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Twenty-eight miles north of Chicago, Highwood was home to a large, Italian-immigrant community from the early 20th century up to the late 1980s. Many families from our home province of Modena settled there. As is usually the case in mass immigration, it started with families calling connected families, who in turned called others to their new home. Highwood was a place that offered plentiful job opportunities for men with trade backgrounds — that was because of Fort Sheridan. Fort Sheridan was home to the United States Fifth Army, a base supporting 5,000 military and civilian personnel at its peak. It …

If you own a property in Italy, this article may be of interest to you, even more so if your property is vacant. Recent changes in Italian law aim to protect property owners from unauthorized occupation, a concern for many, especially those living elsewhere or abroad. On Sept. 10, Italy’s Parliament (Camera dei Deputati) approved a proposed law focused on enhancing urban security and reinforcing property rights. A key issue addressed by this legislation is unauthorized occupation, which has been on the rise. The new law introduces provisions to ensure quicker recovery of properties and stronger penalties for illegal occupants. …

Alain Delon, the renowned French actor who rose to fame in the 1960s with iconic European films like “Purple Noon” (1960) and “The Leopard “(1963), passed away in August at 88. Known for his striking good looks and rebellious, aloof characters, Delon is considered one of French cinema’s most enigmatic figures. His characters had a lasting impact on international cinema during a career that spanned half a century. Delon was sought after by some of the most prolific Italian auteurs, including Luchino Visconti, Michelangelo Antonioni and Valerio Zurlini. The film that launched his Italian career was undoubtedly Visconti’s 1960 drama …

The Italian verb  entrare  is often used to describe physically entering a place and can be translated as “to enter,” “to go in” or “to come in.” In fact, the Italian and English verbs entrare and enter are cognates; both verbs share a common origin in the Latin language. Also, along with carrying the same primary definition,  entrare and enter have a similar sound when pronounced in each language, and are used in a similar way. Besides the basic meaning of “to enter a place,” entrare  and enter are also the verbs used to give direction to performers. For instance, the …

Around 1987, there was a man who had a vision for Italian genealogy.  His name was Dr. Thomas Militello, from California and eventually Nevada.  Dr. Tom had trouble trying to find genealogists who were researching the same towns as he was, and what surnames they were researching.  Keep in mind that this was the late 1980s so ancestry.com and FamilySearch did not exist as we know them today and social media was years in the future. Dr. Tom founded a group called POINT, which stands for Pursuing Our Italian Names Together.  The objective of POINT was to get people to …

Summer is definitely behind us but, as we head into fall, the season has left us with some wonderful memories. Those include some great events presented by the Pullman National Historical Park Rangers and their staff, the beginning of the construction of a Chick-fil-A on 111th Street, the opening of the Pullman Club Café, the transformation of the off-track betting facility into offices for Chicago’s Red Line extension project, and the clearing of houses on 116th Street to make way for the project. St. Anthony’s Parish has seen the ordination of its new deaconate couple, Mario and Graciela Delgado and …

The bus to Pisa from Piandelagotti negotiated the tight turns down the mountainside. With every passing kilometer my parents knew there was no turning back. They stayed to themselves. My mother kept crying while my father was stoic, and my sister and I remained silent. Pisa would be the first stop. There, we would change buses to continue on the final bus leg to Genova, the Italian port city. We stayed the night in a hotel near the docks.  Early the next day, we boarded the Andrea Doria, the principal Italian, luxury ocean liner. All travel arrangements had been made …

  The 81st Venice International Film Festival took place on the Lido di Venezia from Aug. 28 to Sept. 7. As always, films from around the world were presented by a diverse lineup of filmmakers. One lesser-known program of the festival, but one very important to young filmmakers, is the Settimana Internazionale della Critica, which showcases both genre and art-house cinema made by emerging directors experimenting with their unique filmmaking styles. An important feature of the program is the presence of short films, both in and out of competition. Having that opportunity opens the door for young Italian filmmakers looking …

As the American presidential election approaches, some may wonder how the posts differ in America vs. Italy. How does the election work in Italy? What powers does the president have?  Is the position as high-profile as it is in America? While the U.S and Italian presidents share a title, their roles and powers are worlds apart, reflecting the distinct ways Italy and the United States have structured their political systems In Italy, the president of the republic is largely a ceremonial figure. Serving a seven-year term, the president is selected by an electoral college of Parliament members and regional representatives. …

Getting  Upset in Italian —  Turbato and Sconvolto Many scenarios, either real or imagined, can prompt a feeling of concern. In short, in life there are many reasons for us to get upset, and we often try to get advice or find solace by speaking with another. In Italian, there are many ways to convey the emotions we feel when we get worried and upset. Therefore, we must learn to think in Italian if we are to communicate our emotions in Italian! In our last blog in this series about how to express emotions in Italian, “Talking About Emotions,” we discussed how an …