L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014 www.italoamericano.com L'Italo-Americano 15 Feb. 7, Fri.-San Trifone Society General Meeting. Mass at 6:00pm, 7:00pm at Casa Italiana (1051 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012). For information call Angela Gallidoro (323)255-2163 or Mike Foschetti (323) 257-0302. Feb. 9, Sun. – Mother Cabrini Chapel and Library Open House, 9 am to 1 pm hosted by ICF/LAADC/Los Angeles Region. 3801 Scott Road, Burbank, CA. Groups may schedule visit to Mother Cabrini Chapel and Library by contacting Carmelo Sabatella at (626) 372-7812. Feb. 9, Sun.-Associazione Pugliese del Sud California & San Padre Pio Society's One Day Turnaround Bus Trip Fundraiser to Pechanga. There will be two buses, each accommodating 40 people. One will leave from Arcadia (CVS- corner of Naomi and Baldwin) Time: 8:30am; The other bus will leave from St. Peter's Italian Church (small parking at the corner) Time: 9:00am. Must have paid reservation by Feb 3 to guarantee seating. Cost: $25 per person ( each person will receive $ 5 free play). Raffle, refresh- ments and game will be offered on your bus trip. Please be sure to specify which location you wish to leave from when making reser- vation. For reservation please call: Tonia Tenerelli (626) 233- 7402, (626) 285-6267 or Maria Bruno: (818) 241-4672, (818) 726-4677(cell). Feb. 9, Sun. - ICF Mother Cabrini Chapel & Library Committee Meeting at 1 pm. 3801 Scott Road, Burbank, CA. For information, call (626) 372-7812. Feb. 9, Sun.- Patrizio Buanne Concert 7:00pm (doors open 5:00pm) The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano (33157 Camino Capistrano, SJC 92675). Tickets $30. For more information and tickets: http://www.thecoachhouse.com/ Feb. 12, Wed.-St. Anthony Dinner Meeting 6:30 pm at Casa Italiana. Reservations: Johnny: 213-250-2464. Feb. 15, Sat.- St Peter's Italian Church Casa Italiana Valentine Dinner Dance & Crowning of the Parish Queen. 5:00 pm Mass; Crowning of Parish Queen at 6:00 pm. Dinner Dance follows; Reservations 323-225-8119, ext. 10 Feb. 15, Sat.- OCAIW Luncheon, 11 Am at Sam Woo Seafood Restaurant, 15333 Culver Dr, Irvine, 949-262-0688 celebrating Chinese New Year, $25. Call for reservations: Lucy Gallo 949- 472-8218 Feb. 15, Sat.-Club Italia's Valentine Day Dinner Dance at St. John Eudes Church in Chatsworth (Corner of Lassen & Mason) with singing and dancing to the sounds of The Sicilian Band. Be sure to call Sigrid Ravizza no later than Feb. 12, 2014: Tel. 661- 297-0507 or 818-426-1489 Feb. 15, Sat.-Grandsons of Italy in America Meeting at Victorio's Restaurant (10901 Victory Blvd., N. Hollywood) 11:30am. For info call (805) 529-9726. Feb. 16, Sun.-Families of Italian Lineage 2014 Love in Bloom Dinner Dance at Mission Viejo Country Club. Antipasto, Gourmet Dinner. Dancing to the music of Tony Ciaramitaro. Members $45.00, Non-Members $55.00. For information call Venus: (949) 363-5348 Feb. 16, Sun.-Cinema Italiano offered by Italian Cultural Arts Council, Film: Si può fare (We Can Do That) (2008). This unusual Italian-language seriocomedy from director Giulio Manfredonia walks a fine-line, suspended midway between genial farce and sen- sitive, compassionate drama. Where: Bowers Museum 2002 N. Main Street, Santa Ana, CA 92706. In the state-of-the art, ultra deluxe Norma Kershaw Auditorium. COST: Adults $10, Students: $5 (no need to RSVP). SCHEDULE: Arrival: 1:30- 2:00 pm, Reception/Refreshments; Seating in Auditorium: 1:45 pm, Program Begins: 2:00 pm. For information call (714) 567-3600. Feb. 19, Wed.-Italian American Lawyers Association (IALA) Meeting. An evening with City Attorney, Michael Feuer at Casa Italiana (1051 No. Broadway, Los Angeles). For event informa- tion email iala07@yahoo.com or visit www.iala.info. Attention Clubs and Organizations! Your Calendar item submissions are welcome. Items are due no later than three weeks prior to the date of the event. They may be emailed to linda@italoamericano . All submissions must include: Event, date, time and address of the event, brief description, as well as a phone number or website for additional information. Subject to editor's review and space availability. Not all items submitted will be published. Rome, Venice, Florence, Pisa under torrential rain: half of Italy cut off already injured by the 2012 earthquake. In Belluno where 30,000 fami- lies spent days without electrici- ty and in Cortina d'Ampezzo, the pearl of Dolomites (both in Ve- neto), as well as several towns in the Alps (Northeastern Italy), schools were closed as a result of heavy snowfall and blackouts. In Friuli the Army cleared streets of snow and in Trentino, where there is a high risk of avalanch- es, a mass of snow invaded the roadway in Vajont, where 51 years ago a dramatic landslide erased an entire small town along with its almost 2,000 inhabitants. Nor did the South escape the weather's fury. The island of Capri was battered by waves flooding its coast. Snow covered Etna in Sicily while the volcano spewed out lava. High winds battered seas and land in Apulia and Calabria. In Rome some 3,000 calls for aid were made to the 118 emer- gency helpline within the space of few hours on Friday, as the city was engulfed by torrential rains and floods: 90-130 mm in 12 hours, amounting to 15% of an entire year's average rainfall. Shops and basements were flooded after the river Tiber overflowed its banks. Some Romans took to the rooftops after seeing flood waters rise as high as three meters. A landslide sent a wall of rain-soaked earth and mud hurtling down to engulf huts inhabited by immigrants and the poor near the Vatican. Around Viterbo, north of Rome, a local train derailed because of bad weather, though no one was hurt. Also in Tuscany some 1,300 people were evacuated as rains continued to swell rivers and streams. Families were forced from their homes, and fire fight- ers worked with amphibious vehicles and organized heli- copter surveillance trips of the area. In Florence and Pisa and along the river Arno the water levels have not reached these levels in 15-20 years. Erosion imperiled buildings along the Arno in the town of San Miniato, as the river con- sumed a 20 meter stretch of its embankment. In Volterra, the city of alabaster, a 30-meter portion of the medieval wall surrounding Continued from page 1 Guilty once again: Amanda Knox and her Apulian ex boyfriend condemned in Italy ments behind the jury's ruling. Once completed, lawyers have 90 days to appeal. "Having been found innocent before, I expected better from the Italian justice system. The evidence and accusatory theory - she said in the interview - do not justify a verdict of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. ...There has always been a marked lack of evidence". Knox has always denied mur- dering the Britain Kercher, who shared the guest house with her in Perugia, and has maintained she is not guilty in a written statement to the Florence court sent by mail: "I must repeat to you I'm innocent. I did not rape, I did not steal, I did not kill Meredith". Continued from page 1 Sollecito, whose new sentence is 26 years, made a spontaneous declaration to the court, saying that the charges against him were "absurd": "For me, it's a nightmare beyond imagination". The case has dragged on for more than six years, frustrating attempts by Kercher's family to discover the truth about Meredith's death. She was found with more than 40 stab wounds and a deep gash in her throat. To date, Ivory Coast-born Rudy Guede, who involved Meredith in a sex game and tried to escape to Germany after the murder, is the only person in jail with a definitive sentence. Many aspects of the crime remain unexplained, and are the cornerstone of Amanda and Raffaele's attempts to prove their innocence. the town's historical center col- lapsed under the torrential rain. The municipal authorities ordered the evacuation of many residents and the closure of local elementary and high schools for the duration of the storm emer- gency. Incessant storms submerged Venice too: rain-swollen season- al high tides rose 140 cm above average sea level. A third of Venice was under water as it passed the 125 cm mark. In the high-tide season, from autumn to spring, water routinely spills over the city's banks, flooding its streets and squares and occa- sionally threatening to set new records, as happened last week. The highest-ever "acqua alta" phenomenon came during the great flood of 1966, at 194 cm, when waters caused huge dam- age. The river Arno in Florence swollen by days of heavy rain Amanda Knox in the interview to ABC

• Cover