Columns

As we grew up in Roseland, we would meet new people and our horizons would expand. When we were little, we would go from playing around our house to playing at our friends’ houses. When we went to grade school and met new friends, we couldn’t wait to go on adventures with them in the schoolyards, parks and prairies in our community. Our horizons really expanded when we went to high school, met a whole new circle of friends and learned to drive. Along the way, we made new discoveries and learned to deal with different situations. Imagine if you …

Based on the bestselling novel by Wally Lamb, the HBO limited series “I Know This Much Is True” follows the struggles of Dominick Birdsey as he goes to great lengths to protect his identical twin brother, Thomas, who is suffering from severe mental illness. The series stars Italian-American actor Mark Ruffalo in a bravura performance as both brothers. In the fifth episode, Birdsey’s efforts lead him to a book written by his grandfather, a Sicilian immigrant. Calabrese actor Marcello Fonte, who is featured in the June issue of Fra Noi, gives an outstanding performance as Domenico Tempesta, a ruthless, violent …

Volere is an Italian verb that means “to want” or “to need.” Volere ends in -ere, which makes it a second conjugation verb.  However, it is also an irregular verb, and the stem will change for all forms except the voi form.  As you can imagine, volere is a very important verb to know in order to communicate what your needs are while in Italy, and you will find the io and tu forms are very important to commit to memory. The verb conjugation table below is presented with the visual learner in mind, and this includes color-coding for easy …

Familysearch has done it again! (If I had a nickel for every time I’ve written that, I’d have $2.85!) I have not been on Familysearch much, due to the fact that the records I need are only accessible from a Family History Center or an affiliate library, both of which are closed as of this writing. So when I got in and saw the menu, I was perplexed. The Search menu starts with Records but then says “Images.” I didn’t know what it meant so I skipped it. My curiosity finally got the better of me, and I clicked on …

There are many common misconceptions when it comes to real estate brokers and brokerages. Many people think, for example, that all brokers and brokerages are alike. Nothing could be further from the truth. Finding the right broker can make a huge difference in your buying or selling experience. If you’re looking to buy a house, be sure your broker knows the neighborhoods you’re interested in. Having a high level of knowledge and experience translates into an ability to find you the best possible house for you given your price range, needs and tastes. Your broker also needs to be surrounded …

After the pandemic hit, the federal government passed the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act, which in part allowed mortgage holders to take a three-month break from making payments, since so many Americans had lost their jobs. The initial guidance from the government about the break, called forbearance, was that after the three months were up, the entire balance was due at once. The Finance Housing Federal Authority has now said that they will allow borrowers to modify these payments. What this means is that borrowers can either pay these deferred payments when they sell their property. add …

As I write this column, news continues to blare about the impact of the coronavirus on every aspect of our lives. We’re all aware of the cancellation of festivals, parties, get-togethers and organizational events. What’s a person to do? How’s this? I’m dedicating this month’s column to all those outdoor events that are so popular to Roselandites, whether or not they take place this year. Please, keep in mind that you should check for the current status of any events listed. At this point in time, I’d be telling you about the Pullman Family Picnic that would be coming up …

For a general assessment of the weather, Italians use the multipurpose verb fare (‘to do’ or ‘to make’) in the third person singular, which you’ll remember is fa. In English, the verb ‘to be’ is used to refer to what the weather actually is outside. Instead, Italians speak of what the weather is doing or making. It’s very important to think in Italian if we want to talk about the weather in Italian. Remember that the reference to “it” in the Italian sentence will be left out, as usual. Below are some examples of how this works, with the correct English …

With the Covid-19 pandemic in full swing as Fra Noi goes to press, business has been affected in unprecedented ways. It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen in the real estate industry during normal times, let alone at times such as these. Here’s what we do know. Real estate sales has been deemed an essential business by the governor during the lockdown, so realty can and is being bought and sold. Mortgage applications were booming toward the beginning of March after the interest rate cut, but the lockdown put a damper on subsequent sales. Buyers and sellers have legitimate …

by Addison Teng In November 2019, Music Institute of Chicago violin and chamber music faculty member Addison Teng took three of his students — Maia Law (age 17, Glencoe), Aria Messina (age 16, Chicago) and Kodai Speich (age 16, Rockford) — on a 10-day trip to San Marino and Italy. The trip was hosted by Istituto Musicale Sammarinese in San Marino; Conservatorio Bruno Maderna in Cesena, Italy; and Istituto Superiore di Studi Musicali “Pietro Mascagni” in Livorno, Italy. The Music Institute students performed alongside local students and took masterclasses from conservatory professors. The mission of this residency was to promote …