The Italian students at Ridgewood High School in Norridge were proud to play host to a delegation from Italy on May 23. Among the honored guests were Attilio Fontana, president of the region of Lombardy; Raffaele Cattaneo, the region’s undersecretary for European and International Public Relations; Paolo Aliprandi, a member of Cattaneo’s staff; Maria Luisa Scalise, the region’s director of International Relations; and Paola Murgia, a member of Scalise’s staff. Italian Consul General Thomas Botzios arranged the visit with the help of Dr. Marina Lenza, director of education for the consulate. Fontana requested the opportunity to meet with Ridgewood’s Italian …

The Chicago Association of REALTORS® inducted Marion Valle into its Hall of Fame in 2023. “When it comes to real estate not only in Illinois, but also throughout the country, there’s one person who has had a significant hand in how we do business,” Chicago REALTOR® Magazine noted. “Valle’s impact on the real estate industry is seen with the historic appointments and positions he has held.” In 1974, he became the first full-time real estate commissioner for the state of Illinois, helping to establish the industry regulations that exist today. In 1980, he was hired by the National Association of …

The Old Neighborhood Italian American Club staged its 30th annual Anti-Drug and Alcohol/Responsible Behavior Seminar on May 10. Local grade-school students from the Bridgeport, Chinatown and Canaryville neighborhoods take part in the event each year. This year’s seminar was attended by 8th-grade students from St. Jerome Catholic School, Bridgeport Catholic Academy and St. Gabriel Catholic School. Led by Co-Chair Michael Rubio, a panel that included local alderpersons addressed social media and online safety awareness along with the benefits of community involvement and the development of leadership skills. “Chicago P.D.” actor LaRoyce Hawkins and producer Brian Luce talked about the dangers …

Looking to drive down health care costs and expand access for families, State Rep. Anthony DeLuca is backing a reform plan that imposes limits and restrictions on the insurance industry. Known as the Health Care Protection Act, House Bill 5395 would require insurance companies to justify premium increases; prohibit them from selling short-term health care plans known as “junk insurance” that provide little or no coverage; and eliminate prior authorization hurdles for mental health care. It would also halt the practice known as “step therapy,” which requires patients to try a medication or treatment other than what was prescribed and …

Caputo Cheese took home first place in the Fresh Mozzarella category at the 2024 World Championship Cheese Contest. The Melrose Park-based cheesemaker’s “nodini” was crowned the winner at the contest, which took place in Madison, Wisconsin, WBBM Newsradio reported. “Nodini” means “little knot” in Italian. Renzo Berardi, sales manager at Caputo’s, credited the way the cheese is created with the win. “I think it stems (from) the flavor profile and the uniqueness of this item — the hand-tied, the crafting of this cheese. We bring the tradition of handmade products.” Berardi said the nodini has a “chewy bite just in …

“Get them in, get them out, and get the dough crisp” is how Chris Marston described to the Daily Herald the pizza-making process at his new restaurant, Legends Pizza in Carol Stream. Marston is a former service representative for Chicago Brick Oven, and at one point had up to six different models of pizza ovens in his backyard. He and his wife, Michelle, achieved their dream of opening a restaurant this spring. Legends Pizza, at 158 N. Gary Ave., has a full bar and a carousel oven that cooks 12-, 14- and 16-inch thin-crust pizzas at 550 degrees. The menu …

In the works for four years, a new coffee flavor is now on the menu at Miko’s Italian Ice. Miko’s has two locations in Chicago, at 2236 N. Sacramento Ave. and 4125 N. Kimball Ave. Owner Zach Roombos told Block Club Chicago that the new flavor came from listening to customer feedback. “It’s very exciting, and lots of people have been asking for it for a long time,” Roombos said. With a rotating list of 30 flavors, the family-run business celebrates its 27th anniversary this year. A location in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood closed in 2019. For more, click here.

The third Chicago location of Bonci pizzeria opened in the spring at 3151 N. Broadway in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. Bonci features Roman-style pizza al taglio, or rectangular slices, sold by weight. Exotic variations include Lemon Ricotta and vegan Mushroom Rosa pizzas, but you can also find pizza with traditionally American ingredients like pepperoni, Eater Chicago reported. Bonci opened its first location outside of Italy seven years ago in Chicago’s West Loop, followed by a location in Lincoln Park. The U.S. group is co-owned by Chakib Touhami, who told Eater he and his partner hope to start debuting suburban locations. For …

What do you get when a true showman joins forces with one of Springfield’s most respected legislators? The second annual Italian Caucus Tour of Italy Reception, of course. Hosted for the last two years by Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans President Ron Onesti and State Rep. Anthony DeLuca, the blockbuster event drew more than 300 movers and shakers from across the state. Among them were elected officials, lobbyists and leaders of the Chicago-area Italian-American community. The top floor of the Wyndham Hotel in Springfield, decked out in green, white and red, was lined with banners spotlighting the JCCIA and …

The Italian American Executives of Transportation will honor Jamie Rhee as Woman of the Year and Sergio Serritella as Humanitarian of the Year at its awards dinner and celebration on Nov. 16 at Ashton Place in Willowbrook. Rhee is Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation. Named to the post in 2018, she oversees operations at O’Hare and Midway International Airports, one of the largest airport systems in the world. Over the course of a 28-year career with the city of Chicago, Rhee has served in multiple positions at the airports, from customer-service foreign-language assistant while in law school, to …