Celebrating its 92nd Annual Columbus Banquet, the Grand Lodge of Illinois/Wisconsin, Order Sons of Italy in America hosted the event at Villa Brunetti, Franklin Park, Illinois on October 8, 2016. Maria Mancini, Columbus Banquet Chair, welcomed the guests and introduced the Master of Ceremony for the evening, the Honorable Anthony Caldarone, Mayor of Forest Park, Illinois. The MC introduced the Grand Lodge Officers, our honored award recipients, the Consul General of Italy, and the Columbus Day Queen as they entered the hall. Highlighting the evening were the presentations of the 2016 Humanitarian Award and the Columbus Patriot Award. In …

    An enthusiastic crowd was held spellbound by Medal of Honor recipient Allen James Lynch during a special presentation hosted by the Italian American Veterans Museum. More than 100 attendees, many of them veterans, flocked to the Community Center at Casa Italia on Nov. 14 to share an evening with a true American hero. As an Army sergeant during the Vietnam War, Lynch earned the nation’s highest military decoration while saving the lives of three wounded comrades on the field of battle. The evening was passionately moderated by IAVM Memorabilia Curator Steve Corbo. After calling World War II Veteran …

  Oak Park Police Chief Anthony Ambrose will step up to the presidency of the Columbian Club of Chicago when members and guests gather for the organization’s annual installation gala on Jan. 14 at the Medinah Country Club. (708-358-5502) “It’s an honor and a privilege to follow in the footsteps of so many great past presidents,” Ambrose says. A member since 2010, Ambrose joined “to promote our great Italian heritage and be associated with a club that believes in giving back to the community.” In addition to working his way up the ladder of succession as an officer, Ambrose has …

    One of the highlights of the Chicago’s World Fair in 1933 unfolded when Italian aviator Italo Balbo led a historic transatlantic flight from Rome to Chicago, landing on the shores of Lake Michigan near Grant Park. To commemorate the flight and honor Balbo, a 2,000-year-old Roman column was sent from an ancient port city of Rome and installed at the fair’s Italian Pavilion in 1934. The Balbo Monument is the only remaining structure from the Century of Progress and is one of the oldest sculptures in the United States. It remains standing near Soldier Field and is in …

by Michael Solarz Here is proof that what goes around comes around. For nearly three decades, Bill Conforti made 3066 to 3070 N. Clybourn Ave. the home of Siding-1, Windows-1, and Cobblestone Development. After Siding-1, Windows-1, was sold in 2012, the property was redeveloped in 2015 and is now the new showroom and headquarters of Cobblestone Development. Conforti’s Cobblestone Development is focused in two areas: exterior home improvement such as windows, siding, porches, and decks. Also, renovations including kitchen, baths, basements, and additions are offered. Bill also offers his Mission Statement: “Cobblestone Development, Inc. is Chicagoland’s premier provider of quality …

  With the Chicago Cubs making it to the World Series for the first time in 71 years, Cubs fever has swept the metropolitan area. In the 45th Ward, Jefferson Park Forward commissioned artist Tony Passero to paint a retro mural across from the Jefferson Park Terminal showcasing Cubs legends like Fergie Jenkins, Ryne Sandberg, Ernie Banks and Ron Santo. As the December issue went to press, Passero was putting the finishing touches on a mural across from Wrigley Field spotlighting members of the current Cubs roster. Commissioned by Major League Baseball, the mural was done in time for the …

  The artwork of Filippo Aliperta will be on display at the Book Market at Hangar One in Glenview through December. Born in Somma Vesuviana near Napoli, Aliperta has been painting since the seventh grade, learning over the years to create paintings in oils, acrylics and pen and ink and sculptures in ceramics, stone, metal and glass. A cosmetologist by profession, he owns Estetica Professional Hair Design in Glenview. He is a member of the Glenview Art League, North Shore Art League and Casa Italia Art League and he has served as president of Associazione Regionale Campania.

  A pair of departed veterans are resting more peacefully thanks to the sharp eye and passionate persistence of Laurence Pasquesi. The longtime North Shore activist was strolling through Memorial Park in Highland Park when he was moved to take a closer look at a monument to residents who had worn the American uniform during World War I. He noted with pride that 15 of the 366 men memorialized on a bronze plaque were of Italian descent, but realized upon closer examination that the last names of Costantino Minorini and Enrico Piacenza were misspelled. With the help of fellow community …

    Jaclyn Puccini was crowned Queen of the Columbus Day parade at a glittering pageant on Aug. 28 at Alta Villa Banquets in Addison. “‘Exciting’ doesn’t begin to describe the 2016 Columbus Day Queen Pageant,” JCCIA Executive Director Jo Ann Serpico says. “Enthusiasm radiated from the family members, friends and community leaders who attended, and the young women were perfect examples of confidence, courage and leadership.” Ron Onesti of Onesti Entertainment chaired the event and served as master of ceremonies, and Marilyn Fredericks handled the choreography. “Ron and Marilyn did a spectacular job of running this year’s pageant,” Serpico …

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Westchester attorney Mauro Glorioso chairman of the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board. Glorioso has been a member of the five-member board for eight years. The Illinois Senate confirmed his appointment by a vote of 52-0. Prior to becoming a board member, Glorioso served as an administrative law judge at the agency for eight years. A past president of the Justinian Society of Lawyers, Glorioso has been active in the 30,000-member Illinois State Bar Association, having served three terms on the ISBA Board of Governors. The PTAB was created to ensure that property assessments are fair …