The neighborhood pizzeria on Riverside Drive, Little Italy Pizzeria, failed its health inspection Aug. 31, and the owner is making some big claims about why his restaurant failed. Owner Ben Cortese has taken to social media, stating that his restaurant was targeted. “I have been in this business all my life. … My family owns all the Little Italy's from Athens to here,” he said. “I felt we were targeted, especially this time, due to some politics and racism around the community and the country right now. I have never in my life experienced anything like this in my career.”