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by Judy Bergeron   They're going regional. After a challenge three years ago from Mayor Kip Holden, the Greater Baton Rouge American Italian Association is working to expand its annual Italian Heritage Festa beyond the community. "He (Holden) said, 'We would like this to be bigger than Baton Rouge,'" festa co-chairman Frank Arrigo says....

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by Daniel Dentico   That little slice of Italy depicted in a downtown New Orleans plaza is getting makeover. The Piazza D'Italia opened in 1978 and was designed to highlight the contributions of the Italian-American community in New Orleans.   Mayor Mitch Landrieu said the city is set to spend $280.000 into the plaza for a major reno...

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Businessman Frank Maselli was named Honorary Consul of Italy in New Orleans April 22 by decree of the Embassy of Italy in Washington D.C. Maselli assumes the position from Arnaldo Partesotti, who served as Honorary Consul of Italy in New Orleans since 1997.   As Honorary Consul, Maselli will represent Italy at official international function...

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There was plenty of heart and just as much “soul” Saturday as the Sons of Italy Lodge 2738’s 16th Scholarship Awards and Citizen of the Year Gala drew more than 400 patrons to the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center.   The night’s theme was “We Honor Our Italian Ancestors from New Orleans,” a nod to the fact that many Sicilian immigr...

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by Elizabeth Moore   Crawfish and culture forged a beautiful friendship at the American Society of Italian Heritage crawfish boil on the Sunday before Memorial Day. Joe Macaluso polished his prized pocket trumpet and played a medley of patriotic songs from each of the military branches -- Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard -- as...

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Feuding at home brought many Italians to Louisiana in the middle 1850s. A good number of them used ties to the old country to establish themselves in food distribution businesses, first in New Orleans, then across south Louisiana.   Most of the Italians who came here during that era were from Sicily, many of them fleeing after the failure of...

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Proceeds from the 2015 West Bank Italian Open were presented at a recent Italian-American Society meeting to Luis Arocha, executive director of Café' Hope, a restaurant training program in Marrero for at-risk youth. The presentation was made by the golf tournament's honorary chairman, Kenner Mayor Mike Yenni, and Wayne J. Nocito, wh...

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By Danielle Dreilinger   The only plan left standing for the Piazza d'Italia? A double-tower Hard Rock Hotel, Canal Street Beat reports. The city of New Orleans is looking to redevelop several publicly owned parking lots next to the central business district landmark. A committee chose three finalists in September from five preliminary...

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When Frank Maselli was in Rome on a Saturday night three years ago, he happened upon an outdoor concert in the piazza. A handful of singers were belting out opera arias to a piano accompaniment.   "I listened to them and said to myself, 'This would be perfect for our Piazza d'Italia,' " Maselli said, referring to the outdoor plaza in New Orl...

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by Giuseppe Milici   Imagination and a musical lexicon that's all we will need to begin our journey through the progression of Jazz Music around the world. The importance of Sicilian musicians in this development, as well as those of Sicilian origin, is evident from the start. Beginning our brief excursion through the History of Jazz in the...

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