by Heather Haddon

New Jersey Italians are still likely to lose their one full-time consulate, but they are getting a reprieve from the closure of another nearby office. A proposal by the Italian government to shut its consulate in Philadelphia was averted after appeals from Reps. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) and Patrick Tiberi (R-OH), according to Mr. Pascrell.

The New Jersey congressman said Italian Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero called him directly Wednesday with the news that the consulate in Philadelphia, along with one in Detroit, would be spared. "This would have been a big, big big deal," Mr. Pascrell said about the Philadelphia closure. "We fought back."

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Source: http://blogs.wsj.com/