It’s no secret that dining establishments have taken a beating during the pandemic, losing customers and incurring additional costs that have threatened their very existence. The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans is doing its part to shore up the industry by forming the Scappi Society of Italian Culinary Culture. Named after Renaissance cookbook author Bartolomeo Scappi, the initiative aims to unite owners of Italian restaurants, pizzerias, delis, bakeries, coffee shops, banquet halls, and food producers and distributors in common cause. “The society will serve as a think tank and marketing hub for members,” JCCIA president Ron Onesti explains. (scappi@jccia.com) …

Casa Italia honored transportation construction dynamo Joseph Dote as Man of the Year at its 2022 gala.  The following profile was provided by the organization. Joseph Dote currently serves as senior vice president for R. M. Chin & Associates Inc. and general manager of facilities and construction for the O’Hare Airport Transit System as part of a joint venture that has operated and maintained the system since 1994. Since 1988, he has been responsible for the conceptualization, planning, design oversight and construction of more than $12 billion in capital improvement projects at O’Hare and Midway International airports. At each, he …

The Italian American Political Coalition honored a pair of local dynamos at its annual Heritage Celebration. Leyden Township Assessor Al Biancalana received the coalition’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the event, and DuPage County board member Sam Tornatore received the group’s William Paca Award. The following profiles were provided by the sponsoring organization: Al Biancalana Albert J. Biancalana Jr. is a native of west suburban Elmwood Park and has dedicated his life to the betterment of his community. He is the eldest son of Albert and Helen Biancalana and has two brothers, Jim (Judy) and the late Bob (Rose). He and …

They say it takes a whole village to raise a child. In the case of Casa Italia, Italian Americans across the metropolitan area recently rallied around the beloved institution. The Casa was hit particularly hard by the pandemic last year, canceling its spring gala and losing a quarter of its operating revenue in one fell swoop. But when the going got tough, the community kicked into a higher gear. Major donations flowed in from the Arcolian Dental Society, the Columbian Club, the Frank and Dolores Corbett Charitable Fund, the Italian American Veterans Museum, Italidea-Midwest, John Lagattuta, Dr. Paul and Ann …

St. Peter’s, the architectural wonder that dominates the skyline of Rome, is more accessible than you think. The Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia houses its own capolavoro of the iconic basilica and its adjacent piazza. Just take a short car ride to west suburban Stone Park and an invigorating ascent to the third floor, and there it is in all its glory. The magnificent 1:100 scale replica was conjured out of hand-carved soft wood over a five-year period in the 1940s by the father-and-son team of Attilio and Lucio Savoia. It was donated to the cultural center in the …

Tylor Serpico has been named to the Dean’s List of Loyola University of Chicago’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. A freshman with a 4.0 grade point average, Tylor is majoring in history and minoring in Italian. A resident of Elmhurst, he does volunteer work for the Elmhurst Great Western Prairie Conservation Group. Also active in the Italian community, he has lent a hand at the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans’ Columbus Day queen contest as well as the Feast of San Francesco di Paola at Casa Italia. His grandmother, JCCIA Executive Director Jo Ann Serpico, has every reason …

Underscoring the need to help lower taxes for homeowners and keep tax dollars local, state Rep. Anthony DeLuca is leading a legislative effort to increase the amount of money local governments receive from the Local Government Distributive Fund. DeLuca’s House Bill 4169 would increase the state income tax transfer amount into the LGDF. Currently, 6.06 percent of individual income tax revenues and 6.85 percent of corporate income tax revenues are distributed to local governments. DeLuca’s proposal would raise this distribution to 8 percent of individual income taxes and 9.11 percent of corporate income taxes, comparable to state commitments in the …

The Italian American War Veterans and the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans did a stellar job of rallying the troops for their commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Braving freezing winds, more than 50 veterans and civic leaders converged on Navy Pier for the Dec. 7 event, which featured an honor guard, taps and a wreath cast upon the surface of Lake Michigan from the east end of the pier. World War II veteran Carl Liture was the guest of honor for the occasion, which was live streamed on WGN-TV. To view the coverage, …

When Gabriella Esperson married Ryan Nelson, a fourth-generation farmer from Wisconsin, the seeds were sown for a new line of skin care products. “I’ve always had a passion for animals — ever since I was a little girl,” Gabriella writes on her website. “Being married to a farmer who shares the same interests as me is a dream come true!” Ryan gave Gabriella a Mini Nubian goat for their second anniversary. One animal became a small herd, and Gabriella soon found herself wondering what to do with the surplus milk being produced. Internet research led to the founding of Down …

Nick Smeriglio’s career has taken off since his TikTok impersonation of Sebastian Maniscalco blew up the internet in September 2020. Back then, he earned reviews from Maniscalco himself plus invaluable screen time when the fellow Arlington Heights native spotlighted Smeriglio’s video on the Jimmy Kimmel show. In October 2021, Smeriglio packed his bags and moved to New York, immediately making the rounds at East Coast comedy clubs. An 11-day, nine-show tour paved the way for a headlining gig at the famed Caroline’s on Broadway in Times Square. Then, it was back to Chicago for six shows at the Chicago Improv …