Latest news with #Ignazio
Herald Sun
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Herald Sun
Reservoir: House featuring viral dolphin fountain that Sooshi Mango are eyeing off hits market
A quirky Reservoir house featuring a concrete dolphin fountain is ready for a grand sale after being dubbed 'Nonna's House of the Week' by a popular Instagram account. The dolphin fountain was built by the home's late owner, Ignazio 'Benny' Di Benedetto, who migrated from Italy to Australia as a teenager. A plasterer by trade and also an artist, Ignazio's residence has long been something of a local icon, photographed for books chronicling Australian front yards. RELATED: Reservoir home gives off resort vibes with floating staircase, handpainted mural Coburg: Dilapidated house sells for almost $1m after more than seven decades in one family Eaglehawk pad boasts lion sculptures, equine-themed fountain, wine cellar and bird artworks The abode even counts Sooshi Mango among its fans with the comedy super group joking that they would buy the residence 'for the fountain alone' in response to an Instagram post about the house on the Yiayia Next Door account. And it was another Insta page, Nonna's Judging You, that gave the three-bedroom pad at 3 Fiddes St its 'Nonna's House of the Week' honour. The property, which has two bathrooms, a timber-fitted kitchen and double garage, is for sale with a $980,000-$1.05m asking range. Ignazio's oldest child, Vito Di Benedetto, said he had enjoyed a wonderful childhood at the home with his father, mother Ida and siblings. While he never specifically asked his dad the reason why he created the fountain, Ignazio had a love of architecture and art. 'To begin with, it was a simple fountain,' Mr Di Benedetto said. 'I'd say he started building the fountain in the very late sixties, and I think he probably would have finished it in the mid-eighties.' A motor and pump were later connected, and the fountain still works today. The family collected shells at Melbourne beaches to decorate the fountain. As well, Ignazio would buy plastic containers in the shape of animals which had lollies or chocolates in them. 'He'd tell us to eat them as quickly as we possibly could – and being kids, were like, 'Wow, this is like Christmas',' Mr Di Benedetto said. 'So we'd eat them and then within weeks of us finishing them, he would fill those animals or containers with cement and then decorate them and put them on the fountain.' After completing the fountain, Ignazio started buying imitation jewellery and frames to make murals. Inspired by the town hall in the Sicilian village where he grew up, he hung throughout the house. The artworks were taken down to repaint the home before it was put up for sale. Mr Di Benedetto said that his family would be happy to give a few murals to whoever buys the house, if they were keen. Ignazio's artistic talent can also be seen in pebble-mixed concrete columns that he crafted for the veranda and the backyard. Inside, some of the ceilings feature decorative work, such as small, hand-cut pieces of plaster to create an artistic finish. The formal lounge and dining area has what looks like a pressed metal ceiling which is actually made out of plaster. Mr Di Benedetto said the producers of the 2022 movie Wog Boys Forever, starring Nick Giannopoulos and Vince Colosimo, contacted his family requesting to film at the home. But Ignazio, who valued his privacy, declined the invitation. 'They ended up filming it in Reservoir at another house not far from where my Dad lived,' Mr Di Benedetto said. However, photographer David Wadelton captured images of the fountain for his book Front Yards, showcasing character-filled Australian gardens and front yards. Mr Di Benedetto said he hoped that whoever buys the house would keep the fountain, but it would be up to the individual purchaser. Real estate agency Love & Co's Kannan Subramanian said the house had gone viral since being listed for sale. 'It's a very special home, it is quirky but functional,' Mr Subramanian said. 'It's a really good family home.' Most of the interested buyers are families and young couples. The house is close to public transport, Connor Reserve, the Merri Creek Trail and Edwardes Lake. It will be auctioned at 1.30pm on May 24. Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox. MORE: Epping home with luxury fit-out and commercial motorcycle workshop for sale Rolling Stone Australia owner Josh Simons and wife Tatiana selling Patterson Lakes home Melbourne's weirdest home finds: Wacky and wonderful things found inside houses
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel, Hamas being at odds caused deadly airstrikes: Retired major
(NewsNation) — Retired Major Glenn Ignazio, a former Air Force Special Ops pilot, joined 'NewsNation Now' to discuss Israel's shattering of the ceasefire agreement with airstrikes that killed more than 400 people in Gaza. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes after Hamas refused Israel's demands to change the ceasefire agreement and release all remaining hostages. Ignazio believes the two parties being at 'complete odds' is the preliminary cause for the latest aerial attacks, with peace now uncertain. 'Who knows what it's going to take to get this to stop again,' Ignazio said. Families of hostages in Gaza are terrified they won't return after Israel resumes fighting Ignazio believes that Israel receiving all of its remaining hostages would end the war but questions whether Gazans can pressure Hamas to complete such a trade. 'I just don't see any stepping stones to the future of any kind of peace until some kind of hostage or hostages are released,' he added. Both Qatar and the United States are working to ensure peace in the region, but it may be a harder task than realized. 'There doesn't seem to be a separation between the Palestinian people and Hamas,' Ignazio said. 'They seem very galvanized. … So it's going to be a difficult task for Israel to actually do that and destroy Hamas.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DC plane crash speculation ‘out of control': Maj. Glenn Ignazio
(NewsNation) — Late Wednesday night, a Black Hawk military helicopter and an American Airlines plane collided near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, leaving 67 people presumed dead Thursday. Conjecture and blame — in President Donald Trump's case, claiming the crash resulted from diversity, equity and inclusion hires — have emerged in the hours after the tragedy. Online conspiracies suggest that the military chopper intentionally crashed into the passenger plane. Retired Air Force Special Operations pilot Maj. Glenn Ignazio tells 'NewsNation Now' the crash is 'a bad accident' and that speculation regarding fault has grown 'a little out of control.' One of the few official updates came from an early Federal Aviation Administration report, which said air traffic staffing was 'not normal' the night of the midair collision. DC crash: Timeline of Black Hawk-plane collision After reviewing video of the crash, Ignazio said he believes there is simply human error behind the crash. The Air Force veteran explained that the American Airlines jet was doing 'exactly what it should do' when making a left-hand turn to land, while the helicopter was simply following a command from air traffic control to 'pass behind' the aircraft. 'I believe that the helicopter pilot believed he was visually clear. I believe he saw the aircraft ATC was calling out. … That's very matter of fact and really straight to the point, and we'll see what the investigation says,' Ignazio explained. DC crash co-pilot 'at the prime of his life': Dad Ignazio acknowledged that controllers are needed across the country, and it wouldn't surprise him if the accident had something to do with 'one controller doing two jobs.' 'You know the mindsets of the controller and pilots, [they] never want anything like this to happen … this situation is just a bad accident, bad timing,' he added. The National Transportation Safety Board investigation will look into interaction with air traffic control in the final moments prior to the crash. 'We have early indicators of what happened here and I will tell you with complete confidence we have the safest airspace in the world,' Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the agency's goal is to have a preliminary crash report within 30 days, followed by a final report when the investigation has finished. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
