Local News

The Italian American Executives of Transportation are gearing up for their third annual Augustus Caesar Awards. Slated for Feb. 28 at Ashton Place in Willowbrook, the event will honor 12 young professionals who are excelling in their fields and exhibit potential for future success. The honorees will be Frank Battaglia (dining), Anthony Greco (law enforcement), Bianca Ferreri Maldonado (clinical mental health therapist), Brady Niemiec (firefighter and paramedic), Anthony Pasquini (attorney), Jason Quaglia (commercial risk management insurance), Ramon Ruiz (electrical supply and distribution), Nick Schullo (sales and consulting), Matteo Serritella (private detective), Katelyn Smith (elementary education), Mario Tenuta (financial advisor) and …

Casa Italia will host a full-day Italian language immersion experience on Saturday, February 21, led by immersion veterans Carla Simonini, PhD, and Anna Clara Ionta. Together, the instructors bring more than 50 years of combined university-level teaching experience in Italian language and culture. Designed for the general public at the intermediate to advanced level (not for beginners), the six-hour immersion day emphasizes sustained language use through guided conversation, small-group work, and a structured Italian film viewing with focused vocabulary and grammar review. Instruction will be conducted entirely in Italian in a supportive, engaging environment. Enrollment is limited. The participation fee …

The Women’s Division of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans is encouraging Italian American Women business owners to share their stories of success at this year’s celebration of Festa della Donna. The event will take place on March 10 at the Des Plaines Theatre. “We are looking for women who have a passion to share their stories to help other women on their road to success and to empower our younger women to carry our cultural torch into the future,” says division President Rose Mary Ranallo. For details, send an email with the subject “Italian American Women Business Owners” …

In Section 18 at the Queen of Heaven cemetery there is a statue of another iteration of the Virgin Mary. It stands with the arms extended downward with the palms up toward the flat gravestones that are before and behind. The inscription reads, “Our Lady of the Angels Pray for Us.” The 42 gravestones have various birthdates in 1947, ’48 and ’49 but they all have one ending date: December 1, 1958. On one of the gravestones viewed on a crisp fall day, there were pictures of the lost daughter, and bright miniature Christmas trees, lovingly arranged 67 years later. …

The mission of the Sister Cities movement reflects the belief in the power of personal connections. Since its inception in 1956, the goal of Sister Cities International has been “peace through citizen diplomacy.” As members of Sister Cities International and five time “Best Overall Program” winner, the Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation has embraced this mission. Through cultural, educational and business exchanges and programs to provide humanitarian relief, the Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation has connected people in our community with people in our sister cities: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Modena, Italy; and Yerucham, Israel. The results have transformed lives and …

The Sons and Daughters of Italy in America will host its fourth annual Carnevale di Venezia from noon to 4 p.m. on Feb. 1 at Empress Banquets in Addison. Dubbed “Tesori Nascosti” (“Hidden Treasures”), this year’s celebration will feature antipasto and dessert buffets, family-style spaghettata, acrobats and costumed performers, and dancing to DJ Alex. Businesswoman Elizabeth Battaglia and Schaumburg community leader Peter Justen will be honored. Tickets are $85 and sponsorships are available. Reservations are required by Jan. 22. (president.sadia@gmail.com)

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas welcomed a delegation from Sicily to her office on Oct. 10. The entourage was in town to celebrate Italian American Heritage Month as representatives of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans’ Parade Region of Honor. Pappas and other elected officials took part in the JCCIA’s Oct. 10 flag-raising ceremony in Daley Plaza. At a reception at her office afterward, she presented certificates of excellence to Palermo Vice Mayor Giampiero Cannella, the delegation, and civic and religious leaders from Italy and the Chicago area. “More than 600,000 Italian Americans in Chicagoland have helped make Cook …

On Oct. 18, the Casa Italia Library unveiled a new website aimed at preserving family histories for posterity. Designed by library volunteer Olivia Greco, the portal allows visitors to submit stories about themselves and their family members. “This project is a wonderful way to get anyone involved,” Greco says. “If you want to tell your family’s story, but feel like writing is not your strong point, this is a perfect opportunity. It’s a fast and easy way to save our stories before they’re gone forever.” For more, click here.

The Chicago-area Italian American community and its supporters pulled out all the stops in October, with celebrations taking place across the metropolitan area and throughout the month. As always, the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans led the way, starting with an Oct. 10 flag-raising ceremony in Daley Plaza, followed by a reception at the office of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas. Next came a glittering Presidents’ Ball on Oct. 12 at the Chicago Cultural Center. Club presidents joined forces with elected officials from every level of government to officially welcome delegations from Sicily and Italy to the festivities, with …

Frank Conforti Jr. — along with the three generations of the Conforti family who have run Frankie’s Deli for more than half a century — were the guests of honor at Casa Italia’s 54th annual gala. The event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 8, at The Carlisle in Lombard. Joining Frank Jr. in the spotlight were his parents, Frank Sr. and Connie, and his son Mario, who have played key roles in making Frankie’s one of the most popular Italian food emporiums in the western suburbs, along with his wife, Linda, their son Frankie and son-in-law, Dominick Carmignani, who …