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Rita's Italian Ice®, the world's largest Italian Ice concept with over 600 stores, now in 22 states, has awarded franchise and area development agreements for the state of Alabama to franchisees, local residents and Veterans, Doug Portrey and Rob Tarr.   Having grown up with Rita's and vacationed in the Gulf Shores, Portrey and Tarr realized...

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A bamboo cannoli tube and an antique-looking trumpet sit just over from a large Bruno’s grocery store sign. These objects, along with others in the La Storia exhibit at Vulcan Park & Museum, tell the story of Birmingham’s Italian immigrant community.   Italians came to Birmingham by way of Ellis Island or Louisiana farms and plantations....

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New Jersey-based Villa Italian Kitchen plans to open its first Alabama location at Hoover's Galleria mall next month. Restaurant owner Ahmed Nadeem confirmed this week he has leased 1,000 square feet of space in the Galleria's food court, next to McDonald's.   Nadeem said the concept will feature a large menu that will range from New Yo...

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by Jon Anderson   Benard Tamburello is no stranger to the restaurant business, and the new pizzeria he wants to open in The Preserve subdivision in Hoover aims to help make strangers become friends.   Tamburello, who has been in the restaurant business in the Birmingham area for 22 years and currently run Bernie's on Main in Columbian...

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by Lauren Helmer   "You'll hear me talk about the house. This is the house, all of us, this place," says Sous Chef Mike Brady, gesturing to his surroundings. He sits in the private dining room of GianMarco's Restaurant in the quaint Edgewood neighborhood, where he's worked since he helped open it with the Respinto family 14 years ago.  ...

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A vital link in Birmingham's history is being told at the city's most iconic landmark. For an exhibition titled "La Storia," Birmingham residents of Italian heritage have ventured into their ancestors' past to relive a time of fierce struggle and unwavering hope, of generations holding on dearly to their faith and values, while overcoming poverty...

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Auburn Public Theater is looking to two familiar faces — two familiar, heavily made-up faces — to lead off its first Summer Theater Series.   Running June 9 through 26 at the downtown Auburn theater will be "The Calamari Sisters' Clam Bake." The show follows the bickering Italian siblings through the staging of a summer picnic.   Read...

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by Martin J. Reed   For everyone in southwest Shelby County who's been anticipating the opening of Joe's Italian Crossroads Café in Montevallo, the wait will soon be over. The popular Alabaster eatery's new location focusing on takeout is opening Monday at the intersection of Highway 119 and Shelby County Road 22 in north Montevallo, sa...

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by Catherine Awashti   There were 131 service members from Lauderdale County who were killed during World War II. Thirty-one of those were listed as Missing in Action - including Pfc. Mack Tays. 70 years later, things belonging to Tays are starting to come home. "You know, for a long time, I thought, 'well, he's going to come back,...

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The department of modern languages and classics at The University of Alabama has grown over the years. Its growth includes the Italian program, which was established 25 
years ago.   Barbara Godorecci and her husband Maurizio were hired in the 1990s to create and implement the Italian progrm. The program went from a few courses to now offeri...

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