LITTLE ITALY NEWS FEBRUARY 2009 EDITION

www.littleitalytroy.org

troylittleitaly@gmail.com

On February 28 and
March 1, Troy Little
Italy along with the
City of Troy will be
flooding the Market
Place for skating
and special events
Sharpen those ice
skates and show off
your style!
It's a fun-filled,
family
community event!
Schedule of Events:
Ice Sculptures
Hockey Shootouts
Ice Skating Demos
Trolley Rides
Curling on Ice Italian Style
B 95.5fm

Face Painting
Snowman Competition
Tri-City Valley Cats Mascots
Skate Lending Booth
Beer Garden Frank n Stein (Helmbolds hotdogs)
Magic 100.9 fm

and. open Ice Skating for the neighborhood!

Schedules will be announced soon in the Troy Record and on posters though out the city.
The Italian Community Center will offer a Ziti & Meatball dinner at the ICC
The Troy Youth Organization (CYO) is hosting a Troy Little Italy sponsored youth basketball tournament
Heated Tent with music and entertainment

The People of Little Italy

Vincenzo Jimmy Visk, a longtime trustee of St. Anthony of Padua Church, was the first Italian American to be elected to public office in Troy and Rensselaer County, first elected in 1937 to represent the predominately Italian Eighth Ward in Troy on the Rensselaer
County Board of Supervisors. Jimmy was born in Italy along with four of his eight siblings. In 1892, his parents, Philomena and Antonia
Visco and the young family would be one of 23 Italian immigrant families who joined Rev. Giovanni Santoro to establish a parish community dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. The second generation would become known as the Visk family daughters Elizabeth, Mary,
Rose and Florence, and sons, Vincenzo Jimmy, Gaetano Guy, Frank and Anthony . Family members continued to support the Italian
church, St. Anthonys, as parishioners, trustees, ushers, and show-producing fund-raisers. The variety shows, which included original
stage productions, quickly became popular events held in various church and social halls throughout Troy. The Visk family homestead
consisted of two adjoining buildings at 12 Liberty Street between St. Marys and Havermans, buildings which were believed to have
been moved to the site from Williams St. in the late 1800's.
In the first photo Jimmy is seated at the front of the table, on the left, sharing an evening with Father Tom DeLuca and members of the
St. Anthonys bowling team at an annual banquet In the second photo, Jimmy is standing behind entertainer Jimmy Durante (seated at
the piano) during one of the two local fundraisers Durante organized for St. Anthonys parish held in the 1960s. The photos are courtesy
of Jimmys son, Mickey Visk.

Troy native soprano Olivia Bonelli (1920-1990) became one of the early pioneers in live televised opera, rising from the choir at St. Anthony of Padua Church and the chorus of Radio City Music Hall to performing with the New York City Opera and major opera companies across America. She performed early in her career with the Starlighters, a USO group that sang for injured soldiers in hospitals
throughout the country. Her most requested solos were Gounods Ave Maria and Victor Herberts Italian Street Song. Bonellis
beautiful, clear, expressive soprano voice was heard by thousands of opera fans throughout America in roles from Mimi in La Boheme to
Gilda in Rigoletto to Micaela in Carmen. Olivia, the daughter of Louis Bonelli and Jenny Riccardi Bonelli, was the eldest of six children, brothers, Peter and Louis Jr. and sisters, Terese, Jane and Mary. Louis was an accomplished local stonemason. The family were
longtime residents of Seventh Avenue adjacent to Prospect Park, just south of Ferry Street. Olivia made her debut at a performance at
the Emma Willard School and returned to Troy for a performance at the Music Hall after her success in New York. For additional information on Olivia Bonelli, including photographs and reviews, visit the internet site www.oliviabonelli.com . The photos are courtesy of
Olivias brother, Peter.

Get your Taxes Done for Free at the Weed and Seed VITA site!!!
Dont waste your money at a fee based service! If you make less than $41,000 you qualify to have your tax return done for free by a certified professional at the Italian Community Center, 1450 Fifth Avenue, Troy N.Y. Call (518) 270-4689. Appointments are
available on Wednesdays 12 - 5 PM, Thursday 6-8:30 PM and Saturdays 10 AM - 2
Thanks to all of our neighborhood volunteers who make this site possible! If you are
interested in volunteering, please send an email to troyweedandseed@yahoo.com

Spend Valentines Evening at the

Italian Community Center with
ELVIS

ELVIS

Featuring Joe Ramsey

Saturday, February 14th , 612 pm
Roast Beef Dinner, Beer, Wine,
Soda. $25.00 per person
Cash Bar Open All Evening

For Tickets Call

Kay Esposito @
271-8218 or
272-6722

Advanced Ticket
Purchase
Required By
For Tickets Call
Andy Miele @
February
272-7309 or the
9th

Center @ 274-0508

South Central/Little Italy news

The Record, January 22, 2009, Gaggle of geese snarl downtown traffic by Tom Caprood with photo by J. S. Carras. Two terrific photos and interesting story with former
Carmens Caf owner Carmen Gonzalez, assisting a gaggle of geese away from dangerous traffic to the safety of the Troy riverfront
The Record, January 22, 2009, Troys Little Italy plans winter fest, by Tom Caprood.
Volunteers from several neighborhood groups including Troy Little Italy, Inc., the Italian
Community Center and the CYO Center as well as the Tri-City Valley Cats have been
meeting to organize a new seasonal event for the old marketplace. A winter carnival will
be held on Saturday, February 28 and Sunday, March 1, 2009.

January 2009 Neighborhood

Watch Update
MEETING SUMMARY: Our last
meeting was held on January 21st. There
were 11 arrests made in the South Central
Troy area out of the 301 arrests made
citywide during the month of December.
The total calls for service, citywide:
3,595, South Central Troy area: 371
(10.3%). At each meeting, a map is given
to attendees that indicate what each
call/arrest was for, and where it was.
GARBAGE PICK UP- BE RESPONSIBLE: All garbage MUST be placed in
garbage cans that have lids. Garbage
should be placed out no sooner than 12
hours prior to pickup. If your property
has alley access, ALL Garbage and Recyclables MUST be placed in the alley, not
the front of your building. (The above is
taken from 247-9 Duties of owners
and occupants from the Code of the City
of Troy. Failure to follow city code can
result in the issuance of violation notices
and fines) For details regarding garbage
pick up, please see the city website at
www.troyny.gov or call (518) 270-4579
or 270-1115. DPW and Community Police have been working diligently to get
problem properties addressed.
GENERAL INFORMATION: If you
are concerned about a code violation,
suspected illegal activity or tenant issue,
please feel free to email Officer Chris
McDonald at chris.mcdonald@troyny.gov
or call him at (518) 270-4789. If you
would like to receive regular updates
through email and get crime alerts, please
send an email to sctroywatch@gmail.com. The next Neighborhood Watch Meeting will be on February
20th at 6:00 at the Freihofers Race Headquarters at the corner of 4th and Washington. We hope to see you there.
BE SAFE!!

Taking a Short Vacation

Lisas Geletaria will be closing for
the winter months and reopening
in the warmer weather just in time
for our spring and summer events
in the Market. If you havent tried
their Gelato put it on your list of
things to do. Its delicious!!

Calling all Farmers Market Vendors

Troy Neighborhood Markets is accepting applications for the 2009 season.
Vendors with the following locally produced goods and services are encouraged
to apply.
Fresh vegetable produce
Tree fruit and berries
Bedding Plants
Milk, cheese and dairy products
Syrups jams, jellies, condiments and spices
Meat, poultry and eggs
Baked goods, sweets and desserts
Prepared foods to eat on site or take out
Arts and Crafts
Services, i.e. photography, massage, on site-repair (bike, for example), crafting
demonstrations and lessons
Community groups who want to attend to promote local initiatives should apply
to be scheduled for free spaces. Musicians and entertainers who will perform for
tips are also asked to apply.
Troy Neighborhood Markets processes food stamps on site for produce and food
vendors who wish to participate. We also process debit and ATM transactions
which increases customer convenience at vendor stalls.
Troy Neighborhood Market is scheduled to begin it's second season in Troys
Little Italy at the site of the historic MarketPlace, Hill St. between Liberty and
Washington streets in South Troy, NY. The Market will be starting in mid-May
or early June, dates to be finalized soon. Market day will be on Wednesdays
from 3-6pm, with the possibility of extended hours during the days of summer.
A second market at another location in Troy is under consideration and all
interested persons are urged to inquire even if the Wednesday market described
above is not an option.
Please call Jean Krueger at 518 272 4972 or Donna Mullen at 518 793 2032 to
request an application or additional information or email
troyneighborhoodmkt@gmail.com.

Little Italy Real Estate For Sale

1 FAMILY
191 Second St.
96 Ida Street
56 Havermans
1033 6th Avenue
190 1st Street
2 FAMILY
182 Ida Street
82 Ida Street
65 Hill Street
337 4th Street
120 Jefferson St.
5 Franklin Place
33 Jefferson St.
314 1st Street
MULTI UNITS
1 Irving Place
278 Third Street
280 3rd Street
183 Third Street
326 4th Street
COMMERCIAL
37 Ida Street

$675,000 Karen
$25,000 Brian
$162,00 James
$89,900 James
$339,900 Anne

892-1326
640-4257
724-2478
724-2478
272-6400

$89,000
$99,000
$69,900
$209,900
$124,900
$58,600
$29,900
$116,000

Jessica 346-8600
Jessica 346-8600
William 331-4755
Ian
584-0743
Julie 248-8311
Judith 821-7284
Robert 376-0265
Sandra 209-4654

$225,500
$149,000
$189,500
$224,500
$139,000

Richard 852-1365
JoAnn 281-5764
Josephine 275-2216
Maury 961-0060
Marion 266-1406

$109,000 Paul

369-1914

Rentals
1 br with office Carpet, hook-ups, no pets, non
smoker. $475 plus utilities. Phil @ 518-376-9724
Artist Space for Lease
39 Hill Street, across from Bocce Courts. Be a part
of Little Italy. $400 plus utilities. Call Marion for
details. 518-266-1406 or mvf1406@aol.com
Fourth Street
2 bedroom. Carpet, yard, no pets. $650 plus utilities
Call Marion at 518-266-1406 or mvf1406@aol.com
Commercial Space
1517 5th Avenue, first floor, off street parking.
1400 sq. ft. $1000.00 monthly plus utilities. Across
from family court and adjacent to the Congress
Ferry Street Corridor. Call Marion at 518-266-1406
or mvf1406@aol.com
245 Second Street
1br,3rd floor apt. in Victorian row house. Great
light, good closet space. Smoke free house, no
dogs. $625 includes heat. Call Bernice at 273-1692
Office Space
800 sq. ft., $650 a month, includes - free internet
service. 2 months FREE with a two year lease
215 4th Street - corner of Liberty/4th.
Call Anthony 441-1803
Washington Place
1 Bedroom, great view of the park,1st floor, free
laundry facilities, no dogs. $900 all utilities included. Security and References.
Call Marion for appointment at 518-266-1406 or
mvf1406@aol.com
Advertise your Real Estate Here
To place an ad for an apartment e-mail
troylittleitaly@gmail.com Please remember to
notify us when your space is rented.

AT LIBERTY
The Saga of an Italo-American Family
in South Troy
By Frank LaPosta Visco
Part Four: The Campobasso Family
makes news.
The time had finally come. It was 1923,
and Francesco and Maria had saved just
enough for a down payment, just as the 3story corner property they wanted came
on the market. Francesco was literate in
his native Italian, but couldn't read or
write English; Maria had no education at
all. This posed a problem with negotiating
a bank loan, but not an insurmountable
one.
South Troy was full of Italian imprenditori entrepreneurs who used whatever
skills they had to help their countrymen
and themselves. Arturo Larigno, known
in the neighborhood as Argento Linguetta
(Silver Tongue) was such a one. Proficient in both English and Italian, Silver
Tongue would serve most of his
neighbors as a scribe, writing letters in
Italian to accompany the money sent to
relatives in the old country, and reading
the thank you replies and requests for
more when they came. He collected a
small stipend for each transaction.
The Campobassos employed Silver
Tongue to serve in his other capacity as
translator with the local banker and lawyer in the purchase of the corner building.
In this case, Silver Tongue collected three
times from the buyers of course, but
also from the lender and the lawyer, in
return for steering the business their way.
The purchase of the store and apartments
above it went smoothly, and the entire
Campobasso clan pitched in to clean,
stock the shelves, and move their belongings to the second floor. They rented out
the third floor to earn enough to insure
that the monthly mortgage payment was
met, no matter what the fluctuations in
income from the store.
Only Esther was exempted from service
schooling and piano lessons were more
important. To Francesco and Maria, a
daughter with those skills would attract
the right kind of husband. Esther took to
her studies and music lessons, and progressed rapidly, even performing difficult
classical pieces when the Sisters of St.
Joseph showcased their students at the
annual recitals at their conservatory.
Music played an important part in the life
of all the immigrants. It was more than
entertainment it was a catalyst for

bringing families together, and the songs

helped to keep alive the customs and traditions that had been left behind.
Even in the impoverished Case family, a
battered old violin was handed down,
until Eddie, the youngest son and the only
one not working full time, took possession of it and began learning to play
popular music on the fiddle.
As Esther's father proudly arranged the
wire-backed chairs at the store's marble
soda fountain, he wished his young
brother, Michele, could have been there to
share in his success. As was often the
case, some members of the family had to
stay behind until they had the money and
the Italian government's permission to
emigrate. Since Michele was a talented
and prosperous blacksmith, the money
wasn't a problem. But his too-vocal opposition to the oppressive taxes imposed by
the Northern-run Italian government had
angered a local official, and permission to
leave Italy had been tied up with an excess of red tape.
The delay lasted through the beginning
of the Great War, and when Michele
came of age in 1917, he was drafted into
the Italian Army. Although Francesco and
his brother managed to exchange letters
as often as possible, Michele hadn't been
heard from for more than a year.
Francesco had followed the progress of
the war as best he could. At night, when
Esther was beginning to fall asleep in her
bedroom off the Campobasso's kitchen,
she would hear her father speak in Italian
to Maria about the Italian army's futile
attempts to confront the Austrian army.
Esther knew enough of the old language
to understand how badly things were going. It was a hopeless cause, and over
300,000 young Italian soldiers would lose
their lives.
Soon after the store opened, with the
proud owners cutting the ceremonial ribbon with a pair of their own family's scissors, the black-bordered envelope arrived.
It had been traveling for many months,
and it contained the news Francesco
dreaded. His brother had died on the battlefield long before his last letter arrived,
but timely identification and communication had been next to impossible.
The day that letter came was the first and
only time Esther saw her stoic father cry.
Copyright 2009 Frank LaPosta Visco
Next: In Part Five, Esther and Eddie at
the school on the hill.

The Happy Winners

Kimberly and Joseph Golas at our
January meeting accepting their award for
our Christmas Decorating Contest.
Community Loan Fund Offers
Business Planning Course
Starting February 7, 2009 and running for
eight Saturdays, the Capital District Community Loan Fund (CDCLF) in partnership with the School of Business of the
College of Saint Rose will offer a training
course designed to help people starting or
expanding a micro enterprise gain a
greater understanding of business planning. The classes will be held on Saturday
from 9:00 to noon at the College of Saint
Rose. The cost is $16 and includes class
materials and light refreshments. Scholarships are available for low income people.
Free parking is also available. For more
information and to register, please call
518-436-8586..

Support our Library

On February 5, 2009 at 7 pm the Troy
City Council will be voting on a new
approval for district status. Please attend
and voice your opinion!!!!

Unwanted Phone Books

Heres a solution from a resident.
Info on those annoying phone books that
just got dumped in our neighborhood
again. Pardon this message if you actually
use yours!
If you got one of those unasked for and
unwanted phone books dumped on your
front walk today, you can call "Yellow
Book" at 1-800-929-3556 and get on their
"non-distribution" list so they won't deliver in the future, also you can make
them come by and pick them up.

Sanctuary For Independent Media

8 PM Saturday, February 14, 2009 $10.
"The Symbol of the Unconquered" w/
William Hooker. Percussionist William
Hooker, the genre-bending free jazz legend, will improvise a sound-track to
pioneering African-American filmmaker
Oscar Micheaux's 1920 silent film classic
originally advertised as a chance to come
see "the annihilation of the Ku Klux
Klan."
8 PM Saturday, February 21, 2009 $10.
"Somebody Blew Up America" w/ Amiri
Baraka & Rob Brown. The poet icon and
political activist Amiri Baraka performs
with Rob Brown, one of the New York
City downtown music scene's most indemand saxophonists, in a reading of his
new book "Somebody Blew Up America
& Other Poems."
8 PM Saturday, February 28, 2009 $10.
The Splatto Festival Chorus
This rare assembly brings together Todd
Reynolds (Bang on a Can, Yo Yo Ma,
Meredith Monk) on violins/laptop, Ed
Mann (Zappa) on percussion/electronics,
David Barrett (Banda Elastica, Splatter
Trio) on saxophones, and Michael Bisio
on bass.

Ash Wednesday is February 25.

Check with your place of
worship for times of services.

Joely and Ola Mork of 4th Street recently

returned from a few sunny days in
Isla Mujeres, Mexico. They are now
anxiously awaiting the sun (and heat) to
return to Troy. Too bad there aren't any
palm trees around here

February Meetings
February 18, 2009
233 Fourth Street, Troy N. Y.
Neighborhood Watch 6 pm
Troy Little Italy 7 pm
Volunteers needed for Winter
Carnival !!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY
Valentines
Day

Threatened churches of Troy

The Rensselaer County Historical Society and the Turpin
Bannister Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians are cosponsoring an illustrated talk on the topic of threatened churches of
Troy. This is a timely topic since the Albany Catholic Diocese announced recently that six Troy churches, including St. Marys on
Washington Park, will be closed. Also, two of five Episcopal
churches in the city are up for sale and other churches are threatened due to declining enrollment, financial problems, and the demands of maintaining historic buildings. Ned Pratt, architectural
historian and preservation consultant, will survey the important
architecture and stained glass of these churches and examine several examples of adaptive reuse of church buildings including four
in Troy. The program, open to the public, will be held on Thursday,
February 19, 5:30 7 pm, at the Rensselaer County Historical Society, 57 Second St. (between Congress and State streets) in Troy.
Arts Center February Events
February 11, 7 pm FREE Twist and Turn: The making of a
Modern Dance Company
February 15, 2 pm, $12/$10 members- Ellen Sinopoli Dance
Repertory Concert
February 15th, 2 pm FREE - Gallery Talk With Rachael
Seligman, Curator

Worship and Advocacy In Little Italy

St. Marys Catholic Church
Third & Washington Sts. Troy, NY 12180
Weekend Masses: Sat. 4 pm. Sun. 10 am
Weekday Masses: Tues., Thurs., Fri 9 am
Soup Kitchen: Wed & Thurs, 4-5, ongoing Volunteers needed.
St. Johns Episcopal Church
Corner of 1st and Liberty Street
Sunday services at 8 & 10 am
The Basement Thrift Shop: Wed. & Sat.
9 am Noon, on-going.
St. Anthony of Padua Shrine Church
28 State Street Troy NY 12180
Weekend Masses: Sat., 4:30 pm. Sun. 9
am, 10 am (Spanish), 12 & 5:30 pm
Weekday Masses: Mon. thru Thurs.
7:15am & 12 pm
Beth Tephtilah Synagogue
82 River Street
Saturday 10 am Service
Congregation Berith Shalom
167 Third Street
Friday Service 7:30 pm
United Ordained Church of Christ
Sunday: 10 am Sunday School
11 am Worship
Wednesday: 6:30 pm Bible Class
Redemption Church
Liberty & First Street, meets in St. Johns
Episcopal Gym. Sunday School 10:30 am
Worship 12:30 pm
Wednesday and Friday worship 7 pm.