Film aficionados have hungered for the return of Casa Italia’s beloved feast of Italian cinema, and the wait is finally over. The Casa’s 2019 Italian film series will reboot on Sept. 13 and run for seven glorious Fridays. The host of this year’s series will be Pam DeFiglio, a veteran Chicago editor, columnist and arts critic. The following film descriptions were provided by Casa Italia: Sept. 13 — Un Paese Quasi Perfetto (An Almost Perfect Town) (2016) — Pietramezzana offers stunning mountain scenery, but all the jobs have left town. To save it, residents deploy improbable and highly comic schemes, …

Ron Ricchio was among the top 50 mortgage brokers in the country last year in terms of total loan volume, according to Scottsman’s Guide, a national residential and commercial publication. The ranking places him at the pinnacle of a profession that includes thousands of brokers nationwide. Ricchio was ranked among the best mortgage lenders in 2018 by #BorrowWisely, the top 350 originators in the country in 2016 by National Mortgage News, and the top 200 originators in the country in 2010, 2011 and 2014 by Origination News. A broker since 1991, Ricchio is president of Chicagoland Home Mortgage Services in …

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration has appointed Westchester attorney Mauro Glorioso as executive director and general counsel of the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board. Glorioso has served the PTAB in a number of capacities, most recently as chairman. Prior to that he was a member of the statewide five-member board, and before that he served as an administrative law judge at the agency. “I am honored by the administration’s confidence in me,” Glorioso says. The executive director is responsible for running the day-to-day operations of the agency, which assures that real property assessments are fair and uniform.

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 …