Neighborhood News from Little Italy

luglio/July 2019

CALENDARIO

pedestrian light creates safer crossing

Community engagement and patience pays off! It is now safer to cross Eastern Avenue at Exeter Street in Little Italy, thanks to the Little Italy Neighborhood Association (LINA) , Baltimore Department of Transportation, City Councilman Zeke Cohen , and Baltimore City Mayor Bernard “Jack” Youn g. The intersection has been a longtime hazard to pedestrians.

For 18 months, LINA's board members participated in countless calls, meetings and emails in an attempt to give pedestrians relief moving through Little Italy.

"We are very excited to activate this new pedestrian-activated flashing beacon at the intersection of Eastern & Exeter," said Mayor Young. "This installation will improve safety by increasing driver awareness and decreasing vehicle speeds when activated by pedestrians trying to cross the street. Thank you Baltimore City Department of Transportation for working with Councilman Zeke Cohen and the residents of Little Italy to improve safety in this community."

"Baltimore should be built first and foremost for those of us that live here," said Councilman Cohen . "In 2017, staff from my office walked the neighborhood with community members and Department of Transportation [DOT] representatives to discuss these safety concerns and identify actions. We created a plan and got to work. Today, we are a safer city with the addition of this beacon. Thank you to the community leaders from Little Italy who fought to make this happen. Thank you to DOT for listening. Thank you to Mayor Young for getting it done!"

Activating the pedestrian light for the first time at Eastern & Exeter Streets in Little Italy is (center) Dan Sutherland Weiser , LINA Vice President; (left) Baltimore City Mayor Bernard 'Jack' Young ; (right) City Councilman Zeke Cohen

(at podium) Dan Sutherland Weiser , LINA Vice President; (to his left) Mayor Bernard 'Jack' Young ; (to right) City Councilman Zeke Cohen ; Mary Ann Campanella (left), Little Italy resident; and Bryan Chiapparelli , restauranteur and LINA President

(right, with his boys)

Little Italy in the news

Little Italy among "2019 Best Neighborhoods for Young Professionals in the Baltimore Area" based on the number of millennial residents, job opportunities, and access to bars, restaurants, and affordable housing >>>

Learn more about Baltimore's Little Italy on this B+ report card covering real estate, population, and more: Living in Little Italy offers residents an urban feel and most residents rent their homes >>>

Mustang Alley's bar & bowling to reopen under new ownership >>>

Blue Dog BBQ closes >>>

events in Piccola Italia

INTERESTED IN HOSTING A BOOTH ? Businesses and individuals offering cash-n-carry products (Italian-related preferred, but others accepted upon approval) are invited to participate as a festival vendor. Booth size is 10x10 for both days and a $300 donation to Saint Leo Church. View festival agreement.

FESTIVAL SPONSORSHIPS available - email Rob Daniels .

Little Italy

Restaurant Crawl

Sunday, July 28

5-9 pm

$69 per person

hosted by

Little Italy Neighborhood Association (LINA)

Diners will enjoy 8 small plates of fresh, innovative dishes (without gluten and heavy carbs) and 3 glasses of wine as they walk restaurant to restaurant for each course. The evening finishes with assorted desserts and bocce! Proceeds benefit Little Italy Neighborhood Association. Begins at Germano's Piattini, continues to La Tavola , onto Angeli's Pizzeria , and ends at Little Italy's bocce courts where dessert will be served, donated by Joe Benny's Focacceria, Osteria da Amedeo, Amicci's and Vaccaro's . Menu is pre-fixed.

view MENU or BUY TICKETS

Columbus Commemoration

Italian Heritage Fest

Sunday, October 6

9:30am St. Leo's Mass

11am Wreath-laying Ceremony 12:30pm Festival

(Stiles & S. Exeter Sts)

Learn the fascinating history of Little Italy and its Italian immigrants in Baltimore's Little Italy: Heritage and History of The Neighborhood. Book proceeds benefit the nonprofit Promotion Center for Little Italy, Baltimore with a mission to promote the history, heritage and events of 'The Neighborhood.'

Order the book $19.99

blast from the past

submitted by Tina DeFranco

Little Italy, Baltimore

" While looking at a gallery of photos at a funeral viewing, Guido and I came across this one. We had assumed it was taken in Italy. It is a photo of a cultural Italian group called Circolo Arminia circa 1950s taken, most likely, in Patterson Park, Maryland. My father, Nino Cricchio, is pictured second row from bottom, third one from right. Dina DiPasquale (at whose viewing we were) was Miss Italy and pictured front middle in the sash. We had no idea my dad had participated in any group (especially a singing and dancing group) other than playing soccer!!! It makes us wonder what else we didn’t know about my papà !!!"

Order Sons & Daughters of Italy

in America turns 114

Originally called “Figli d’Italia,” (Sons of Italy), the Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America® ( OSDIA ) was established in the Little Italy neighborhood of New York City on June 22, 1905, by Vincenzo Sellaro, M.D., and five other Italian immigrants who came to the United States during the great Italian migration (1880-1923). Today, it is a national organization of men and women who represent the estimated 26 million Americans of Italian heritage, dedicated to promoting the Italian culture, traditions, language, legacy of our ancestors, and Italians' contributions to America and the world. With members and lodges across the United States and Canada, it continues to be the largest and oldest organization for people of Italian heritage.

[excerpted from OSDIA newsletter]