Italian-American Herald - February 2023

Remembering Pittsburgh’s favorite ‘paisano’ Franco Harris
By Al Kemp
Generations of athletes and sports fans mourned the loss of Franco Harris, the legendary running back at Pennsylvania State University and later the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, who died suddenly at age 72 on Dec. 20.
Harris graduated from Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly, N.J., played fullback at Penn State under coach Joe Paterno, and was drafted by the Steelers in 1972.
“His selection helped catalyze the evolution from the NFL’s worst team to its most successful,” stated an obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The 6-foot-2-inch Harris was a four-time Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl IX MVP, 1972 Rookie of the Year, 1976 NFL Man of
See HARRIS - page 6
The Fountain of Arethusa in Ortigia is one of two places in Europe where papyrus grows.
ADOBESTOCK.COM
character often has lunch, and headed to the lighthouse. The Capo Scaramia lighthouse was one of the major public works of the Bourbon government in the province of Ragusa. It was designed in 1857 by Nicolò Diliberto D’Anna at the request of the Bourbon government and built in 1858-59 and is 35 meters (115 feet) tall. On the way back to the car we noticed several houses
IN MEMORIAM
Philadelphia rocker Charlie Gracie
dies at 86
6
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FEBRUARY 2023
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A MONTHLY NEWSPAPER SERVING THE ITALIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY WWW.ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM The Sicily you’ve never seen
From castles to volcanos, the island has something for everyone
By Jeanne Outlaw Cannavo
During our last two weeks in Sicily this past fall, we set out to explore previously unvisited villages and cities.
First on our list was Punta Secca, on the southwest corner of the island. The charming seaside village has become popular in recent years as the fictional “Vigata” in the RAI television series “Inspector Montalbano,” adapted from
Andrea Camilleri’s book series. Many scenes with Montalbano’s fictional home are set in a house that backs onto the beach where
he swims each day. It is a short stroll from the town parking to Montalbano’s “house,” where we took some pictures and walked along the beach. There is a statue of the author next to the building, which is now a B&B, and a tower which is now a restaurant.
Walking along the promenade, we passed the restaurant where the series’
See SICILY - page 4
President judge says Italy an indelible part of her identity
By Ken Mammarella
Linda A. Cartisano is a proud native of Chester, Pennsylvania, with a substantial Italian influence.
Chester is important because it’s “a city of racial and ethnic diversity with residents of all income levels,” she said when she campaigned in 2009 for Common Pleas
Court in Delaware County. “This has given me a perspective and history of dealing with people that allows me to see past the external appearance and deal with the person underneath.”
Italy is important because it’s half her heritage. Her mother was Irish, her father Italian, and his parents ventured out from
South Philly every Thursday for dinners that strengthened their family bonds and helped instill her desire to grow and her work ethic.
“I was lucky to have a very progressive- thinking father who decided early on that his girls would go to college and pursue careers, the same as any boy being raised by an Italian
See CARTISANO - page 7
Vol. 10 / No. 2