Italian American Cultural Club opens hall of fame nominations for local icons
As a part of celebrating 100 years, the Italian American Cultural Club in Steubenville, OH is opening nominations for its brand-new hall of fame for Italian Americans. “Now in 2025, our club is essentially a mechanism to keep that culture alive,” said Frankie DiCarlantonio, president, Italian American Cultural Club. “Now we have these great descend...
Consulate of Italy in Detroit Bestows Knighthood upon James Vincent Bellanca III
The Consulate of Italy in Detroit is proud to announce that James Vincent Bellanca III, a prominent attorney and esteemed member of the Italian-American community, has been awarded the title of Cavaliere dell'Ordine della Stella d'Italia (Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy) by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella. This pre...
Arcolians to honor Dr. Favia
The Arcolian Dental Arts Society will honor Dr. Joseph A. Favia as Arcolian of the Year at its Christmas party on Dec. 10 at The Elmcrest Banquets in Elmwood Park. Favia has been a member of the Arcolians since 1993, serving as the society’s president in 2014 and as its golf outing chairman for the past eight years. ArA graduate of the Loyola Unive...
The Italian Hall Disaster: A Christmas Tragedy Ignored in Michigan
On Christmas Eve, 1913, a celebration in Calumet, Michigan, turned into a heartbreaking disaster that forever scarred the local community. Known as the Italian Hall Disaster, this tragic stampede claimed the lives of 73 people, most of them children, in what was meant to be a joyful holiday gathering. Background: A Community Under StrainThe early 2...
Unity yields Christmas gift at the Casa
There is strength in numbers, the adage goes, and nowhere is that more apparent than at Casa Italia in Stone Park, where numerous organizations will join forces to stage the Casa’s annual Christmas Village. The complimentary open house is slated for Dec. 1, 2024. The following organizations have signed on to participate at the time of publication:...
Zampogna beckoned to Pizzoferrato
Daniel Pizzoferrato says that the first time he heard someone play the zampogna, it felt like he was listening to the sound of his ancestry. That moment 10 years ago prompted Pizzoferrato to embark on a journey to master the ancient Italian instrument, which he now showcases at Italian-American Christmastime celebrations in the Chicago area. He als...
Beloved Italian restaurant Balena is popping up in Chicago early next year
Just a few weeks after we published a piece about the 23 local businesses that Chicagoans wish they could bring back from the dead, Boka Restaurant Group reached out to reveal its intentions of running a Balena pop-up—one of the very eateries mentioned in the story—from January 19, 2025 through January 26, 2025 at the Wellsley (504 N. Wells Street)...
Frank Calabrese, one of Chicago horse racing’s all-time greats and printing shop founder, dies at 96
“The first bet I ever made was at a bookie joint when I was 11 or 12,” Frank Calabrese once told the Tribune. “I bet 50 cents and got $36 back and I was hooked.” Calabrese went on to become one of Chicago racing’s all-time greats, a thoroughbred owner who tied for the lead in winners at Arlington International Racecourse in 2000 and then won more r...
Explore the history of opera Saturday in Terre Haute, IN
The sounds of opera will fill the Swope Art Museum in Terre Haute during an event this weekend. Operatic Soprano Tiffany Herring will perform Saturday during an event called “History of Italy and Italian Opera in Eight Vocal Pieces”. Herring will sing eight pieces spanning from the earliest days of opera in 17th century Florence, Italy, all the way...
Taste: Take time to enjoy the 'slow food' experience at Cosimo & Susie's
When customers think of Cosimo Rulli, they don't think of a Bit of Italy, they think of a lot of love. The 89-year-old proprietor of Cosimo & Susie's A Bit of Italy exudes that emotion with his wife at the Italian restaurant he and Susie have run for the past 35 years at Town & Country Shopping Center. Rulli calls the food "slow food," cooked and p...
Army Specialist 5th Class Allan Zitella
The youngest of three children, Allan Zitella was born in Chicago to Joseph and Christina (Zipparo) Barrile. His mother died when Zitella was 3 years old and he and his siblings, Richard and JoAnn, were eventually adopted by their maternal great-aunt and -uncle, Anna and James Zitella. Zitella grew up in the neighborhood around Harlem and North ave...
Roncadin Opens New Plant in the USA
On November 18th, Italian frozen pizza maker Roncadin officially opened a new production plant in Vernon Hills, Illinois, marking a significant step in its U.S. expansion. The 7,000-square-meter facility, which employs 100 staff, houses a production line capable of producing 30 million pizzas annually, using carefully sourced ingredients and tradit...
