The following article was provided by Pan American Bank & Trust. At a time when many community banks have been forced to merge or be acquired, Pan American Bank & Trust has emerged as a true story of tenacity and dedication. By putting their clients, communities, and employees at the heart of what they do, bank leadership has charted a course toward long-term independence and success. Pan American Bank & Trust has always embodied the true meaning of business and community banking. “We’re living proof that, with hard work, a clear vision, and solid ethics, anything is possible,” says bank …

Legendary Chicago pizzeria Trattoria Porretta (trattoriaporretta.com) is adding a little sweet and a little heat to your pizza life. Developed in collaboration with pizza media company Forza Pizza (forzapizza.com), the Sweet Heat and Sweet Fire are the newest additions to the pizza menu at Porretta’s. Both are topped with pepperoni and a drizzle of hot honey, with the Sweet Fire packing extra heat with added jalapenos.

If you’ve ever dined at Gioacchino’s Restaurant in Bellwood, you know what good old-fashioned, made-from-scratch Italian cooking tastes like. During the summer months, many of the ingredients in Gioacchino’s time-honored recipes are literally homegrown in the garden that surrounds the house in Addison where Nella and Jack Curatolo have lived for 43 years. While Nella is the undisputed queen of the kitchen at Gioacchino’s, Jack is the acknowledged king of the family garden. He only has a “little acre” to work with, but oh, what a bounty it yields. Among the vegetables you’ll find are beefsteak, cherry, plum and heart …

The United States Pizza Team headed out for the 28th edition of the World Pizza Championships in Parma with high hopes — and returned with accolades galore. USPT member Scott Volpe of Fiamme Pizzeria in Tucson, Ariz. wowed the crowd with his seamless blend of hip-hop break-dancing and flawless dough spinning, earning first place in Freestyle Acrobatics. His performance was set to custom-edited music by fellow team member Lenny Rago of Panino’s Pizza in Chicago, Park Ridge and Evanston. The culinary side of the USPT took some accolades as well in several events. Rago achieved the second highest score for …

The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii is inviting current and former parishioners to purchase a paver for placement in the Shrine’s Garden of Remembrance. “If you’ve ever had a special moment in this sacred place, if you’d like to honor a loved one or commemorate a special date, please consider being a part of our Garden of Remembrance,” Shrine Rector the Rev. Richard Fragomeni says. The garden is located south of the Holy Family statue, with 100 bricks already installed. With every 100 bricks sold, another installation will take place. A 4-inch-by-8-inch brick costs $250 and is customizable with …

Retired local businessman and charitable dynamo Richard Montalbano Sr. will receive the prestigious Joseph P. Cianci Humanitarian Award at UNICO National’s annual convention, which will run from July 24 to 28 in Nashville. A knight grand cross of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Montalbano is also a past grand knight and district deputy of the Knights of Columbus and a past regional director and grand commander of the Order of Alhambra. He has served for nearly 40 years as the curator of the Crypt of the Saints, a shrine at Visitation Parish in Elmhurst that contains …

The Sons and Daughters of Italy in America will honor veteran educator Lyn Scolaro as Person of the Year at a gala on July 13 at Elmcrest Banquets in Elmwood Park. For details, call 630-913-7654. The following profile was provided by the organization. Lyn Scolaro Professoressa Lyn Scolaro is the daughter of Veneto parents Mary (Cecchin-Galliera Veneta) and Attilio (Loreggia), sister to Lori (Robb) Vasilevich, and the proud ZiZi of Luc and Giuliana. She has been at Prospect High School for 28 years, and has been teaching Italian for 37 years, beginning her career at Mother Guerin High School in …

Romanucci & Blandin, partners Stephan Blandin, Antonio Romanucci and Frank Sommario have all been named to the 2019 Illinois Super Lawyers Top 100 List. This year marks several milestones for the firm, with founding partners Romanucci and Blandin being named to the Illinois Super Lawyers list for the 15th consecutive year and Sommario being named to the Top 100 list for the first time. In addition to being on the Illinois Super Lawyers list for the past 15 years, both Romanucci and Blandin have had a presence on the Top 100 list for a majority of that time.

The Gene Siskel Film Center will screen the world premier of “Shelf Life: The Story of Lanzi Candy,” a documentary by Michael Lahey on July 12, 13 and 17. For decades, Chicago was renowned as “Candy Capital of the World,” home to the giants Brach, Mars, Ferrara, and Wrigley, and scores of mid-sized and small family-owned companies. Those glory days are largely gone, but, against that background, filmmaker Lahey explores his grandfather Elmo Lanzi’s sweet spot in Chicago’s history. An Italian immigrant in search of the American dream, Lanzi began making candy and selling it from his storefront in 1920. …

Studenti del liceo Elk Grove Village di Chicago e studenti di Termini Imerese in Sicilia hanno fatto parte di un entusiasmante programma di scambio culturale per circa due decenni. Fondato dalla famiglia Giovanni Gullo, lo scambio porta studenti dalla Siclia nell’area di Chicago a novembre, mentre studenti di Elk Grove High School vanno in Sicilia a marzo. Gli studenti Sabrina Gullo e Fabiana Monachello hanno scritto il seguente resoconto del loro recente viaggio. A due settimane dal nostro ritorno non riusciamo ancora a superare il fatto che abbiamo lasciato i nostri amici, i nostri nuovi fratelli e sorelle, le nostre …