So for starters, I really need Penny/Laynie here's "uncle" so if you would be willing to have your guy be that "uncle", it'd be great.
Penny is German/Polish and Jewish but was taken in by the New York Don when her parents kicked her out. She eventually got sent to Chicago because the Don had a cousin here, who Penny refers to as her uncle. She's a drug dealer for the Italians (Laynie) and a blues musician (Penny).
In terms of what's been going on with the Italians in general... I'm having trouble with thinking of a good way to summarize... they've been being awesome?