R.I.P Mike Valerio, Italian immigrant who started Papa Gino's pizza on Bennington Street

Michael A. Valerio 1931-2020

Reprinted from StandAmerica.us.

It is my sad duty to inform you that Michael A. Valerio, “Mike” to his friends, went home to heaven on Wednesday afternoon, September 2nd.

He was a faithful husband to Helen, loving father to Linda, Laura and Michael Jr. He was an Army veteran, a successful entrepreneur and businessman, a philanthropist and to me and many others, a very dear friend. He will be missed beyond measure, and the grief of those who knew and loved him is deep.

Mike was not a man who sought the spotlight, but behind the scenes he was a force of nature. After military service, he started a small pizza shop in 1953. With his wife Helen by his side every step of the way, they labored long hours, refused to go into debt and over the next three decades, turned a modest storefront in East Boston into over 200 stores, one of the largest restaurant chains in New England - Papa Gino’s of America.

Cooking remained a passion and past time for Mike long after his retirement as a restauranteur. He was often cooking when I called him, preparing a pasta dinner for Helen and himself. His love for his wife, children and family was demonstrated in ways small and large. If you met Mike and Helen in a social setting, you would have no hint of how successful they were. He carried himself with an unassuming humility, and yet he was one of the most generous men I’ve had the privilege of calling a friend.

He was also one of the hardest working people in America. I often awakened to find emails from him written at 2, 3 or 4 am about some idea he had and was anxious to talk to me about. I used to wonder when he slept. His energy was absolutely amazing, and reminds me of another outstanding leader on the scene today, President Donald J. Trump, who Mike deeply admired and vigorously defended.

I have known Mike and Helen for 37 years. He and his wife are the God parents of my youngest daughter. He was a member of my board of directors, and has been a significant donor since the day this organization was founded in 2009. He and I worked together on most of his major projects to help the country going back to the early 1980’s. I was a commentator on “Topic Religion” a radio program on the station he and Helen purchased in Boston in 1983.

We were allies and wide eyed idealists in Massachusetts politics who actually believed that we could take the state for conservative Republicans. We gave up on Massachusetts, but Mike never gave up on America. He was a courageous patriot who put his heart, soul, time, energy and money into helping save our country from the liberalism and progressivism which is now being exposed as socialism and communism.

Michael A. Valerio, was born in Italy, about 50 miles southeast of Rome. He was only five years old when he immigrated to the United States with his family, settling in the predominantly Italian East Boston. He grew to love America with a passion. When he achieved the capability, Mike expended tremendous effort and resources to preserve the nation he loved and the opportunities it gave him. He went from poor immigrant kid to prosperous businessman.

For those of us who knew him, the greatest parting gift we can offer is to remain vigilant and unrelenting in our quest to preserve America’s freedom, Judeo-Christian culture, economic and entrepreneurial vitality and faith in God. He wanted to make sure that the American people understand the threat posed by communism, in whatever guise it takes - progressivism,  Marxism, socialism or fascism. To Mike, it all springs from the evil human inclination to rob others of freedom. To assure the future of our country, he spent his life trying to stamp out this ideological poison. Mike will not be here to vote on November 3, but had he been, he was going to strike a blow for freedom by casting his vote for Donald Trump.

This is my first opportunity to publicly express my love and gratitude to Mike and Helen for their years of faithful friendship and support. STAND is one of many nonprofit organizations to which they donated. However, whether we were working on a project together or just waiting to figure out the next move, he was my dearest friend.

Please pray for his wife Helen, their children, grandchildren, extended family and all of his friends as we grieve the departure of this great patriarch and patriot. He fought for this country to the very end, and he is already missed.

Rest In Peace Mike. Thank you for your service to our nation. We will use the memory of your dedication and sacrifice as yet another reason to fight on. We will not let you down. America will remain a shining city on a hill.

God bless,

Bishop E.W. Jackson Sr.

Founder/President

What we saw at Suffolk Downs on Saturday, June 29: The last weekend at the East Boston track

More at EastBoston.com

The Great Savio Reunion II

Come join alumni and friends from all classes in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Savio's founding at "The Great Savio Reunion II."

Saturday, November 24 at the Salesian Boys & Girls Club of East Boston (150 Byron Street)
6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

To purchase tickets visit EventBrite.

Tickets include a special 60th T-Shirt and proceeds will go to the Spartan Fund.
Refreshments will be served. 

NOTE: The Alumni Mass preceding the reunion will be celebrated at 5:00 p.m. 

Kiwanis Club to host author of "East Boston: Legendary Locals" on August 2

The Kiwanis Club of East Boston will host guest speaker and East Boston native, Regina Marchi, Ph.D., at the Kiwanis meeting set for Tuesday, August 2, starting at 6 p.m. at Spinelli’s Function Hall, Day Square in East Boston. 

Dr. Marchi will discuss her book “Legendary Locals of East Boston” and take questions from the audience. She was born and raised in East Boston and is now an Associate Professor in the Department of Journalism and Media Students at Rutgers University in New Jersey. 

Copies of her book will be available for purchase at the meeting. 

The public is invited to attend by contacting a Kiwanis Club member, including club President Mary Jane Barber at maryjane.barber23@gmail.com. 

Dinner is $20 per person, which includes a 50/50 raffle. 

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time. 

The East Boston Kiwanis Club meets every first and third Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Spinelli’s in Day Square, East Boston. 

Something to remember this July Fourth: The Battle of Noddle's Island, Hogg Island and Chelsea Creek

A historical thought on this July 4 from local historian Michael Laurano:


The Fourth of July is a good time to remember another great American misnomer - the oxymoronic term, the so called "Battle of Chelsea Creek" which in all truth was the "Battle of Noddle's Island, Hogg Island and Chelsea".

The series of skirmishes encompassed by that term which took place in late May of 1775 between the Americans and the British was never until the very late 19th century at the very earliest referred to even as the "Battle of Chelsea " nor until 1906 as the "Battle of Chelsea Creek". That was for good reasons. The bellicose actions took place on Noddle's Island (East Boston), Hogg (or Hog) Island (Orient Heights) and Chelsea (today's Beachmont, Revere, Winthrop and Chelsea), in 1775 Sales Farm, Rumney Marsh, Pullin Point and Winnisimmet.

Some of the fighting and the culmination by the burning of a British vessel, The Diana, certainly did place along the shores of the intervening waterway between present day East Boston and Chelsea now known as "Chelsea Creek". That body of water was not however known as "Chelsea Creek" in 1775 nor for a half century afterwards. The term "Chelsea Creek" name was affixed to "Chelsea Reach" in the 1830s by Gen William H. Sumner the principal behind the development into "East Boston" of once bucolic Noddle's Island, an oasis of culture and gracious civility in Boston Harbour burned and rendered barren by the bellicose events of 1775

"The designation "Chelsea Creek" appears on no legitimate contemporaneously drawn map of 1775 and nowhere else until the 1830s. No person actually at Noddle's, Island Hogg Island or Chelsea who participated in the fighting in 1775, American or British, left written recorded reference to the "Battle of Chelsea Creek". 1775 newspaper accounts of the skirmishes which sent an electrifying shock of courage throughout the rebellious American Colonies made reference only to the events "on Noddles Island", or "on Hogg (sometimes spelled "Hog") Island" or "at Chelsea" and never "Chelsea Creek" The American "rebels" who participated as belligerants there so recorded and 1775 British Admiralty records read the same as well.

That said, it is also true that on account of the determined efforts of some folk who have partisanly picked up on what was a mistake (one would like to think it was that, born only of ignorance and not deliberate) first made in 1906 by a New Hampshire magazine writer named Lamb have tenaciously promoted the "Battle of Chelsea Creek" mantra. Though that may be a rightful exercise in American free speech it is however still not the truth. Perhaps the erroneous term was first conceived in a spirit of compromise. In 20th century terms it would be an easy mistake perhaps to make.

In 1775 I shared in the same spirit of comprise at the BiCentennial celebration and referred to the "Battle of Noddle's Island and Chelsea Creek". However, given the 21st century internet's revolutionary access to early maps and documentation from and contemporaneous with 1775 to allow this transgression to continue unchallened would be only be to continue to give license to a wrong. A truthful and accurate account of American history deserves better.

Many recent writers while acknowledging the many indisputable facts of the matter still continue to repeat this grave misnaming error which flies in the face of accuracy and truth.

One such recent writer of American history while accurately attesting to the focus of these events as having happened on Noddle's Island judiciously says (the battle)..."has come to be called the Battle of Chelsea Creek". To that this writer would add with emphasis...The Battle of Noddle's Island, Hogg Island and Chelsea" vs. the "Battle of Chelsea Creek" is not over yet !

On this Fourth of July holiday of 2016 a salvo in this naming battle is issued in the form of the following threefold challenge to anyone who wishes to persist in promoting the misnamning error of the "Battle of Chelsea Creek":

First: Produce a legitimate map of from the 1775 era drawn prior to the 1830s designating the tidal waterway flowing between what is now East Boston and Chelsea as "Chelsea Creek".

Second: Produce a legitimate recorded account by any person who was actually there and participated in the skirmishes between the Americans and the British in 1775 that makes reference to "Chelsea Creek".

Third: Produce a legitimate 1775 newspaper account of the events that took place on Noddle's Island, Hogg Island and at Chelsea that made reference to "Chelsea Creek".

Happy Fourth of July to all.
    
Michael A. Laurano
malauran (at) aol.com

Lecture May 27: "Grounding the Narrative of the 1775 Battle of Chelsea Creek".

Historical lecture on "Lost Boston" at EB-BPL, August 27

The East Boston Friends of the Library invites you to a lecture by Anthony Sammarco titled Lost Boston Thursday August 27th at 6:pm. 

Local author and historian, Anthony M. Sammarco presents a fascinating look at many well known institutions that failed to stand the test of time, and were either demolished, lost to fire or neglect.  

Based on his book, Lost Boston, this presentation takes a look at both neighborhood and downtown institutions including The Boston Garden, City Point Aquarium, Jordan Marsh Department Store, Scollay, Haymarket and Pemberton Squares, as well as East Boston Airport and the Penny Ferry.  

Sponsored by the Friends of the East Boston Branch Library 365 Bremen St. 

Call 617-569-0271 for more information.

Mark the Date! Friends of the East Boston Library Gala Event: July 16

The Friends of The East Boston Branch of the Boston Public Library, Inc. invite the community to celebrate with us the return and unveiling of the Frederick Leonard King WPA painting The Queen Mary. She has been fabulously restored by the Oliver Brothers firm. The painting restoration funding was by The East Boston Foundation, and the frame by the Boston Public Library.

Date:      Thursday, July 16th
Time:      6:00 - 7:30 PM.
Where:    East Boston Branch Library, 365 Bremen Street

Demolition Alert : The Old Storage Building on New Street

The Boston Landmarks Commission is holding a community meeting about a developer's  request to tear down the building. Thursday, March 19th, 6:00PM, Maverick Landing Community Room

East Boston Visitor Center & Museum Newsletter #5

This just in from Susan Brauner:

Project Site Location Update
This month members of the committee made a presentation to the Piers Park Project Advisory Committee (PAC) regarding placing the project on Piers Park I or II.  Architects Lyle Bradley and designer Gabriela Dumitrescu donated their time and considerable talents to devise excellent project boards.  The result of the meeting was not encouraging.  Following consultation with several sources, however, we will request another time on a PAC meeting agenda for further discussion.

We are also reviewing other harbor locations.

Financial Analysis
In preparation for the PAC meeting we have a complete project cost/revenue analysis with gracious input from Deputy Director Maria Muller of the MFA, and  museum consultants.  Please let us know if you would like to review the package.

Real Money!!
This month we were awarded a $1,000 mini-grant from the East Boston Foundation, although it has not been received.  The East Boston Community Development Corporation will administer the funds for us.  The money will be used for filing required legal paper work with the Secretary of State and Attorney General, paying the fees for the web site domain registration, and presentation material.

Our First Collection Item
The Mercandetti family of Andover was kind enough to give us a 1864 carte-de-visite.  During the 1860s the exchange of photographs with family and friends was quite popular.  Our gift is a lovely tooled leather album filled with photographs of attractive strangers.  On the reverse side on most of the pictures  it states they were taken at various commercial photographers in Maverick Square.  The contents were digitized by an historical society which we will be given.  We think it might be fun to put some of the photos on the web site and see if the people can be identified.  If not, we could get some great captions!  The album is being held by the head branch librarian at the BPL East Boston branch.

Community Group Handouts
Some committee members are fairly regularly asked to speak to groups.  We have found it a helpful tool to have a one-page hand out of the project available.  We have them in both English and Spanish.  


WBUR
Reporter Fred Thys from the National Public Radio/WBUR  will be doing a story on the project in the near future.  We will advise you when it will air as well as where to find it after airing.  While we cannot yet legally raise money, i.e., until after we receive a Certificate of Solicitation from the Attorney General’s office, we thought it would be helpful, given the demographics of the audience, for the listeners to learn about the project.

New Officers
Debra Cave is not able to serve as Secretary. Fortunately, Bob Schmidt has agreed to act as both Secretary and Treasurer for the time being.  Also, AJ Castilla was no longer able to participate as Director of Communications and Marketing.  We are pleased that Theresa Malionek was able to fill this position.  We thank Debra and AJ for their service.  

We are also pleased that Neenah Estella Luna has agreed to act as our historical research coordinator.

Next Meeting
Monday, October 6th, 6:00PM, Maverick Landing Community Meeting Room, Liverpool Street.  Please attend, and feel free to bring other interested parties.  The more minds working on this the better, of course.

I remember views like this one!

City of Boston Archives | Boston skyline from East Boston, 1975 August,...

City of Boston Archives, Peter Dreyer..

A Feb. 12 lecture on Eastie's past by architect Antonio Di Mambro

History of People, Places, and Plans that Shaped East Boston
Wed., Feb. 12, 2013, 6:00 p.m. Boston Public Library Copley Square.

Antonio Di Mambro, FAIA, discusses the events and economic and technological transformations that have defined the multiethnic neighborhood of East Boston and the challenges and opportunities that could shape its future.Mr. Di Mambro is president of Antonio Di Mambro + Associates, Inc. He has practiced architecture, city planning, and urban design in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Italy since 1971. He has taught at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Pratt Institute, the University of Miami, and the International Laboratory of Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Urbino in Italy.

Book Discussion on Oscar Handlin, historian, at the East Boston Branch of the BPL, April 4

Eastboston.com 3/9/2011: Upcoming events at the East Boston Library

CORRECTION THIS IS A BOOK DISCUSSION. THE HISTORIAN WILL NOT APPEAR.

Book discussion on the works of the noted historian, Oscar Handlin and immigration at the East Boston Branch of the Public Library on Monday, April 4.

The story of the Luongo Fire of 1942

Local historian Michael Laurano recalls the devastating Luongo restaurant fire in Maverick Square that killed five firefighters 68 years ago.

The myth of the "Battle of Chelsea Creek"

That battle everyone keeps referring to as "The Battle of Chelsea Creek" actually should be known as an the "The Battle of Noddle's Island, Winnisimmit and Rumney Marsh"

In an exclusive for eastboston.com, local historian local historian Michael Laurano writes:

To misplace by misnaming an important American Revolutionary War historical event simply to feed local vanities constitutes historical revisionism and is plainly wrong.