Allentown Association volunteer John Santomieri holds a tray of perennial flowers as volunteer Laine Walnicki and Laine Walnicki plant perennial flowers in a tree bed on Allen Street on Saturday A tree bed at Virginia and Allen streets contains signs from a nearby business owner instructing that nothing should be planted there by Allentown Association volunteers Email notifications are only sent once a day as volunteers plant flowers to beautify Allen Street in an effort that the Allentown Association calls “Gardens and Rainbows.” Volunteers across Buffalo are planting seeds in community gardens trees along streets and flowers in sidewalk containers What city resident wouldn’t welcome this abundance of public beautification successfully applied for a grant that – among other things – paid for 4,000 plants to be allocated to tree wells up and down Allen Street and Elmwood Avenue These are perennials intended as much to protect the stability of the trees’ limited growing area as they are to provide streetside color square beds were planted after Allen Street was redesigned 2019-2023 tree beds along the streetscape will lack those perennials because adjacent business owners don’t want any plantings – at least not any perpetrated by the Allentown Association – in front of their storefronts Allentown Association board member and former president Patty MacDonald uproots flowers on Allen Street to replace them with new perennials on Saturday An explanation should start with how the big planting – larger than any attempted by the Association in recent memory – came about I must reveal that I am a former Association board member (approx 2001-04) and have participated in many community plantings throughout Allentown Residents and business owners of Buffalo's Allentown neighborhood say it's a safe Association board member and former board president Patty MacDonald explains that it started with a large grant meant mainly for building improvements As MacDonald told me in a recent interview “The Allentown Association administered a BMSI (Buffalo Main Street Improvement) grant for facade improvements and other renovations for property owners in Allentown the Allentown Association is eligible for streetscape funds So we decided to spend the streetscape funds – $25,000 – on this project that we’re calling Gardens and Rainbows “The rainbow part of it is prisms that are going to be attached to the light poles all up and down Allen Street – when the sun hits them Those are being fabricated now and should be up by the end of May and this is all funded through that BMSI grant.” You may remember that The Buffalo News’ Deidre Williams reported on this project in her April 19 story about how the neighborhood was recovering in the wake of a series of tragedies including the murders of Mickey Harmon and Jordan Celotto and two devastating fires It’s about flowers and how they – like everything – can be politicized the plants were the only way left to protect Allen Street’s dozens of new tree beds because fences or other hardscaping had been ruled out by Buffalo’s Department of Public Works “When the Allen Street improvement project was designed those tree beds were supposed to have 4-inch granite curbs around them to hold the soil and the mulch in If we plant very hardy perennials that are ground covers and it’ll hold all the mulch in place and cut down on weeds But some business owners are refusing the plantings owner of Buffalo Big Print/Allen Street Gallery “We pretty much got looped in very last minute on that and also the 24 hours notice to get things out of there that were already in the beds.” MacDonald says a letter was sent to the businesses about the plantings “There’s a big old communication breakdown in Allentown The businesses never get included in anything and never get told information until the last minute we’re expected to keep everything maintained So that’s a point we’ve been trying to prove for 14 months.” was charged with choosing the plant varietals He maintains that “the maintenance plan is taken on by the Allentown Association The understanding is that the Association is building a 100-gallon watering rig that will better facilitate going up and down the street watering the tree beds the goal of the planting and the design itself is to outcompete weeds with plants that enjoy really tough conditions.” This is a time of transition in Buffalo’s oldest preservation district Santomieri also notes that the beds will be staked off to help fend off cars that – because of Allen Street’s redesign – park on the same level as the trees will create the impression of an interrupted field of color “There’s two kind of concentric rings for each tree bed,” Santomieri explains “The first inner ring is a hardy 3-foot perennial that prefers −or tolerates the exterior of each tree bed is a plant that’s akin to a ground cover – that has a mat or creeping form or habit so that at any certain point of the season at least something per bed will be flowering.” this may sound like a reasonable landscaping project the plan wasn’t adequately communicated to Schwalenberg who has formed the group Shop Allen Street he’s submitted a mission statement and a comprehensive list of what he sees as Allen Street’s most pressing issues to Mayor Christopher Scanlon and other city officials Clearly – and understandably – flower plantings are not his main concern Allen Street storefront owners must vie with break-ins the mental health issues of many who traverse the corridor incessant litter and everything else that comes with a dense downtown neighborhood But as a longtime Allentown resident and gardener I’m looking forward to seeing the tree bed plantings mature – it will take a while of Allen Street’s large concrete containers There is a danger that those who advocate for an evolved gardening philosophy will undervalue the homely human benefits that have fed the souls of home gardeners for centuries and nobody disputes the organization’s right to fill them with plants Those will be hardy perennials – the grant requires that money be used for beautification that lasts longer than one season I also look forward to a time when the Allentown Association at long last finds a way to better work with businesses I hope businesses do their part to make that happen Elizabeth Licata remembers artist Mickey Harmon: "I am thankful I did know him And hopeful that the anger and disbelief will be vanquished by… Just in time for Valentine's Day: Buffalo's newest crop of flower shops offer quirky personality-driven takes on the ancient art of flower ar… "Progress on cleaner water and greener streetscapes in Buffalo means playing the long game," writes Elizabeth Licata Is there such a thing as "Black gardening?" These conversations are happening more often in Buffalo “Paying attention to the plants around us requires slowing down Foraging has certainly helped me find my pla… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account NEW YORK – After their valiant comeback win over the Marquette Golden Eagles Men's Lacrosse had two players earn weekly honors for their individual performances in the victory Graduate student attackman Matt Licata and sophomore LSM Jake Melchionni were named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week and BIG EAST Specialist of the Week Matt Licata scored a career-high five goals and added an assist in his final career regular season contest at Villanova Stadium This week is his second time earning Offensive Player of the Week honors after doing so for the week of March 18 He scored two goals in 11 seconds with two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 13-all Licata has recorded three or more goals in each of the four games he has participated in while Villanova has been celebrating senior days totaling 14 goals and 4 assists in those games The graduate student ranks second on the team in goals of four consecutive games causing multiple turnovers The sophomore LSM also broke the record for goals by an LSM in a season by scoring his sixth with 10 minutes remaining passing John LoCascio's record of five in 2014 His 19 caused turnovers this year currently tie Chris Hervada and Chris Conroy for 17th in a single season in program history Despite starting off 2-5 and having two 10-plus goal losses starting off 3-0 for the first time since 2013 The squad has made 12 consecutive tournaments and faced the threat of not making it for the first time in the history of the BIG EAST until their impressive start during conference action General admission to the event for a single session starts at $30 per ticket Reserved seating is also available for purchase starting at $46 All session tickets are available for both general admission ($50) and reserved seating ($65) a group discount is available for groups of 10 or more individuals Youths under the age of two are free of charge Students from any BIG EAST institution are also free with their student ID Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Renee M. Licata-Forish, 43, of Clay, passed away Tuesday, November 12, 2024, peacefully surrounded by the love of her son and mother. She was born in Syracuse, NY, daughter of the late John and Susan (Kalil) Licata. Renee was a vice president... View Obituary & Service Information Licata created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Available by phone 24/7 You are using an outdated browser. Upgrade your browser today or install Google Chrome Frame to better experience this site Phone: (803) 408-8711 In loving memory of Robert Thomas Licata who rode through life as fiercely as he rode his beloved motorcycle With his piercing blue eyes that sparkled with mischief and warmth Rob found joy in the simple pleasures — a glass in hand and laughter shared with his friends his infectious humor echoing off the walls He had an uncanny ability to blend street smarts with boundless wisdom offering advice to his friends with a wink and a grin always knowing what to say to lighten the heaviest of hearts His love for life was as vast as the open road encouraging others to embrace their adventures whose laughter could drown out the loudest storm his legacy remains to remind us to cherish each moment May his spirit ride on in our hearts forever The family will receive friends from 6pm – 8pm on Tuesday at the funeral home memorials may be made to the Kershaw County Humane Society he was the son of Steven Licata and Sharon Collings Licata Surviving in addition to his parents is his wife and Thomas and Jimmie Ann Collings. Mailing Address: PO Box 65 Lugoff, SC 29078 Phone: (803) 408-8711 Fax: (803) 408-8713 Blog University of Notre Dame Keough School of Global Affairs Over winter break I traveled to Kampala, Uganda’s capital city, to explore how businesses in emerging markets can use marketing strategies to stand out from competitors—a concept known as differentiation. As a marketing and global affairs major, I have always sought ways to merge the two fields in impactful and creative ways This curiosity led to my global affairs capstone project and business honors thesis where I identified a significant gap in knowledge on product and service differentiation in Africa Differentiation has been a key competitive strategy since American businessman and Harvard professor Michael Porter defined it as a firm's effort to be unique in ways valued by buyers. Despite Africa being called the "last frontier" of global brands — a term that highlights its position as the final major market for global brands to enter and develop my research found only six papers on differentiation in African markets Given Africa's young population and rapid economic growth, understanding differentiation strategies is crucial as the region attracts global and local brands alike. Reports indicate that developing economies now drive over 70 percent of global growth with sub-Saharan Africa home to six of the world’s 10 fastest-growing economies from 2001 to 2015 To assess the effectiveness of differentiation strategies I interviewed 26 business owners from sports shops I began to understand how people in Uganda incorporate their culture into their businesses researchers and other Africans I knew described Ugandans as kind welcoming and caring toward those around them These are traits I frequently observed when visiting their homes cultural events and even their places of work one entrepreneur we talked to was nicknamed “Uncle” — a name signifying respect in the community — as he cared more about his customers than making profits Uncle said that “relationships are more important than price.” In other interviews I learned that this level of customer care takes precedence over competing with competitors Some entrepreneurs go so far as to refer customers to competitors if they lack a product Another key insight from my trip to Uganda was the strong price sensitivity among customers “What differentiates you from your competitors?” entrepreneurs readily listed various unique aspects of their businesses when questioned about whether this differentiation allowed them to charge a premium they unanimously responded with a firm “no.” The ultimate goal is to attract customers and even a slight price increase could drive them away This pricing constraint is largely shaped by Uganda’s economic conditions which many entrepreneurs describe as struggling and lacking opportunities they prioritize sales volume over higher profit margins Seeing this approach firsthand reshaped my understanding of business strategy especially in contrast to Western models that emphasize profit-driven differentiation This project deepened my understanding of how emerging markets operate differently from Western markets with customer care ranking as the second most important factor for customer loyalty after price much more research is needed to grasp Uganda’s small business market structure especially since most businesses operate informally and are not included in databases entrepreneurship in Uganda is one of the few viable paths to economic stability providing jobs not only for business owners but also for their families and communities Many entrepreneurs cited a lack of economic opportunities in Uganda as their motivation for starting a business and some aim to create jobs to keep community members off the streets understanding how differentiation and pricing strategies interact to create competitive advantages will help me develop global marketing strategies that resonate with diverse markets The realization that informal businesses are just as vital as formal ones reinforces the importance of considering all economic players when designing marketing strategies Recognizing that emerging markets operate differently from Western ones will enable me to craft more effective business solutions tailored to these unique environments these insights will make me more discerning by deepening my appreciation for how culture and resilience shape entrepreneurship I will be more mindful of the challenges businesses face and the significance of supporting both formal and informal enterprises I now recognize the crucial role emerging markets play in shaping the next generation of consumers With Africa’s rapidly growing economy and young population it is essential to understand and engage with these markets responsibly Entrepreneurship is not just a business pursuit in places like Uganda; it is a lifeline that fosters job creation and community development By understanding and appreciating these dynamics I aspire to contribute to a more inclusive and globally aware business landscape Notre Dame senior Monay Licata will graduate in May with degrees in marketing and global affairs she will work as a financial technology consultant for the Cleveland Keough School of Global Affairs © 2025 University of Notre Dame Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors 2025) – South Carolina Track & Field veteran thrower is the first to bring home an SEC weekly honor this outdoor season as he was named Co-Field Athlete of the Week by the league office on Tuesday afternoon Licata opened his 2025 outdoor season on Saturday at the Florida Relays claiming the victory in the men’s shot put The veteran thrower and 2025 indoor national runner-up opened the season with a 20.17m (66-2.25) throw ranking first in both the East Region and the NCAA Licata stood atop the leaderboard from the first throw and never looked back winning the invite section of the shot put Licata will return to action this weekend alongside his teammates as they play host to the Gamecock Invite on Saturday April 12 at the Sheila & Morris Cregger Track 1/51Penn Relays 2025, Day 2.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Corey Annan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comPHILADELPHIA—Despite the pouring rain coming down at the Irving “Moon” Mondschein Throwing Complex Princeton walked away with two medalists in the throws on the final day of the 2025 Penn Relays Princeton junior Casey Helm ripped the biggest throw of his career in the men’s discus championship tossing 207-11 on his fourth attempt to secure his first Penn Relays title Helm first took the lead with a toss of 199-11 on his first attempt to take the lead going into finals Bernard’s alum Joe Licata tossed a PR of 63-1½ to secure a sliver medal only finishing behind Cincinnati’s Fred Moudani Likibi (63-9) A consistent 60+ foot shot putter in both college and high school Licata was one of the state’s best throwers during his time at Gill St A five-time Meet of Champions medalist between the discus and shot put Licata ended his career with indoor and outdoor MOC state titles in the shot put in 2022 SHOT PUT RESULTS DISCUS RESULTS Corey Annan can be reached at cannan@njadvancemedia.com. 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices « Back Rick Pitino to Appear on WFAN with Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata This Afternoon12/2/2024 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball John’s Basketball Head Coach will talk Red Storm hoops and the legacy of the late Lou Carnesecca on WFAN Monday at 12 p.m Have you ever ordered a steak from a restaurant and “I bet this would be better if it were served to me on a sword and engulfed in flames!” that must have been what diners were thinking back in the 1950s because restaurants across the country embraced the flaming steak fad added the dish at his Italian restaurant located in downtown Tampa Licata was a third-generation restaurant owner in Tampa operated El Aseo Restaurant at 1701 Seventh Ave Licata changed the name to El Mecca in 1922 and the restaurant remained an Ybor favorite for many years opened his own restaurant in downtown Tampa when he bought Sullivan’s Tavern near City Hall opened Licata’s Steak House in the early 1950s at 108 E Though he followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps by offering mostly Italian and Spanish favorites added the item that made him famous – steak served on a flaming sword the flaming steak gimmick started in California Joe Licata wasn’t the only restaurateur to offer the specialty His small restaurant grew busier every year Licata spent $100,000 (about $1 million in today’s dollars) to renovate the basement of the old Knight and Wall hardware store building on the southwest corner of Tampa Street and Kennedy Boulevard The Knight and Wall excavated the basement space when they built their store in 1895 and Licata thought it would be the perfect location for his new restaurant He also went all-in on his steak concept and renamed his place Licata’s Flaming Sword Restaurant Licata’s new location was busier than ever but changes in downtown real estate prompted the sale of the old building to a development group that eventually built Licata’s steakhouse was not in the plans for the new tower The last fiery sword was extinguished on March 13 Licata’s legacy will never be completely snuffed out Rodney Kite-Powell is a Tampa-born author, the official historian of Hillsborough County and the director of the Touchton Map Library at the Tampa Bay History Center Want to learn more Tampa Bay History? Read on here. Or if you’re looking to advertise, click here LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Graduate Student Matt Licata was named to the USILA Team of the Week after scoring a career-high five goals in his final regular season game at Villanova Stadium Licata scored two goals in 11 seconds to tie the game up at 13-all against Marquette in a game that had been back-and-forth for the first 57 minutes This was his second game of the season with four or more goals and the sixth of his career It was also Licata's fourth consecutive performance with three or more goals while Villanova is celebrating Senior Day The New Hampshire native ranks second on the squad in both goals and assists clinched the Wildcats a top two seed in the BIG EAST Tournament as well as at least a share of the BIG EAST Regular Season Title Matt Licata Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting Thanks for visiting Click here to read our spring 2025 issue, featuring Caught by the Tides' Jia Zhangke and Zhao Tao, our annual spotlight on locations and more... the perfect audience for his arrested pubescent persona—a blustery Jackass-fueled manchild who desperately wants to connect with the youth but whose cultural references are woefully out of date (he gifts one sullen teen a DVD of Jarhead) It is a harrowingly funny exploration of millenial male insecurity that utilizes both highbrow conceptual pranks and lowbrow dick jokes Filmmaker: How long ago did you record the special We had it edited and were trying to shop it around to certain places but this industry is crumbling like a Nature Valley bar I’m actually very happy it landed on YouTube because I think way more people are gonna be able to see it now Filmmaker: You shot this at Amherst Central High School My cousin was in your same graduating class Could you talk about how you approached the school—how did you even get them to let you do this Licata: We found the principal’s email online and sent them a cold email I’ve written on SNL” and explain who I was It wasn’t the same principal from when I went there; I feel like that might have been an automatic no Filmmaker: Who was the principal when you were there I think that was his last year before he retired then it was Joanne Bayless the next couple years Filmmaker: I got kicked off morning announcements because of Mr I made bowling team announcements with my friends and we would always talk about how terrible we were “Let’s kick it back to Joe Pod” and he responded “Excuse me?” The bowling coach got really mad at me there wasn’t much of a vetting process for making morning announcements My friend and I realized we could go on for an announcement for some bullshit club or something I remember making a fake announcement and I think people were amused enough by it that I didn’t get in any trouble which I feel like those kids must torment him with bird calls all the time I think we kind of—it’s not that we withheld information Filmmaker: Not exactly something the school would want to associate itself with I know they didn’t ask for any transcript or anything Ss long as we were willing to pay the rental fee Filmmaker: In terms of getting the kids in the crowd Initially we just put out a normal casting call—“If you’re 15 and live within driving distance of Buffalo and like comedy come check out a show”—and got zero bites on that and this guy found all of the audience members for us I don’t think that any of them have any real experience It’s not like these are theater kids with stage parents or whatever I think they gave very honest reactions and were very genuine the whole time some of my favorite parts are just the reaction shots of kids not getting the joke because you’re talking about stuff way over their head some of them were giving really golden reactions There’s one kid who I think was actually 12 he might be a little young,” but the casting director said him and his brother are a package deal.” He is the little kid in the white polo shirt and was just making some of the funniest faces Filmmaker: And how much time did you have to shoot it we shot me doing it with no audience to get clean audio on all the jokes which admittedly there’s maybe about six-ish minutes of the set that I had to cut when performing for the kids because this may be too obscene to say in front of them Anything about jerking off or whatever I was like “Let’s not do that today.” From 10:30 to 12:30 we shot in the auditorium we shot all of those interstitial segments—the thing with the PTA and stuff with all the kids because we had 30 minutes to get each one of those segments and that includes set up and breakdown—run to this part of the school get maybe three takes of it and then on to the next Filmmaker: How did you find the actors who played the head of the PTA and the woman who plays the principal Forced her to be in it to avoid paying someone [laughs] I didn’t tell her what I was gonna say beforehand That was just her keeping a straight face—she was very impressive I think she’s just desensitized from being my mom for 34 years The woman who played the principal is Lisa Ludwig but she also directed all the plays at Amherst The guy that tells me to fuck off was my actual choir teacher He happened to be the guy that was unlocking the building for us both days and I was like you want to be in this?” He was so touched and honored to be a part of it Filmmaker: You bring in the community and tie them in to the pivotal story from your youth—jumping off the roof of the church and breaking both of your legs if you went to the CCD there were the Saint Ben’s buses and Christ the King buses and it was like the Sharks and the Jets I still remember that so vividly and it sends a shiver down my spine sometimes which was surprisingly easy because there was this six foot ledge that you could get up on top of you could grab up and hoist yourself onto the roof There were a ton of tennis balls on the roof because the EMTs were called and I remember them asking me all these questions and I was still being the class clown Like they would ask “Do you have any allergies [referring to medicine]” Filmmaker: I can’t believe you were still conscious They didn’t believe that I was sober either I remember they’re like “you have to tell us what drugs you’re on.” I’m like “I’m not” and they’re like “No you have to tell us because you’re going to surgery.” No Filmmaker: Was Jackass the main inspiration for your stunts I was watching all that stuff like Viva La Bam There was a UK equivalent called Dirty Sanchez that I was also obsessed with There was The Dudesons from Finland who essentially do similar stuff Anything like that I was soaking up every possible second of downloading full episodes off of Kazaa or whatever Filmmaker: Your injury reminded me the scene from Freddy Got Fingered where the guy breaks his leg and there is a gratuitous shot of a bone sticking out of his leg for no reason at all Licata: It was on the Criterion Channel recently Filmmaker: How frustrating was the processs of pitching the show to streamers Licata: They’re less willing to take risks on people that are relatively unknown Unless you have 300,000 Instagram followers or you’re already a household name like Jim Gaffigan Netflix is not gonna give you the time of day we were talking to Peacock pretty much the entire time we were shooting and editing sent it to Peacock and didn’t hear anything for a week We followed up and didn’t hear anything for a week I hit up some other guy I know that worked there and he goes she was fired two weeks ago.” The day we sent it to her They were offering peanuts in comparison to what other streamers were offering but you know I felt like I’ve had friends that have put out specials on Peacock and feel like I’m sort of in their comedic family I just wanted to make a teeny bit of money on this thing but I guess it’s the long game that you play where you’re like “I took a huge hit on this financially but I think a lot of people will discover it now then hopefully those people come out to see me when I perform in their city or buy a t-shirt or something.” Filmmaker: Your recent appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers should help as well Was that booked before the special came out But he had watched it and was very psyched about it who is a very big comedic influence on me as well Filmmaker: What was the comedy scene like when you were growing up in Buffalo It seems so disconnected from the entertainment world Licata: I didn’t really start stand-up until I moved to New York City My buddy Joe Pera and I did a couple open mics in Buffalo at Nietzsche’s Filmmaker: My brother was in a ska band called Mexican Cession and played at Nietzsche’s and all those places I only did a couple open mics there when I was like 18 then moved to New York when I was 21 and that was kind of an awakening because it was…I’m not saying the bar for laughs is lower in Buffalo but New York is a tough comedy scene and everyone’s operating at the highest level It really forces you to develop quicker and figure out a way to stand out amongst the pack I wanted to do stand up and there really was no backup plan or anything else that interested me Joe and I became good friends and we have different comedic sensibilities It’s an odd couple dynamic; we’ve hosted a comedy show together for 12 years at this point and we’re the same genus I remember he and I both went to the first open mic at Nietzsche’s I was an 18-year-old freshman in college trying comedy for the first time You sign up on the sheet and I remember I was supposed to go then Joe was supposed to go and the host is saying “All right this guy says he’s never done this before but let’s give him a go—Joe Pera.” So I guess I’ll have to put you at the very end of the show,” which doesn’t make any sense to me I don’t know why I just agreed to that the second-to-last comic is on stage and he’s running late “There’s one more comic.” And he goes “Who is it I know everyone who does comedy in this city!” And I had to go up after that doing an impression of Terri Schiavo at TGI Fridays or something Filmmaker: Had you been workshopping this stuff and think it’s gonna kill Licata: I had it all written out and memorized I guess I had run it by a friend of mine who thought it was funny because I remember being there when he did his first late night set and it being this sort of seismic shift for him career wise but my dad…I’ve never seen my dad cry Even at my grandmother’s funeral he didn’t cry but my dad was crying on Tuesday night after my set on Seth Meyers Filmmaker: Parents only care about SNL and talk shows to our parents’ generation they are the only stuff that matters I’ve written for an Adult Swim show that a lot of people seem to like [Joe Pera Talks with You] that has a cult following I’m so proud of those episodes that I wrote You tell boomers about that and they don’t give a shit “I’m writing for SNL” and they are all and it wasn’t like a dream job of mine or anything either The casting directors saw me perform at a comedy festival and brought me in to audition for the show I just did five minutes of stand-up on that stage where the host does the monologue and they hired me as a writer off of that set and I was just like I guess I’m doing this now.” I kind of compare it to high school: I was the class clown in high school and just wanted to make the kids laugh but it doesn’t matter if you make the other kids laugh—you have to make the teachers and the principal laugh and the principal is this famously crotchety 79-year-old man who doesn’t really have his finger on the pulse I would write stuff that I thought was funny and it would destroy at the table reads every week I think I got one or two sketches on the entire two years that I wrote there Filmmaker: When you’re talking about how you work together with Joe—yeah You seem more aligned stylistically with Connor O’Malley who’s also had a special on YouTube recently Licata: The guy that directed Connor’s special produced mine We’re all kind of in the same comedy family We work with a lot of the same people and Connor wrote for Joe’s show as well I get annoyed when sometimes people will say that the show is almost not a comedy that there’s not really a lot of jokes “I gotta differ on that.” I guess when you make art and put it out into the world people say things about it that you vehemently disagree with and you’re just like “I guess that’s criticism.” Thanks for visiting John’s Head Coach Rick Pitino Joins WFAN Radio’s “Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata Show”3/3/2025 10:53:00 AM | Men's Basketball Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse | 2/15/2025 6:48:00 PM Thanks for visiting Most students at Penn State have a huge passion for THON Jake Licata’s passion goes way back to before he arrived at Penn State a third-year student representing the business fraternity has a history of participating in the fight against childhood cancer This all started when he participated in Mini-THON when he was in middle school he participated in Mini-THON where he learned more about the importance of the cause Not only were these experiences the beginning of this passion but when he got to Penn State he realized how much THON meant to the community of Penn State “The atmosphere at Penn State is unmatched compared to anything,” Licata said “It’s been really inspiring to see that this dancing actually does have a true meaning and true impact on these families.” Licata has not only made his impact on the floor but also behind the scenes After starting off as the special events chair at Alpha Kappa Psi he moved to the role of THON chair during THON 2024 he was tasked with collaborating with a team of four in planning fundraisers and doing a lot of alumni and corporate outreach he had to do a lot of work to get the dancers from last year prepared for the weekend and it never occurred to him that there was the possibility that he would be one of the dancers representing Alpha Kappa Psi he got a phone call from the THON chairs from this year and was shocked to find out “It was really cool because it brought me back to being back at Penn State and THON,” Licata said I hadn’t thought about it a little bit [when I was in Spain] he has taken the next step in his journey: dancing for 46 hours Due to having the experience of THON chair Licata said that he felt no pressure when he was looking forward to dancing the role put more meaning behind it for him Alpha Kappa Psi has given Licata the opportunity to build special connections with some of the Four Diamond families and they have made sure to make special connections with them These connections included giving gifts during Christmas and watching the Penn State men’s basketball THON game “One of the biggest things about doing THON through my business fraternity is that it’s a tight-knit group of people that really cares about [THON],” Licata said “Everyone has their own story of why they THON and it’s really great to hear how everyone pushes each other to make the most of the fundraiser.” Licata wants to leave a lasting impact by participating as a dancer in THON Not only does he hope that Penn State raises a lot of money to financially support families battling cancer but also fund impactful research he hopes that his participation inspires the fraternity’s families especially Logan Alpha Kappa Psi represents one of the kids from each of its two families Those two kids are Matthew from the Rodriguez family and Logan from the Switzer family but Licata still has her on his mind as he’s dancing during these 46 hours and so I’m really hoping that she’s watching the livestream or catching a glimpse of us and I can get a little bit excited,” Licata said Licata cares so much about THON and wants to make sure his journey in THON made a difference in people’s lives in the end he sent a message to those people who don’t know anything about THON “If you don’t know a lot about [THON] watch some videos on it,” Licata said come to it and see what it’s all about because it’s a crazy event that you have to be here to feel.” “Nothing matters enough to hold yourself back Do the things you want to do without worrying about anyone else.” Previously private minutes from Wednesday night’s meeting show what happened behind closed doors no seating will be available on the West side of Beaver Stadium and fans can only enter through Gates A and E Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Carter becomes the highest-drafted Nittany Lion since Saquon Barkley in 2018 Christine’s story touches on adoption and the courage to forge one’s own path and adopted by an Italian-American family on Long Island Christine built a fulfilling career in PA helping others heal through physical therapy But it was her personal quest for motherhood that would prove to be one of her life’s most defining chapters Christine Licata – Physical therapist and living proof that the best chapters of our lives don’t always follow the plan we imagined Her Story is hosted by Kathy Romano and airs Sunday mornings at 7am on 93.3 WMMR-FM in Philadelphia Follow Her Story on Instagram for a first look at each week’s guest Kathy Romano presents “Her Story,” a weekly tribute to women every Sunday morning at 7am on WMMR She will introduce you to another woman making a major difference in the lives of others by helping te [...] Download the app to LISTEN LIVE wherever you are and connect with us like never before whose journey from a Chilean-born adoptee to a successful physical therapist and single mother who unexpectedly found love reminds us that life's path rarely follows our original plans Born in Talca, Chile, and adopted by an Italian-American family on Long Island, Christine built a fulfilling career in PA helping others heal through physical therapy at Trinity Rehab But it was her personal quest for motherhood that would prove to be one of her life's most defining chapters and living proof that the best chapters of our lives don't always follow the plan we imagined Her Story is hosted by Kathy Romano and airs Sunday mornings at 7am on 93.3 WMMR-FM in Philadelphia. Follow Her Story on Instagram for a first look at each week’s guest This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Expertise: NFL, NBA, MLB Chris Licata is a senior editor covering trending news for Athlon Sports He brings over 10 years of experience in the sports industry, including four years leading sports coverage at Heavy (2021-2024) and as a staff editor for The Athletic Originally a Rhode Island native, Chris graduated from Johnson & Wales University in Providence with a degree in sports/entertainment/event management He can be reached via email at chris.licata@athlonsports.com These were just some of the words that friends used to describe Virginia “Ginny” Licata teacher and artist in the Diocese of Camden who died July 24 at age 86 “Ginny was a faithful and committed disciple of Christ,” Father Sanjai Devis said to those gathered for Licata’s Mass of Christian Burial celebrated Aug the celebration at her home parish included numerous priests and deacons of the Diocese now pastor of Our Lady of Peace Parish in Williamstown developed a friendship with Licata when he was parochial vicar at Holy Family which included serving as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and helping others through difficulties or grief as a Stephen Minister. Licata also led parish retreats and days of reflection She began a sandwich-making ministry at the parish to feed Camden’s hungry and organized an effort to make care packages for the homeless in Atlantic City She also spent long hours with Father Devis and other international priests helping them with their pronunciation of English words so that these shepherds could become better evangelizers for their flocks Father Devis smiled as he recalled their lessons that began 18 years ago “She told me how to pronounce ‘wine’ and ‘vine,’ and that to say the v I need to bite my lower lip,” he said with a laugh Licata taught math and biology at Paul VI High School and spent 20 as a math professor at Camden County Community College in Blackwood she was deeply involved with Saint Jude Parish in Blackwood (now part of Our Lady of Hope Parish) where she contributed to the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults program and served as a lector Licata shared her gift of manuscript calligraphy with catechumens and candidates at Holy Family said her fellow RCIA teacher at the parish who currently ministers at Saint Clare of Assisi Parish “She made calligraphy cards with the ‘Our Father’ on them and gave them to her students,” he said “Ginny was a beautiful woman who shared her faith and love with everyone she met Holy Family parishioner Tara Lanzalotti said she will be forever thankful for Licata’s help seven years ago Ginny welcomed me into her home every week and talk about my sorrow,” Lanzalotti said but just listened and let me know that someone cared.” Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Camden knew Licata from his time as pastor at Holy Family Parish He recalled her ministry at home and abroad to go to Vietnam in order to teach Jesuit seminarians English.” Reflecting on her gift for manuscript calligraphy “What I think sums up Ginny is her love for icons and her use of them in artistic expression She was very fond of painstakingly drawing icons on paper The process of ‘writing’ an icon includes prayer to God … as well as [for] the person or people who will receive or see it An icon becomes a window into the sacred and through which Divine Grace can be received Ginny’s hobby was so profound because she herself was an ‘icon’ – in her you certainly received God’s grace in abundance.” In addition to her friends Licata was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Cherry Hill © All Rights Reserved | May 06, 2025 | Catholic Star Herald of the Diocese of Camden Add the Catholic Star Herald to your home screen For Android users(Chrome) tap the at the top right vertical 3 dots then tap “Add to Home Screen” For iPhone tap:at the bottom and then tap “Add to Home Screen” If you need assistance with submitting your subscription, please call Neal Cullen at 856-583-6139, or email Neal.Cullen@camdendiocese.org © All Rights Reserved | May 06, 2025 | Catholic Star Herald of the Diocese of Camden © 2025 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC. looking to maintain momentum before the BIG EAST Tournament Matt Licata's standout performance not only highlights his individual talent but also strengthens Villanova's position in the BIG EAST emphasizing their resilience heading into the playoffs The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it OK Privacy policy Watch SNYLog In