State Rep. Anthony DeLuca was recognized as a Champion of the Southland at the South Suburban Mayors and Managers’ annual gala. A longtime advocate for increased state support for local government, DeLuca spearheaded the Southland Reactivation Act, which was recently signed into law. The act creates a special designation for underutilized property in the south suburban communities located in Bloom, Bremen, Calumet, Rich, Thornton and Worth townships. Qualified properties will have their previous assessed valuations significantly reduced, encouraging development and returning the properties to the tax rolls.  

World Market will feature retail items from across Italy, including a host of gourmet Italian food products, as part of a dramatic expansion facilitated by the Italian government. The chain of specialty/import retail stores launched its Italian Shop with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 18 at World Market Lincoln Park, 1623 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago. The ceremony was followed by an open house until 7 p.m. that includes a coffee-and-cookie sampling from 10 a.m. to noon and food tasting event and raffle drawing from 4 to 7 p.m. (312-587-8037) The expansion and open house were made possible with the assistance …

Chicago attorney Bruno Marasso stepped up to the presidency of the Justinian Society of Lawyers at the organization’s annual installation and awards dinner on Sept. 22 at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. First Vice President Michael Pisano, Second Vice President Brian Monico, Third Vice President Catherine (Caifano) Locallo, Treasurer Michael Bertucci and Secretary Jill Cerone Marisie were also installed. Retired Cook County Circuit Court Judge Gloria Coco received the Justinian’s Award of Excellence at the event. The following profiles were provided by the organization. Judge Gloria Coco — Award of Excellence The first woman of full Italian heritage to …

Italian immigrants who sought a better life for themselves and their families on Chicago’s Near West Side were honored on May 22 with the naming of Piazza Italia di Chicago at 1434 W. Taylor St. The Little Italy Chicago Neighborhood Association (LICNA) spearheaded the renaming of the former Piazza Di Maggio, installing flags that represent each of Italy’s 20 regions. During the renaming ceremony, many of the flags were presented by descendants of Little Italy immigrants, while others were presented by newer neighborhood residents and longtime businesspeople. Keynote speaker Thomas Botzios, Italy’s consul general in Chicago, called the flags “a …

Florian Barbi celebrated a half century in the banking industry with his induction this May into the Illinois Bankers Association 50 Year Club. Barbi currently serves as chairman of the board, president, and CEO of First Nations Bank and Bank of Bourbonnais. During his tenure, he has grown the banks’ assets from $19 million to approximately $600 million. The banks have branches in Edison Park, Gladstone Park, Wheaton and Bourbonnais that focus on personal, commercial, real estate, construction and SBA lending. To those services, Barbi has added four wholly owned subsidiaries: Nations Title Co., First Nations Tax Deferred Exchange, Nations …

Cav Uff. Lyn Scolaro has been elected president of the Sons and Daughters of Italy in America. Scolaro takes the helm from Pat Pierce, who briefly succeeded founder and longtime president Joe Papa. “I want to thank Pat for doing such a great job of leading SADIA,” says Papa, who stepped down as president when he moved to Florida in January. “The organization has made a great choice in electing Lyn. She’s a dynamo, and I’m sure she’ll take the organization to new heights.” SADIA began as the Order Sons of Italy Lodge 2446 in the early 1950s and became …

It seems that everywhere you turn these days, governments, businesses, organizations and individuals are donating their time, talents and funds to Ukraine as it battles valiantly against Russian invaders. Local artist Fillippo Aliperta is doing his part by creating ceramic “heart pins” that portray the American and Ukrainian flags and giving them away at his Glenview hair salon, Estetica. At press time, he had raised $500 in goodwill donations. “I feel that everyone should support the Ukrainian people in every way that they can,” Aliperta says.  

The Chicago area was blessed in April with a first-ever visit by the renowned Choir of the Cardinal Bartolucci Foundation. One of the world’s premier Catholic choruses, the ensemble undertook a whirlwind tour that included five concerts in as many days. The first stop was on April 19 at the opulent Sanfilippo estate in far north suburban Barrington. On April 20, the ensemble paid a quick visit to Casa Italia, where they were wowed by the hand-carved 1/100-scale replica of St. Peter’s Basilica and Square on the third floor of the Italian Cultural Center. Moved to song, they were recorded …

Each year, more than three-dozen Italian patron saint celebrations grace the Chicago area. Kept alive by paesani from villages and cities across Italy, these events preserve some of the most cherished of our traditions. Festivities range from simple religious services to solemn masses and processions to family festivals that last several days. But they all have one thing in common: devotion to the spiritual protectors of la bell’Italia. At press time, information was available on the following events. ATTENZIONE! — All events are subject to cancellation, postponement, modification or restrictions based on current pandemic guidelines. Please call first to check …

As part of an ongoing effort to “save our stories,” Italian Cultural Center librarian Dominic Candeloro convened a roundtable discussion about a possible second volume of “Italian Women in Chicago: Madonna mia! QUI debbo vivere?” Published 10 years ago and spearheaded by Candeloro, the book features 40 accounts by scholars, journalists, freelance writers, researchers and first-person narrators, all of whom shed light on the history and experiences of Italian-American women in the Chicago area. Participants in the March 26 discussion included the editors and some of the writers of the first book. They discussed future essay subjects and possible contributors. …