, this Author had a unique opportunity to interview Italian Air Force test pilot and ESA Astronaut Luca Parmitano, who joined a Facebook Live Talk Show from Houston, Texas. Luca is not “just” an Astronaut: an Italian Air Force pilot qualified on over 20 types of military planes and helicopters, with experience aboard over 40 differe...
New Orleans DA Leon Cannizzaro through the years, will not seek a third term
Leon Cannizzaro’s announcement that he's not running for reelection heralds the end of an era at the district attorney’s office on South White Street that officially began 12 years ago. Critics argue it dates back much further, to the early 1970s, when Connick began a tenure marked by a no-holds-barred mindset, and a slew of convictions that would...
Former Cowgirl All-American Erika Piancastelli Set To Play In Athletes Unlimited Inaugural Season
Former McNeese softball All-American and Olympian Erika Piancastelli is one of the 56 best players in the world that will make up Athletes Unlimited, a newly formed professional softball league. Besides Piancastelli who have signed to play are AJ Andrews, Kelly Barnhill, Kylan Becker, Jessica Burroughs, Caleigh Clifton, Amanda Chidester, Emily Cran...
Spurs’ Belinelli focused on more than basketball in Orlando
Four months after offering financial assistance to hospitals in his native Bologna, Italy, Spurs guard Marco Belinelli continues to do his part to stop the spread of COVID-19. “It’s really important — wear a mask, clean your hands,” Belinelli stressed in a Zoom conference from the NBA bubble in Orlando, Fla. “That’s the most important thing we can...
Well-known Houston restaurant owner Vincent Mandola dies at 77
A well-known Houston restaurant owner who is part of a local family food dynasty died on Sunday. Vincent "Bubba" Mandola is the owner of several popular restaurants in the Montrose and Midtown area, including Nino's, Vincent's and Grappino's on West Dallas. The Mandola family issued the following statement: "It is with profound sadness that the Vin...
Italian food brand Eataly set to open in NorthPark Center
A store that’s everything Italian is coming to NorthPark Center. Eataly, a three-level food hall and Italian grocery, will open in 2020. Construction is ongoing on the Boedecker Street side of NorthPark, the Dallas Morning News reported.
New Italian restaurant opens in downtown West Monroe. See the menu here.
Luna Piena Italian Bistro opened Thursday in West Monroe. The new eatery is in the former Roma location across from Miss Kay's Sweets & Eats. Manager Kenny Gashi said he'd contracted to secure the building before COVID-19 closures affected businesses throughout the country. He said he's glad to be opened, and said they've received postie responses...
Committee votes to rename park in downtown San Antonio Piazza Italia
Columbus Park in downtown San Antonio could soon be Piazza Italia Park. After hearing from more 50 residents at a virtual hearing Thursday, a special park-naming committee voted in favor of renaming the park and forwarded its recommendation to the City Council, which has the final say. “This is an amazing time in our city,” said District 1 Councilm...
2020 Festival Rescheduled
Dear Festival Friends, we scratched our heads and reviewed all the options. Like so many other festivals and events where gathering together is a big part of the experience, the NM Italian Film & Culture Festival would lose its energy if we did it in any other way. So, we’ve decided to go live in 2021 with the 2020 program as planned at the Hiland...
San Antonio: Public Hearing For The Proposed Naming Of Columbus Park To Piazza Italia Park
The City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department will conduct a public hearing via teleconference to rename Columbus Park to Piazza Italia Park, located in City Council District 1 at 500 Columbus Street. The meeting will be held on Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. Please note that there is no in-person access to this meeting. There are m...
St. Joe's annual muffuletta fundraiser set for thursday
St. Joseph Catholic School’s annual muffuletta sale will not be stopped by COVID-19 this week. The sandwich fundraiser benefitting the school’s athletic department usually takes place in the spring, but this year’s was postponed. The authentic muffulettas, which from the New Orleans Central Grocery, cost $25 each and can be picked up between 11 a.m...