Dr. Jean Barbanente has been appointed interim superintendent of DuPage High School District 88, which encompasses Addison Trail and Willowbrook high schools. She is the district’s first female superintendent as well as the first to speak multiple languages. Barbanente has been with District 88 for more than 25 years and worked with past superintendents Dr. Scott Helton and Dr. Steve Humphrey. She joined District 88 in 1995 as a member of the world language department at Addison Trail, where she taught Italian and Spanish. In 2002, she transitioned to her first leadership role in the district, taking on the position …

With state restrictions finally lifted, Casa Italia is back in full swing. The Casa got the ball rolling in June with the revival of its bocce league. The 10-week tourney pits 16 teams of four against each other in a pitched battle for coveted trophies plus bragging rights until next year’s competition. Having gathered via Zoom last year, I-A Literati convened its annual celebration of Italian-American authors in person at the Cultural Center in July. Terry Quilico’s play “Seatonville” premiered afterward in the Community Center. Società Beato Giovanni Liccio di Caccamo hosted its annual festa at the end of July …

In June 2020, as attacks on Columbus statues across the country heated up, a group of Italian Americans led by Carlo Vaniglia started meeting at Arrigo Park in Little Italy every Sunday morning. Originally dubbed “Coffee with Columbus,” the gatherings were meant as a peaceful show of support for their heritage. When the city of Chicago decided to remove the Columbus statues in the middle of the night, the get-togethers morphed into a protest against the move. In the months that followed, others joined in and the Chicago Italian-American Patriots group was born. The Patriots organized a 2020 Columbus Day …

In lieu of their annual Memorial Day remembrance, which was canceled due to COVID-19, the Old Neighborhood Italian American Club made a donation to the Fisher House at Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital. Hines Fisher House provides a home away from home for the family members, caregivers and loved ones of patients receiving medical care at Hines. “We’re proud to be honoring our veterans with this contribution for such a worthy cause,” says ONIAC member Pete Scalise, who presented Fisher House Manager Holly Wright with the donation.  

The Harlem Avenue Little Italy Business Association was out in force recently for its first annual Strada Bella street cleanup. An enthusiastic team of 30 community members began the day at Riviera Foods at 3220 N. Harlem Ave. Sweeping and tossing trash as they went, they made their way up to Forno Rosso at 3719 N. Harlem Ave. Cleaning equipment was provided by 38th Ward Alderman Nicholas Sposato. To find out about upcoming events, click here.

The Lucchesi Nel Mondo honored Paul Ciminello and Lilia Leonardi Juarez as Man and Woman of the Year at their annual banquet on Aug. 28 at the Mazzini Verdi Club. The following profiles were provided by the organization. Paul Ciminello Paul Ciminello has been a member of the Lucchesi Nel Mondo Association for over 25 years.  Paul left his home of Campofelice di Roccella in Sicily and arrived in Chicago New Year’s Eve 1955. Over the decades, he built a career as a well-respected and renowned musician, singer, recording artist and all-around entertainer. Among his many accomplishments, Paul played for …

The National Italian American Foundation has elected its board of directors for the 2021-25 term. Robert Carlucci, former NIAF vice chair of development, will serve as the foundation’s chairman, succeeding Patricia de Stacy Harrison and the late Gabriel Battista, who served as co-chairs. Carlucci is the founder and CEO of RC Group, which operates Yum Brands Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut. He also co-founded Bay National Bank of Annapolis, Maryland. On the philanthropic front, he served on the board of the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts and established the Carlucci Entrepreneurship Forum at the American University …

Robert Fioretti has been ranked as a top attorney by the AV Peer Review system created by Martindale-Hubbell. As a partner in the law firm Roth Fioretti LLC, Fioretti handles cases in complex litigation and governmental law. A longtime civil rights lawyer, he was a senior supervising attorney for the General Litigation Division of the Corporation Counsel for the city of Chicago under Mayor Harold Washington. His personal trial experiences have led to more than 100 state and federal verdicts and appellate court decisions. A former special assistant attorney general and special assistant state’s attorney, Fioretti served for two terms …

  Dion Davi has ascended to the presidency of the Justinian Society of Lawyers. Joining Davi as Justinian officers are First Vice President Bruno Marasso, Second Vice President Michael D. Pisano, Third Vice President Brian Monico, Treasurer Catherine (Caifano) Locallo and Secretary Michael Bertucci. The following profiles were provided by the organization. Dion U. Davi — President Dion U. Davi is the Principal and founding attorney at the Davi Law Group, LLC, which concentrates in the areas of family, criminal and motorsports law. Dion is a past President of the Law Student Chapter of the Justinian Society of Lawyers and …

COLUMBUS UPDATE A Freedom of Information Act request submitted to the Chicago Park District by attorneys for the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans yielded an abundance of documents about the statue that once served as the centerpiece for Columbus Plaza in Arrigo Park. Among them was a signed agreement that stated, “The Park District will, in perpetuity, obtain the written approval of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans before making any substantial change to Columbus Plaza or the statue.” The statue was ordered removed by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the middle of the night on July 24, …