Gary Vecchio, 68, vocal leader on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, has died
Gary Vecchio, head of the Shrewsbury Street Neighborhood Association and a well-known voice on issues in the city, died Monday after a brief battle with cancer. Vecchio, 68, was a lifelong Worcester resident who became an educator and a visible presence in city politics and matters relating to Shrewsbury Street. Vecchio would walk the neighborhood...
Turning 105, Helen Marrese wishes again for one more year in Rockland
It's become an annual appeal to the great beyond, and so far Helen Marrese has prevailed. "Every time we hit a new birthday, she'll say, "Maybe one more year," Marrese's granddaughter Emilykate St. Jean, 52, said Sunday as Marrese celebrated her 105th birthday. "She woke up today and said, 'Next year I'll be 106.'" Marrese still lives in her own ho...
Watertown Sons & Daughters of Italy Donates to the Food Pantry
This month the Watertown Sons & Daughters of Italy Lodge Piave Fiume #1036, an affiliate Lodge of the National Order Sons of Italy in America, presented a check of $5,000 dollars to the Watertown Food Pantry, along with food items. The donation was made possible by hosting a comedy night fundraiser in June. Late February of 2022 the ceiling of the...
It will be Indigenous Peoples Day only in Portsmouth as Columbus Day is canceled
Acknowledging the history of city land, Portsmouth officials have pivoted to permanently recognize Indigenous Peoples Day and remove Columbus Day from the city calendar. A two-plus-year push from past and present Portsmouth High School students in We Speak, a club focused on social justice, achieved its goal Monday night. The Portsmouth City Counci...
All "Yale" Italians in Connecticut!
In most peoples’ minds, the state of Connecticut has very WASPy (White Anglo Saxon Protestant) associations: Yale University; “lace-curtain” wealthy families; and a Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (courtesy of Mark Twain, who once lived in Hartford). But did you know that, per capita and based on population, it is a state with the highest concentrati...
After successful first year, St. Anthony of Padua Festival returns to Windham on July 15-16
A special Mass in honor of their patron saint, a procession, and an outdoor festival will draw parishioners and community members to Windham on July 15-16 for the second annual St. Anthony of Padua Festival. The festival, which will be held on the grounds of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on 919 Roosevelt Trail, was initially held last summer to...
A reflection of peace: Couple donates statues of St. Francis of Assisi to Holy Rosary Shrine in Lawrence
He may have been the original Earth Day advocate and serves as the patron saint for animals, the environment and ecology in the Catholic faith. St. Francis of Assisi adored all of God's creations. and now, due to the generosity and devotion of a local couple, the likeness of St. Francis of Assisi, an Italian Catholic friar, deacon and mystic, is f...
Attention foodies: North End Italian feasts 2022
The North End in Boston, MA, is also known as Little Italy. If you have not been, there is so much to explore, especially for your taste buds. The North End is home to some amazing bakeries, pastry shops, restaurants, and gelato. Many locals, as well as tourists, visit the North End regularly to feast. We all know about Mike's Pastry, Bova, and Mod...
Sons of Italy monument dedication on Thursday
As a celebration of the contributions the Italian people have made to this area, the dedication of a Sons of Italy monument will take place on Thursday. Club member Jim Rinaldo said the event will take place at 11 a.m. at the site, next to the Muskie Memorial near the Rumford Information Center on Bridge Street. “The Italian community should be pro...
Each Italian town had its patron, celebrated in Wooster Square
In each village and town in southern Italy, in the region of Campania, there is a patronal celebration just about every week throughout the summer. These celebrations are devotional commemorations of the liturgical feast day of the patron saint of each locality. Those who settled in Wooster Square bought their devotions with them, and one of the fi...
Vineyard schools remove Columbus Day from calendar
Martha’s Vineyard schools will wipe Columbus Day from the calendar and celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Oct. 10, 2022. After an extensive presentation by Lisa Pimentel and Jocelyn Coleman Walton, co-chairs of the Martha’s Vineyard Diversity Coalition (MVDC) education committee, the All-Island School Committee voted unanimously to establish Indi...
Council to Consider Changing Name of Columbus Delta in Watertown Square
City Councilors decided to look at possibly changing the name of the grassy area in the middle of Watertown Square, which has been named for Christopher Columbus since 1940. The Council received a petition from resident Mishy Lesser, on behalf of the Pigsgusset Initiative which seeks to “generate a new name that is more inclusive of all members of...