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CBS News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Italian heritage festival held in Newton amidst controversy about painted street lines
The streets of Nonantum in Newton, Massachusetts were filled with Italian flags, music, and celebration this weekend as the community marked the 90th annual "Festa" amid a controversy about painted lines in the street. The beloved event, a cornerstone of the neighborhood's Italian-American culture, drew large crowds with its street parade, carnival and public displays of heritage. "It's a tradition," said Newton resident Paul Camilli. "It brings the neighborhood together." The festival took on added significance this year following controversy surrounding Adams Street, where the city recently painted over the iconic red, white and green stripes traditionally displayed in the center of the road leading up to the event. The move upset many in the community, who view the flag as a vital symbol of their heritage. Now, the stripes have been painted back on in time for the weekend festivities, restoring a sense of pride for many. "We try to stay out of that stuff but when they come and bring it to us, we kind of have to fight back," said Newton resident Jason Riffe. "In this neighborhood, we always try and stay out of politics but in this day and age it's hard. We try to make it as non-political as possible, this isn't about that. So we just try and keep it to neighborhood and communities." For many families, the Festa is an annual homecoming rooted in generations of tradition. "For us, it's been just something we've been part of our whole entire lives," said Riffe. "When you grow up, this is kind of like your Christmas in July. We look forward to this more than Christmas and stuff like that." Residents say the event is a celebration of the immigrant roots that shaped the community. "The people that came here and built this neighborhood, it's really about them and honoring them," said Jason. "And where we came from in Italy. Like my mother is an immigrant from Italy. It's kind of like our whole culture, our heritage, our religion all put together and it all culminates in today. And this is a chance we get to celebrate all that." The Festa continues to serve as a symbol of unity and resilience for Nonantum's Italian-American community.
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Newton residents react to ‘Line Gate' during Italian American festival
Tim Strayer, who has lived in Newton for 28 years, said that the move was 'tone deaf.' Advertisement 'There may be legitimate reasons to paint it yellow, but the timing and the engagement with the community was very poor,' Strayer said after a 10 a.m. Mass at Our Lady Help of Christians Church. Around 2:30 a.m. on July 16, on the first day of Festa, police Lieutenant Amanda Henrickson Advertisement Although some residents found the removal of the Italian flag stripes disrespectful, many want to move past it and focus on the festival. Chuck Proia, 57, who has been chairperson of the festival for the last 20 years, said that he thinks of the event as 'Christmas in July.' 'I was afraid for a long time that the line controversy was going to overshadow this event,' Proia said. Around 12:30 p.m., people drank beer, ate pizza, and wore matching white shirts emblazoned with 'The Lake,' a nickname for Nonantum, even though there is no lake here. Some volunteers were preparing for the 2 p.m. procession down Adams Street, where the statue of the Madonna del Carmine from Our Lady Help of Christians was carried through the neighborhood. During the procession, the North End Marching Band, dressed in red shirts, played snare drums. Spectators pinned dollar bills to the statue, which will benefit the St. Mary of Carmen Society. Michael Panella, 72, who grew up in Newton but now lives in Needham, said he was upset when he found out that city officials had painted over the stripes on Adams Street. 'It was disgraceful … those Italian colors have been on the street for decades,' Panella said. Panella's parents immigrated from Avellino, a town near Naples in Italy. He said his father encouraged him to speak English and he regrets that he is not fluent in Italian. Panella said that the festival and the Italian character of Nonantum were an important part of retaining his parents' culture. Advertisement Michael Panza, 56, has lived on Adams Street for 20 years in a house with a driveway that's painted red, white, and green. He was welcoming neighbors to his backyard to share food before the procession. Panza said that he and his neighbors were kept up until 3 a.m. on June 27 when city officials repainted the street. 'They were out here from 10:30 at night to 3:30 in the morning with backpack blowers as loud as can be,' Panza said. He said he was skeptical about the mayor's claim that double yellow lines were needed to make the street safer. Michaela Carrieri, 28, of Brookline, came to Adams Street for the procession with her cousin, a first-time visitor to the United States from Abruzzo, Italy. Carrieri's father grew up in Nonantum, and she would attend the festival every year as a child. 'My cousin's never been a part of this festival, and this is something that I've done my whole life,' Carrieri said. 'I just wanted to show him what we do in America.' She said she found it interesting that Adams Street was repainted, pointing out that multiple streets in Nonantum, not just Adams, have a red, white, and green stripe in the middle. 'It's been here for decades,' Carrieri said. 'I'm not too immersed into what is occurring, but I do find it interesting.' Carmen Pancerella, who has lived in Newton for 28 years, said she was sad when she saw that the lines had been painted over, especially since people generally repaint the red, white, and green stripes right before Festa so the street is 'bright and vibrant.' Advertisement Pancerella, whose grandparents immigrated from Calabria, Italy, said that it was important to maintain the stripes on Adams Street and the annual celebration of the festival. 'I like seeing tradition because it's so easy for it to go away in today's world,' Pancerella said. Angela Mathew can be reached at
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BTS Is Back: K-pop Supergroup's Anniversary Ushers in Long-Awaited Reunion
All members of BTS reunited last weekend, amid their 12th anniversary, following the completion of their mandatory military service. In celebration of their debut anniversary, a yearly event dubbed 'Festa,' was held over two weeks with both in-person and online activities that attracted 60,000 visitors, according to a release. On June 13 and 14, fans of the group — known collectively as ARMY — flocked to the INTEX Exhibition Center 2 in Goyang, South Korea, which leveled up in scale from events of previous years. More from The Hollywood Reporter Hilary Rosen Appointed Deputy Chair of BAFTA's Board of Trustees Cannes Winners, Serbian Miniseries 'Absolute 100' Join KVIFF Lineup Chris Brown Pleads Not Guilty to U.K. Assault Charge The 2025 BTS Festa featured approximately 20 booths set up with DIY activities, photo spots and more. Photo zones were installed along Goyang's Ilsan Lake Park. Coinciding with the group's celebration was the conclusion of member J-Hope's solo world tour, Hope on the Stage, with a two-night encore concert. On June 13, the first night of the series, all seven BTS members were spotted in attendance. Jin and Jung Kook joined J-Hope on stage, performing solo songs — 'Don't Say You Love Me' and 'Seven (feat. Latto),' respectively — and BTS songs including 'Jamais Vu' with J-Hope. The show and anniversary marked the end of a busy week for the group as members RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook were discharged from their mandatory military service earlier that week, joining already released J-Hope and Jin. Suga is currently completing his mandatory military service as social work personnel, so while he was able to attend with his group members, he has not been officially discharged. BigHit Music, BTS' label under Korean entertainment giant Hybe, announced Wednesday that Suga is close to completing his service and will be discharged soon. Fans of the group have long awaited their return, although each member of the group found success with their solo work that has been released throughout the two-year enlistment period. In October 2022, BTS performed a massive free concert, titled Yet to Come, in Busan, South Korea. The concert, which was in support of the Korean city's bid for the 2030 World Expo, brought legions of ARMY from around the world. Days after the performance, BigHit Music announced that all seven members would be moving forward with plans to fulfill their military service, saying it was 'the perfect time' and that the group's members were honored to serve. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More Solve the daily Crossword
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Boston Globe
Police plan to charge Newton resident who allegedly repainted Italian flag street lines
Police will be seeking complaints against the person in Newton District Court for violating state property damage laws, Henrickson said Thursday. The alleged vandalism came after fierce backlash to the mayor's unannounced decision to paint over the lines in late June, citing goals to calm traffic on Adams Street and reduce crashes. Residents immediately demanded the Italian colors, which have lined the street for 90 years, be reinstated, and some threatened to take matters into their own hands, residents said. Advertisement 'I'm happy he did it,' Jimmy Donovan, 64, a supporter of the colored lines, said Thursday. 'Somebody's actually doing what everybody wants to do.' Supporters of the lines have cited the neighborhood's deep ties to Italy and a desire to preserve its traditions. The St. Mary of Carmen Festival, referred to as Festa, is an Italian cultural and religious celebration in its 90th year and runs from July 16 to July 20. 'It's like the veins of the festival, that's how deep this cuts,' Donovan said. Advertisement Fuller has defended her decision, but festival organizers said she ignored warnings that painting new yellow lines would be deeply unpopular, at least in some circles. A smaller, and less vocal, group of residents across a wider swath of Newton are fed up with the drama and 'hotheaded' Nonantum residents, according to one man who lived in the neighborhood for years. The decision to remove the Italian-colored center line on Adams Street was made 'without meaningful dialogue or sensitivity to its cultural significance' and 'has left us disappointed and disheartened,' the St. Mary of Carmen Society said in a statement on Tuesday. Chuck Proia, chairman of the festival, said organizers had nothing to do with the alleged vandalism. But he said it was to be expected following the mayor's unilateral decision. 'It's not surprising knowing the passion of the people here about the culture, our identity, the festival, and their feelings toward losing any part of that,' Proia said Thursday. Proia said there has been an increased police presence along Adams Street in recent days. 'It's unfortunate that the administration decided to take this tack. I think it's a waste of police resources,' said Proia, 57. Ellen Ishkanian, the city's communications director, said Thursday that Fuller will allow residents to paint the tricolored Italian lines, but only parallel to the double yellow lines, not in place of them. 'She can't compromise on the yellow lines, because that's a safety issue,' Ishkanian said. Alison Leary, a city councilor, said that on Wednesday she asked that the Italian colors be painted on a bare patch on Adams Street at the intersection of Lincoln Road and Middle Street. Advertisement Ishkanian said the mayor's office can't approve such requests. 'While we cannot approve these types of markings on Adams Street, we welcome and support community-led efforts to paint the green, white, and red stripes on one side and adjacent to the double yellow center line. Or on crosswalks,' she said by email. That left Leary feeling exasperated. 'I really feel there's nothing else we can do,' she said. 'This was the last effort to see if we can get the mayor to reconsider some of her decisions, but that didn't work.' Fran Yerardi, a longtime Nonantum resident, said Fuller's stance makes it seem like she's 'not listening.' 'She says she wants to make this a win-win, but she really wants to make it a win-lose,' Yerardi said. Although the episode has been painful, most people are refusing to let it overshadow the festival, referred to by locals as Festa, Proia said. On Wednesday night in Nonantum's Pellegrini Park, Festa drew one of its biggest opening night crowds in years, Proia said, with children enjoying the festivities and families basking in the summer evening. Yeradri said that's proof that the street lines controversy has become something of a rallying cry. 'The mayor was trying to destroy the neighborhood,' Yerardi said. 'She's just bringing them all together.' Claire Thornton can be reached at
Boston Globe
09-07-2025
- Boston Globe
Newton mayor faces pressure to repaint Italian flag traffic stripes on Nonantum parade route before festival
'It was a real kick in the [privates],' said Jimmy Donovan, 64, who owns the Nonantum Press Room sandwich shop on Adams Street. 'It's like the veins of the festival, that's how deep this cuts.' While city officials say they told Festa volunteers they're welcome to repaint the tri-colored lines next to the new yellow stripes, some neighbors aren't interested. They've launched a petition demanding officials 'immediately restore' the historic traffic lines before the St. Mary of Carmen Festival, which begins Wednesday, July 16, and culminates on July 20 with a religious procession along Adams. Lifelong resident Julia Camilli said her grandmother and grandfather emigrated to Nonantum from Naples and San Donato Val di Comino in the 1940s. Advertisement 'I'm sure he's rolling in his grave over this,' said Camilli, 25. 'It's just crazy that some of the oldest traditions we have can't be preserved." What happened to Nonantum's Italian flag stripe? On the night of June 26, while many Nonantum residents slept with their windows open after a heat wave, people awoke to a 'deafening' sound of street work, said St. Mary of Carmen Festival chairman Chuck Proia. Advertisement Workers were removing the tri-colored lane lines that have adorned Adams Street for decades and painting double yellow lines in their place. A view of Adams Street in Newton, where red, white and green-colored traffic lines were painted over in June. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff 'Our elders say the Adams Street lines have been here for 90 years,' Proia said. 'I'm 57 years old, and a lifelong Nonantum resident, and I can say for certain they've been here my entire life.' Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said the old lines were stripped and repainted as part of a safety upgrade, after a traffic analysis last year identified Adams Street as one of the city's top five crash areas. Such road work is customarily performed at night, Fuller said in a statement to the Globe. 'Our country has uniform standards for roads in order to allow us to drive anywhere in the US without having to understand local customs,' Fuller said of the yellow stripes. For his part, Proia maintains that while public safety is important, the traffic report's guidelines did not have to be instituted because they are not law. City Councilor says neighbors were not notified John Oliver, one of three city councilors representing Nonantum, one of Newton's 13 villages, said residents who live along the procession route between Washington and Watertown streets were not notified ahead of the repainting. 'No one in the community knew this was coming, no elected officials were contacted,' said Oliver, 57. Chuck Proia has been chairman of Nonantum's Italian-American festival for more than a decade, and he's pushing Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller to reinstate the village's red, white and green lane lines. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff But Fuller said her office 'communicated with Festa volunteers over many months' regarding the upgrade. City of Newton communications director Ellen Ishkanian told the Globe Monday that Festa organizers have also been told they can repaint the Italian flag colors alongside the new yellow lines, about 12 to 18 inches from their original location. Advertisement 'We communicated with the Festa volunteers so that the city would paint the center lines yellow and their volunteers are able to repaint the Italian flag-colored lines next to these yellow lines,' Ishkanian said in an email. Pressure mounts ahead of festival next week A petition demanding Newton officials 'immediately restore' the Italian flag stripe had Residents remain puzzled as to why the city painted the lines just a few weeks ahead of the such a big annual festival. 'The bottom line is the timing of it was the biggest deal,' Donovan said. Fuller's office said that was tied to factors like weather and workers' schedules. 'The only thing we didn't know was the exact date of the line painting as we are subject to both weather and the availability of the long line paint contractor,' Ishkanian said in an email. The petitionwas not launched by St. Mary of Carmen Society, which organizes Festa, but the group appreciates the effort, said Proia. He hopes the campaign convinces Fuller to reverse her decision. 'We do not accept the compromise she has given to paint next to the lines,' he said. Rather, he said, festival organizers are willing to have the yellow lines for 11 months of the year, except for July, when they say the Italian flag colors must bedeck Adams Street — without any yellow paint. Camilli said she and others are impatient to repaint the traditional lines. 'We're going to be painting when the time comes,' she said, 'if the time comes.' Claire Thornton can be reached at
