Community

Responding to continued economic losses in the south suburbs, State Rep. Anthony DeLuca has filed legislation that would reduce taxes on land bank properties in an attempt to stimulate redevelopment. “The problem facing the Southland region is that, when our manufacturing and industrial jobs left, nothing replaced them,” DeLuca says. House Bill 1842 would create a special designation in several south suburban townships for commercial- or industrial-zoned properties that have been vacant for a year or more. If developers apply for and receive the designation, the value would be capped at 50 percent of the last assessment, reducing tax rates …

The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans came roaring out of the gate at its first official meeting following the January installation of its 2021-22 officers. Recently elected President Ron Onesti and a burgeoning cadre of JCCIA leaders have the organization hitting on all cylinders as they upshift into their two-year terms. The meeting was held on Feb. 24 in the recently renovated Italian American Community Room in the Community Center at Casa Italia. On full display were the 80 plaques already sold as part of the Casa’s massive fundraising campaign. More than 60 community leaders representing 30-plus organizations were …

It’s been a long, eerily quiet year at the Mazzini-Verdi Club in Franklin Park. The once-bustling facility at 9230 W. Belmont Ave. has been shuttered since March 2020 because of the pandemic, and club leaders and members are looking forward to returning to business as usual. “The club is like a second home to us, and we deeply miss gathering there, but the safety of our members comes first,” says Mazzini-Verdi President Bernard Ghilarducci. “We’ll be reopening as soon as the state of Illinois gives us the green light, and we’ll, of course, be following all guidelines and restrictions.” Founded …

Casa Italia will be ready to hit the ground running once restrictions are lifted thanks to the generosity of the Italian-American community. The Calabresi in America Organization got the ball rolling with a $100,000 donation to fund a host of improvements. Among them are new emergency and exit lighting throughout the property, new boilers in the Community and Cultural centers, and other renovations to the Community Center. The rest of the community has rallied around the Casa by purchasing commemorative plaques for inclusion in a Hall of Honor in the Community Center. The plaques will be installed in the former …

The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii is inviting current and former parishioners to buy 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. A 4-inch-by-8-inch brick costs $250 and is customizable with up to three lines of 20 characters each. Bricks are installed after 100 are sold, …

Ron Onesti has honored the city of Chicago’s request to take down the Italian-American Pride banners that had surrounded the base of the Christopher Columbus statue in Arrigo Park since last fall. Onesti installed them without a permit after the statue was removed by the city in the wake of civil unrest this summer. “They were beautifying the site for months, and thousands of people enjoyed them, but we’re law-abiding citizens, and the city was well within its rights to request their removal,” says Onesti, who spearheaded and paid for the banners personally before his election as JCCIA president. “We’re negotiating …

The Honorary Consulate of the Republic of San Marino in Chicago in conjunction with Resurrection College Prep High School in Chicago and the Scuola Secondaria Superiore in San Marino have organized a virtual education program for select students at the two schools. The program focuses on the connection between San Marino and Illinois-born writer Ernest Hemingway, which was highlighted in the February 2021 issue of Fra Noi. According to Consul Robert Allegrini, “The virtual exchange is meant to foster the bonds of a shared history and to keep the spirit of cross-border learning alive during the pandemic.”  

On Feb. 26, the JCCIA Young Professionals Division will host its first event, “Festa di Carnevale,” as the re-branded Avanti Club. The event will run from 8-10 p.m. at Victory Italian, 434 W. Ontario St. Chicago. Tickets are $35 per person and cover cocktails, light hors d’oeuvres and Vero gelato. “All young professionals of Italian descent, and non-Italians seeking camaraderie and fun on behalf of a wonderful cause are encouraged to attend,” says club President Pasquale Gianni. “Join us in a chance to network while celebrating the enduring Italian spirit in Chicago.” RSVP to avanti@jccia.com.    

In recognition of Dr. Anthony S. Fauci’s life saving work, National Italian American Foundation has launched the Fauci Fellowships to award two $50,000 post-doctoral research grants to support research in infectious diseases and help establish the recipients’ independent careers. One grant will go to an Italian researcher working in Italy, and the other to an Italian-American researcher working in the United States. The funding will finance each researcher and his or her specific research program. Applicants must have completed all the requirements for a Ph.D. in medicine, biological sciences, pharmacy, chemistry, or other scientific disciplines. Preference will be given to …

Two years ago, the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans took its scholarship program to a new level by concentrating the annual interest income from the Nick & Helena Patti and Frank J. Vigilante scholarship foundations into a few big-ticket bestowals. The following are this year’s beneficiaries. Mia Rumps (Patti scholarship) is a student at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in rehabilitation science with minors in Italian and chemistry. A member of the dean’s list, she plans on attending medical school with the aim of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Philip Sasso (Patti scholarship) is a student at Judson University majoring …