Elmcrest Banquets was packed to capacity for this year’s Italian American Police Association’s dinner dance. Sharing the spotlight were Chicago Alderman Nick Sposato, Illinois State Police District Commander Jason LoCoco, Circuit Court Judge William Raines and retired Chicago Police Officer Carl Liture, but the Police Officers of the Year stole the show. The honor went to Lake County Sheriff’s Police Deputy John Forlenza and his K-9 partner, Dax, who received an engraved food bowl along with a standing ovation.

The Illinois/Wisconsin Grand Lodge of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America welcomed a new lodge to the family. Lodge Amicizia #2999 of Kenosha, Wisconsin, was chartered on Nov. 2 at Casa Capri in Kenosha. On hand for the ceremony were Lodge President Joseph Cardinali, National 4th Vice President Richard R. Della Croce, Grand Lodge President Paul R. Loparco and Immediate Past Grand Lodge President Marie Marsalli. The lodge has 32 charter members.

The Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art reopened to the public in November at 1220 Kensington Road in Oak Brook. The new facility includes improved exhibits and more space for educational programs, private rentals and a dedicated research library. All galleries are housed on the first floor and include multi-media installations. Opened in Elmhurst in 1962, the Lizzadro Museum houses one of the largest collections of hand-carved stone, minerals and gemstones in the world, thanks to the diligence of its founder, Joseph Lizzadro. For details, click here.

The In Her Shoes Foundation presented public health nutritionist Carl Amendola D’Anca with its 2019 Women Who Change the World Leadership Award. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin and the Chicago Medical School, D’Anca has dedicated herself to “raising awareness, inspiring change and improving the health of the nation” in response to the growing problem of dietary illness in America. The author of two books about “real food,” she runs a nutrition education group that meets monthly, speaks at public venues and physician conferences, and hosts cooking class aimed at learning how to prepare healthful foods on a budget. …

During previous winters, you could either strain your back clearing away snow with a traditional shovel or spend several hundred dollars on a snow blower, but now there’s third option. Invented by community leader Frank Faraci; his father, Joe; and his friend Pete Masi, the Snow Viper lightens the load with a pair of wheels and streamlines the process with a pair of adjustable blades that shunt the snow to either side. It weighs only 12 pounds and folds to store flush against a wall. Made by hand and personally delivered locally, the Snow Viper sells for $149. Faraci is …

Pan American Bank & Trust has been selected as a recipient of the 2019 Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics for enterprises with 50 to 99 employees. The Torch Award is bestowed on a select few businesses that have distinguished themselves for their excellence and integrity. “The Torch Award is the most prestigious award the BBB can present to a business,” says Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. “Torch Award winners demonstrate the highest ethical standards and trust with customers, employees, community members, and other stakeholders in which …

The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations brought its message of unity to Chicago recently. Conference Chair Dr. Aileen Sirey, and Vice Chair Basil Russo met with representatives of 20 member organizations of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. The meeting was hosted by JCCIA President Sergio Giangrande. The meeting was part of a larger effort on the part of the conference to rally Italian-American organizations across the country. Russo talked about the importance of Italian-American organizations coordinating their efforts and speaking with a unified voice on important issues that impact our community, citing Christopher Columbus as …

Retired CFO Mark M. Corrado will ascend to the presidency of the Columbian Club of Chicago at a black-tie optional installation dinner on Jan. 18 at the Medinah Country Club. For reservations, call Michael Russotto at 630-222-2686. Corrado has been a member of the Columbian Club since 2006, but he was introduced to the organization more than 40 years ago when his father, Albert, first joined. “While it took a few years for me to follow in his footsteps, I always saw how proud he was to be a member and the joy it brought him,” Corrado explains. “This was …

Jim and Al Biancalana turned over the reins of Elmcrest Banquets in November, ending a remarkable run that spanned two generations and nine decades. Located in Elmwood Park, The Elmcrest has been catering to the needs of countless customers since it opened its doors in 1994. But the Biancalana family was in the food service business for decades, and recently celebrated its 90th year in business. Begun as a small ice cream parlor in 1929 by Al Biancalana Sr., the business grew into Biancalana’s Restaurant and Banquets. During this time, Al Sr. was joined by his three sons, Al, Jim …

U.S. Pizza Team members competed in the “5° Pizza por Pasión” Spanish Pizza Championship in Granada, Spain, on Oct. 8 and took home numerous awards in several categories of competition. Team members representing the U.S. in the culinary division included USPT Culinary Coach Gino Rago and Bruno Brunetti of Panino’s Pizza in Chicago; USPT athletic director Dave Sommers of Mad Mushroom in West Lafayette, Ind.; and Sean Dempsey of Dempsey’s Brewery Restaurant & Pub in Watertown, S.D. Competing for the team in the freestyle acrobatics division were Missy Green and Caroline Felker, former USPT members and representatives of PMQ Pizza …