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In the Fall of 2018 the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s “History Harvest” project focused on the Italian-American communities in Nebraska. The main event was held on October 28, 2018, at the Santa Lucia Hall, in the heart of Omaha's historic Little Italy. Partner organizations included the Santa Lucia Festival Committee, the Sons and Daughters of...

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You might have to wait a little longer — until spring — for a big plate of Sons of Italy pasta. A blaze in January 2017 damaged the popular Omaha hall on 10th Street south of downtown. The Sons had hoped to reopen the hall this month. Dr. Tom Pruse, a leader of the Sons, said the delay was caused by reconstruction costs that ended up higher than e...

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At the Santa Lucia Festival, there’s something for everybody. The kids can hop on any number of carnival rides, check out remarkable dancing and they can eat all sorts of Italian cuisine, some of which you cannot get everyday.  “The sweet sauce is definitely something you don’t get at a lot of places. It’s got a little bit of heat, but it’s still v...

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Grand Island is home to the impressive Hall County Courthouse, a stately structure designed by noted architect Thomas Kimball of Omaha. Now, Grand Island residents can be proud that their city’s downtown has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. “The district contains an intact collection of late-19th and early- to mid-20th-ce...

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Work is under way to fix a sole piece of art that survived the Sons of Italy fire from early 2017.  On January 13, 2017, a two alarm fire ripped through the Sons of Italy Hall, a former carriage house in Omaha's Little Italy Neighborhood. In March, the Sons of Italy board voted to renovate the building. It is set to reopen by the end of the year. M...

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With a little TLC and a lot of professional expertise, a fire-damaged mural from Little Italy is coming back to life. The 22-foot-long oil painting of Carlentini, Sicily, and Mount Etna was blistered and soot-covered in a Jan. 13 fire that has shut down the Sons of Italy Hall south of downtown. (It’s expected to reopen in June.) Meticulously giving...

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Historically home to Omaha’s Italian population Little Italy is in the throes of a growth spurt that’s forcing an iconic metro business to make some changes. Little Italy is outlined by Pacific Street to the north, Center Street to the south, South 10th Street on the west and the Missouri river to the east. It’s an area rich in history. Nancy Calin...

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An iconic staple in Little Italy anticipates a huge turnout will jumpstart its rebuilding efforts. Sons of Italy is hoping a dinner fundraiser on Saturday will help them open its doors once again. A two-alarm fire heavily damaged the hall in January which only left the brick frame standing and damage expenses more than $670,000. To help cover some...

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Saturday August 12 6 - 10 PM - American Italian Heritage Society - Omaha, NE - 5110 N 132nd St, Omaha 68164. Join il Palazzo for an Ode to the Rat Pack featuring Gooch and His Las Vegas Big Band! Start the night with a gourmet meal created by Chef Paul with an opening act by Aaron Shoemaker, and finish with the sultry renditons of Dean Martin, Fran...

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When you’d step inside his restaurant, you’d likely see Sam Amato greeting folks by name and pulling up a chair to gab. “He would get your name and life story,’’ said his son Tony Amato. “If you felt at home, that’s all he cared about.” Sam Amato, who with his wife, Ann, owned Amato’s Cafe & Catering, died Saturday at the Nebraska Medical Center...

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