Harlem VFW provides meals at Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home
Organizers say it's another way of giving back to those who served, while showcasing the important role veterans play in the community.
'It's important for us to honor our veterans of course that's why were in the VFW,' said Erik Averill of Harlem VFW Post 6445. 'One day some of us might be in here. it's just really eye opening when you come up here and get to talk to them about the things they've seen in their lifetime.'
This is the VFW's 4th annual nationwide day of service.
Photojournalist credit: Gary Hipps
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Indianapolis Star
11-07-2025
- Indianapolis Star
This Hamilton County VFW is cranking out Chicago pizzas with an old Italian family recipe
Friday nights at VFW Post 6246 in Noblesville run at a low hum with occasional yelps as bingo numbers are read and winners announce them themselves in the spacious community room. Nearby, the bar rumbles with low conversation, the clinking of glasses and the snap of beer cans opening. Lately though, barely noticed by the tab pullers, are lines of hungry customers in a far corner as they wait for their payoff — real Chicago pizza in Hamilton County. It's been like that for three months, ever since Michael Spencer was given a secret family recipe from a long-time but now shuttered pizzeria in Chicago and opened Nino's Pizza in the VFW kitchen. With no advertising, Instagram or TikTok, the word got out to pizza-cravers that this hidden walk-up spot just might be the real deal: Chicago thin crust, cut in squares, with fresh ingredients, pinched chunks of sausage and crispy crust, burnt on the outside, also known as Tavern Style. 'We've had 30 people waiting in line sometimes before we even open, it's been crazy,' said Spencer, a Fishers resident, who'd spent much of his professional career in health care and advising. The disarray has included several set-backs that included delivery problems with Door Dash, phone orders, hiring difficulties and an inability to bake the pies fast enough, which led to long waits for customers. Spencer had to close the kitchen for a week while a bigger conveyor oven was delivered — then the compressor broke. Recently, a new employee was sent to he hospital for dehydration after the air conditioning broke down. Through it all Spencer was unusually transparent about the regressions, posting updates on Facebook, apologizing profusely and pleading for patience. 'It was truly messed up and I was working to take care of it, but I also followed online reviews very closely and wanted to make sure to correct misinformation quickly,' Spencer, 49, said. The online response from those who have gotten a pizza has been overwhelmingly positive — especially from Chicago transplants ostensibly on a never-ending quest for the perfect thin crust. 'You make us miss Chicagoland and we are so happy we can get good and LEGIT Chicago food from YOU! THANK YOU,' reads a typical Facebook post from a Windy City ex-pat. Even patrons not familiar with the nuances — and debates — of Tavern style or Chicago thin crust have become quick devotees. 'I don't know about any of that,' said Donald Litke, 62, of Noblesville, while waiting to pick up a 16-inch sausage and mushroom. 'I just know that it is the pizza I've been waiting for. The cheese is just right. So is everything. It's my go-to pizza now. I've been here four or five times already.' Spencer's ascent from pizza newbie to savior is as unlikely as the venue. Spencer was tired and bored with his job as a hospital administrator and was grousing about it one night with good friend Mike Cisternino. Both are auxiliary members of the Ralph Lehr VFW south of downtown Noblesville. Cisternino mentioned that his late uncle, Nino Cisternino, once owned a pizzeria in Chicago. In fact, Cisternino said, Nino's widow Carm, still had all the recipes. What's that got to do with me? Spencer asked He told Spencer that Carm might be willing to give the recipe to him if he opened a place and recreated the magic. And he could open it right there at the VFW because the donut shop that then operated in the kitchen, Mochi Joy, was closing to move into a retail spot in Fishers. 'The recipe was sitting in a drawer somewhere in the Chicago suburbs with my aunt,' Cisternino said. 'Carm thought at one time that she could get royalties or something for selling it. That never happened but she still had it.' Spencer wasn't a complete culinary novice; he and wife Stacey owned a food truck selling sandwiches for a couple of years during the COVID-19 pandemic. But he waved off the offer as fanciful, though he said he'd think about it. Cisternino kept asking Spencer, however, and soon, so were other members of VFW. 'He had told them about it, so every time I'd go in here, they'd all be asking, 'When are you opening that pizza joint? We need a good place in here,'' Spencer said. Spencer finally decided to resign from the hospital and told Cisternino he'd run some numbers on the pizza venture to see if it could work. When Carm Cisternino and her son, Frank, came to the VFW in 2024 for a funeral reception for a friend, Spencer spoke with them. She and Nino were immigrants from Bari, a port city in southern Italy, and operated the pizzeria on the Northwest side of Chicago for 20 years until 1999. Nino died in 2020 at the age of 77. The dough and the sauce were long-held family secrets but Carm said she would gladly turn them over now and would be flattered if Spencer wanted to name the place Nino's. Spencer said he'd do it, but sat on the recipe for months while he gained a health department permit, registered the business with the state, signed a lease with the VFW and lined up food vendors. In March of this year Spencer began experimenting with the sauce and dough for hours each day at the VFW. The sauce was an instant hit with the veterans who served as his grizzled daily taste-testers. The dough, though, was a beast. "It was more complicated than I ever could have imagined,' Spencer said. 'The temperature of the room, the humidity, the water, all that is important.' He kept at it, feeding the vets a steady diet of practice pies. "They aren't shy about their opinions, so that helped prepare me,' Spencer said. 'I soon found out that you have to be a mad scientist in this business, because it is a science,' Spencer said. 'I thought I'd be twirling dough up in the air, whistling. I haven't done that once.' Just three months later Spencer opened Nino's, which is a takeout restaurant inside the VFW, built in 2011 to replace the old one. With a full-service bar and adjoining space, the VFW is a social club for veterans and their families. The members participate in parades and lead fundraising drives. The post hosts bingo on Fridays, karaoke on some Saturdays and musical acts. On a recent weekday Spencer began the 5 p.m. shift training two new employee — an order taker and pizza preparer. Before long the Door Dash ringtone sang with incoming orders, which began automatically queuing up on an overhead tablet screen. Spencer laid out the pizza doughs on a narrow counter near a row of metal ingredient bins and showed the worker how to load them; ladle a cup of sauce on the middle then spread it gently and evenly outward to within a quarter-inch of the edge. Make sure the mozzarella is single layer, then put on the other ingredients. When the employee began placing olives on one-by-one Spencer corrected him. Too slow, sprinkle them on, then space them, he instructed. Most importantly, Spencer said, think of the squares this masterpiece will be cut into. Each piece should include every ingredient — mini pizzas in themselves. Soon, as orders poured in, Spencer was in a pizza-making frenzy, putting them in the oven, removing and slicing them with a rocking pizza cutter, and boxing them. In between he jumped over to help prepare the pizzas and fill an order for a Chicago-style hot dog, which have their own mad scientist origins. He carefully built an order with its myriad components, making sure to top it with a dash of celery salt and 'sport' peppers. 'Wednesdays are usually slow, I don't know what's going on, but I'm not complaining,' said Spencer. 'I don't mind chaos. I can handle doing six, seven things at once. It's when it stops that I don't know what to do.' Spencer had gotten a taste of how hectic the business could be on one of the first Fridays he was open, bingo night, when he had to stop taking orders because he was overwhelmed. He went on Facebook quickly afterward to explain what happened. 'Everyone shows up between 6 and 7 p.m to order food before Bingo starts,' he wrote. "This means we have preorders, current orders then everyone from Bingo (could be 15-30 people) all at once in line waiting to order. Let us just say it gets crazy.' Spencer said he is constantly tinkering with the dough and pizza prep to make sure it's exactly right. He's open to constructive criticism — and has learned there is plenty available. 'The transplants from Chicago are out of this world,' he said. 'They are die-hard about their pizza. Not a day goes by when I don't hear a couple people saying, 'When I was a kid…,' or 'I'm from Chicago, we got high expectations for you.' Some people tell me I have to use water from Chicago in the dough to be authentic. I'm not hauling Lake Michigan water down here. That's crazy.' He said he's pretty practiced now at separating the bluster from the beneficial. 'We knew this was niche thing, just not to this level,' he said. As he slid a pizza from the box onto the VFW bar, Josh Stewart said he thought Chicago-style pizza meant only deep dish. He's glad it doesn't. "It just tastes really good and he's make it extra crispy if you request it," Stewart said.'I'd rather have this than a franchise pizza any day." Spencer has six employees now, including his 13-year-old son. Stacey makes the desserts and Post veterans have stepped in to volunteer on occasion during rushes. He doesn't know how fast or how much he has room to grow in the small kitchen. Mochi Joy was there for three years. 'I love it here and all the support we've gotten,' he said. 'I'm a loyal person. It's hard to say what could happen."
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
Ladybugs, you should be after this lucky charm
AUGUSTA, Ga (WJBF) – A day for good luck charms, what do you like? 'My little girl, she loves horses, I prefer the horseshoes,' said Heather Lanier. 'Yes, if it lands on you,' Heather said. At Ladybugs Flowers and Gifts, there's no concerns about things going bad on this day. 'Absolutely, I feel lucky. I'm not afraid of Friday the 13th, I'm a ladybug,' said Shannon Pollard. Yes, lots have been written about ladybugs being a good luck symbol. Richmond County's Extension Agent understands and says they're good for the garden. 'Just really good on pests, especially aphids, because aphids will eat succulents on plants and stuff. You really like them in your garden your home gardens.' At Ladybugs they like them in the store…at least in gift versions, and the store is famous for placing one on the flowers they send out. 'The ladybug where we put the flower arrangements, it's very important to our customers. They will call back and ask for their little ladybug,' said Shannon. Ladybugs mean good luck. What would happen if you found a ladybug on a four-leaf clover under a horseshoe? 'That's super lucky. I would say that's double lucky,' said Shannon. 'It would be a good weekend for you, especially on Friday the 13th,' said Campbell. Ladybugs…the best of luck Out There Somewhere in Martinez, George Eskola WJBF NewsChannel 6. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Vandalism at Langley Pond Park causes limited availability for bathroom facilities
AIKEN, S.C. (WJBF) – Aiken County Parks and Recreation announced the Langley Pond Park bathroom facilities will now operate under limited hours due to 'continued vandalism.' In a statement posted to the county government Facebook page on Friday, officials state the bathrooms will only be open when park staff are on site. According to the department, staff are typically on site Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and seven days a week from the Memorial Day to Labor Day season. Aiken County Parks and Recreation apologized for the inconvenience. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
