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A statue of St. John Baptist Scalabrini was unveiled at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish and Shrine in Melrose Park on Nov. 12. The 6-foot-tall statue was commissioned in honor of the one-year anniversary of the canonization of Bishop Scalabrini, founder of the Missionaries of Saint Charles, the religious order that runs Mt. Carmel. It was installed in front of the church.  

A new era of political engagement dawned on Aug. 8 when the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans hosted its inaugural Government Relations Luncheon. More than 100 public officials at every level of local government converged on the Des Plaines Theatre for the event, which honored State Rep. Anthony DeLuca and former county official turned political consultant Enza Raineri. DeLuca received the Legislator of the Year Award for sponsoring the law that permanently designates October as Italian American Heritage Month in Illinois (page 25). Raineri received the Government Relations Award for the pivotal role she played in convincing the Cook …

Maestro Martin Caliendo, founder and director of Caliendo’s Banda Napoletana, was presented with the Benermerenti Medal of the Constantinian Order of St. George in recognition of his dedication in preserving and providing traditional music to Chicago-area Italian-American religious fests. Founded in 1974 but with roots dating back to the 1920s through its parent Strocchia Concert Band, Caliendo’s Banda Napoletana is one of the very few remaining musical organizations of its type in the United States.  

Hearing from homeowners concerned about the impact of sprawling commercial solar farm developments, State Rep. Anthony DeLuca has introduced a plan to establish minimum 500-foot setbacks between homes and solar properties. House Bill 4135 would update existing solar zoning law and authorize counties to increase the setback distance for solar energy projects from either 50 or 150 feet, depending on the property, to 500 feet universally. The measure is focused on large-scale commercial solar developments, not individual homeowner solar panel use. “While many of us are intrigued by the development of solar power, it needs to be handled in a …

A pair of business titans will be honored at the Italian American Chamber of Commerce gala on Oct. 21 at CineCity Studios in Chicago. Joe Perillo, owner of Perillo Auto Group, and Bill Terlato, president and CEO of Terlato Wines International, will receive excellence awards at the event. After serving in the U.S. Army for three years, Perillo pursued his passion for selling automobiles, becoming the No. 1 Cadillac salesman in the country. He bought a failing Pontiac dealership in Chicago in 1975, turned it around in three years and opened the city’s first BMW dealership in 1981. Perillo Auto …

Retired law enforcement officer Kenneth Lavorata will top the list of honorees at the Italian American Police Association dinner dance on Nov. 3 at the Chateau Ritz. Lavorata served in the Marine Corps from 1964-67, including a tour of duty as a battalion scout in Vietnam from 1965-66. He entered the Police Academy in November 1967, and served as an officer for the Chicago Police Department for 35 years. His assignments included the 12th, 25th and 20th districts; Area 4 and 5 Traffic; the Radar and Mass Transit units; and the Office of Special Events, coordinating police presence for major …

The Italian American Labor Council honored Lawrence Picardi Sr. as Man of the Year at its dinner dance on Oct. 14 at the Drury Lane Oak Brook in Oakbrook Terrace. Picardi is the financial secretary treasurer of Cement Masons Union Local 502. His father brought him into the union as an apprentice in 1980, and he worked for years for various Chicago-area contractors as a foreman and union steward. Picardi was elected as a trustee of the local’s Welfare Fund in 1988, a member of its executive board in 1997 and its business agent in 2006. In 2012, he was …

Maribel Weisz of Antique Resources and Stephanie Sarris of Bellehaven Designs will celebrate Italian American Heritage Month by hosting a charity event they’re calling “Che Bellezza! An Evening of Italian Culture and Murano.” The fundraiser will run from 6-9 p.m. on Oct. 19 at Antique Resources, 1741 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Boasting the largest collection of antique chandeliers in the Midwest, Antique Resources recently added a wide array of antique and vintage Murano glass chandeliers and accessories to its collection. “Maribel was so excited about her new Murano pieces, I suggested we host a party so people can find out …

Past JCCIA President Enza Raineri is inviting the Chicago-area Italian-American community to take part in Back the Blue Italian Style! — a fundraiser in support of the Chicago Police Foundation. The event will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 26 at the Morgan Art Complex in the city’s Bridgeport Neighborhood. Tickets and sponsorships are available, with proceeds benefiting the Mounted Police Unit of the Chicago Police Department. For details, click here.      

On June 29, members of the Harlem Avenue Little Italy Business Association met with representatives from the Chicago Department of Planning and Development and two urban planning firms to come up with a strategy for developing Harlem Avenue from North to Lawrence avenues. HALIBA board members gave their guests a tour of the area, introducing them to local businesses and offering a sense of the area’s rich Italian history. The tour began at the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame at 3417 N. Harlem Ave. “This museum is going to be the anchor of Harlem Avenue, bringing tourists from …