Remembering Jo Ann Serpico
Jo Ann has been immersed in the activities of the community since birth, thanks to the unwavering involvement of her father, Joseph R. Salerno. “My father was a member of every Italian society, club and lodge in the Chicago area,” she fondly recalls. “It’s only natural that I followed his example of promoting Italian values and traditions.” One of...
City planners say it’s time to put Northwest Side’s Little Italy on the map
A long-running effort to turn a stretch of Harlem Avenue on the Far Northwest Side into a walkable showcase for Italian American businesses and culture like Little Italy’s Taylor Street is inching forward. City planners told the 2-mile stretch between Grand Avenue and Irving Park Road can become a destination neighborhood with improvements to the s...
Troiani to helm Veterans Museum
The Italian American Veterans Museum ushered in a new slate of officers with the new year, electing retired Navy Cdr. Joseph Edward Troiani, Ph.D., as president. “I’m proud to serve as president of the museum in honor of family members who served in the military before me,” Troiani says. Troiani’s grandfather Joseph Troiani served in the U.S. Army...
100-Year-Old World War II Female Veteran Park Ridge’s Memorial Day Parade Grand Marshal
At 100-years-old longtime Park Ridge resident Marie Sartor Pawelek lives by herself in a condominium, practices playing the piano, writes and speaks Italian to relatives in Italy, and has her own Facebook account. Also, according to her only child Michael, she still has her great sense of humor. A veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II, Marie...
How Christopher Columbus statue could return through million-dollar art project
A city initiative supported by a $2 million grant is seeking public opinion to decide what should happen to the Christopher Columbus statue removed from outside of City Hall in Columbus (OH) in 2020. The statue was ordered for removal by Mayor Andrew Ginther and placed in storage after community input. At the time, Ginther said the statue represent...
Chicago reconsiders ‘offensive’ plan to rename Columbus Drive for Barack Obama after outraged Italian-Americans step in
A Chicago politician is thinking twice about renaming Columbus Drive for Barack Obama after outraged Italian-Americans questioned why the former president should be honored “at the expense of one ethnic group.” The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans had blasted the proposed rebranding as “offensive” last week, with president Ron Onesti desc...
Air National Guard E4 Specialist Salvatore Palazzolo
The eldest of four children, Salvatore Palazzolo was born in Chicago to Paolo and Giuseppa (Leone) Palazzolo. Salvatore’s parents emigrated from Cinisi, a small town in Sicily, to Elmwood Park in 1976. They later moved to River Grove, where Palazzolo grew up. Most of his father’s family lived in the surrounding area. “We were all close,” says Palaz...
Angelica Ross to Participate in National Italian American Foundation Trip to Italy
Each year forty-eight deserving college students are selected to participate in the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Ambassador Peter F. Secchia Voyage of Discovery. This fourteen-day all-expenses paid trip embarks on an educational expedition to NIAF’s Region of Honor, which is Friuli Venezia Giulia this year. The students explore UNE...
Fr. Enzo Addari’s Retirement Celebration: A Tribute to Service and Community
Since 1983, Fr. Enzo Addari has been an unwavering beacon of compassion and dedication in our community. His tireless advocacy for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) has touched countless lives both near and far. As we honor his remarkable legacy, we invite you to join us in celebrating his retirement at a special e...
Building up by digging deep: Faculty partner to break international ground at Italian archaeological dig
An archaeological site in Central Italy dating back more than 2,500 years is a special place for two Illinois State University researchers. For the past three years, Associate Professor of History Kathryn Jasper and Professor of Art History Lea Cline have been leading the Northwest Bolsena Archaeological Project at Valle Gianni. The excavation is...
Dover UCC to screen film linking Italian culture to diaspora
Dover Congregational United Church of Christ is proud to host a screening of the award-winning documentary, "La Mia Strada: My Road." Six-time Emmy Award recipient, Michael Angelo DiLauro will be on hand to share his feature-length documentary. The program offers a personal perspective on ethnicity and culture as it links ancient and contemporary I...
Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Ernest “Skip” Dalle Molle
Over the course of a 28-year career as an administrator for the Air Force, Ernest “Skip” Dalle Molle came to realize the key role that helping people played in so many of his job descriptions. One of five children, Ernest “Skip” Dalle Molle was born in Evergreen Park to Ernest and Mary (Bertoletti) Dalle Molle. He grew up in the Roseland neighborho...