Author: Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland. His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing. Email Ray Hanania at [email protected]. Follow RayHanania at Twitter

Navy veteran Bill Conway challenges Kim Foxx for States Attorney

September 4, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Navy veteran Bill Conway challenges Kim Foxx for States Attorney Former Afghanistan military veteran Bill Conway enters the race to unseat controversey-plagued Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx who intervened to protect hoaxster Jussie Smollett. Conway is considered the leading challenger to Foxx. By Ray Hanania Navy Intelligence officer and military veteran Bill Conway announced…

Chicago, Crime, elections, Government, News, Politics, Suburban Chicagoland

Rockford Man Pleads Guilty to Aiming Laser Pointer at Aircraft

September 1, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Rockford Man Pleads Guilty to Aiming Laser Pointer at Aircraft A Rockford man pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard to aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft. BRENTON WELLS, 45, admitted in a written plea agreement that on Dec. 6, 2018, while standing in the backyard of a…

Crime, Federal, News

Geja’s Café Debuts Giro d’Italia – A Tour of Italy Wine Festival

August 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Geja’s Café Debuts Giro d’Italia – A Tour of Italy Wine Festival A three-month wine festival that features 18 carefully selected wines from 17 wine regions of Italy for a full-bodied experience all can enjoy Chicago’s oldest wine bar, Geja’s Café, perfectly nestled at 340 W. Armitage Ave, is welcoming the upcoming fall season with…

Features, food, News, news release, restaurants, Travel

Pritzker announces major step towards sale of Thompson Center

August 27, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Pritzker announces major step towards sale of Thompson Center Governor Pritzker issues a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Technical and Project Management Expertise Governor JB Pritzker today announced a major step toward the sale of the James R. Thompson Center (JRTC). The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) will issue a Request for Proposals…

General Topics, Government, Illinois Legislature, News, Politics

Charter Fitness goes “All Access” raises fees

August 27, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Charter Fitness goes “All Access” raises fees We are proud to announce that we now offer 24 hour access to our Orland Park location with select plans. In addition, we now offer four different memberships to accommodate when you want to workout, where you want to workout and if you want professional guidance during your…

General Topics, Health, Releases, Suburban Chicagoland

Chicago home values rank among lowest in nation

August 27, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Chicago home values rank among lowest in nation Chicago ranks among the worst in terms of owning a home among 300 cities across the country, and among the worst in the top 64 largest cities in the country. A new study by WalletHub compares the health of the real estate market in 300 cities and…

Baby Boomers, Chicago, General Topics, National, News, news release, Regional Midwest, Suburban Chicagoland

Opinion: Federal judge tosses politically motivated lawsuit against Madigan

August 23, 2019November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Opinion: Federal judge tosses politically motivated lawsuit against Madigan Federal Judge Matthew F. Kennelly dismisses controversial lawsuit against Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan. Exclusive, the Des Plaines Valley News, The Regional News, The Reporter Newspaper, and the Southwest News-Herald. August 23, 2019 By Ray Hanania A politically motivated lawsuit (Case No. 16 C 7915)…

Blogger, Commentary, elections, Federal, Government, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania

Brooklyn Historical Society Announces Fall Exhibition

August 23, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Brooklyn Historical Society Announces Fall Exhibition An Opening by Kameelah Janan Rasheed. Rasheed Presents an Audio and Visual Installation Inspired by the Brooklyn Historical Society’s Muslims in Brooklyn Oral Histories. On View: September 7, 2019 – June 30, 2020 The Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS) is pleased to announce An Opening, an audio and visual installation by Brooklyn-based artist…

Entertainment, Features, News, Theater

Pritzker signs bill raising minimum teacher salaries to $40,000 to address statewide teacher shortage

August 22, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Pritzker signs bill raising minimum teacher salaries to $40,000 to address statewide teacher shortage Taking another step to address the statewide teacher shortage, Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation today raising teachers’ minimum salary to $40,000. “As Illinois children head back to school this week and next, this new law says to them and their…

Education, Government, Illinois Legislature, News

Berwyn native participates in Navy Joint-Service training mission

August 22, 2019August 24, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Berwyn native participates in Navy Joint-Service training mission By Joint Hometown News Service Cmdr. Tracy Joy, a 1986 Immaculate Heart Of Mary High School graduate in Westchester and native of Berwyn, Illinois, is a nurse corps officer in the Naval Reserve. She is with the Expeditionary Medical Facility (EMF) Great Lakes One, Illinois, that participated…

News, Suburban Chicagoland, Veterans, Veterans Column

Orland Park native exemplifies “We Build, We Fight” legacy of Navy Seabees

August 22, 2019August 22, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Orland Park native exemplifies “We Build, We Fight” legacy of Navy Seabees By Alvin Plexico Navy Office of Community Outreach “We Build, We Fight” has been the motto of the U. S. Navy’s Construction Force, known as the “Seabees,” for more than 75 years. Commander Michael Meno, a 1991 Carl Sandburg High School graduate and…

News, Orland Park, Suburban Chicagoland, Veterans, Veterans Column

School should be more than just an education

August 21, 2019November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

School should be more than just an education As my son readies for college, I reminisce about what it was like 50 years ago when I left homew to go to college. It was a different world then and a different world today By Ray Hanania My son Aaron leaves for college next week and…

Baby Boomers, Blogger, Commentary, Education, General Topics, Opinion, rayhanania

Is there a politics to mass shootings?

August 21, 2019November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Is there a politics to mass shootings? The mainstream news media covered the killings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas far differently than the news media covered the killings the same weekend in Chicago. Though the circumstances were different, with individual suspects involved in Dayton and El Paso and multiple suspects involved in multiple…

Blogger, Commentary, Crime, General Topics, National, Opinion, Police, Politics, Racism, rayhanania

“Miracle” Hit Musical extended through September 29

August 21, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

“Miracle” Hit Musical extended through September 29 The hit play “Miracle” celebrates 108th performance on August 30 with special event. From complimentary Chicago-style hot dogs to over-the-top giveaways, MIRACLE is rolling out all the stops to celebrate this milestone for the production. In honor of the 108 years it took the Chicago Cubs to win the…

Entertainment, Features, Sports, Theater

Quad Cities Casinos Ready for New Sports Betting in Iowa

August 15, 2019August 15, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Quad Cities Casinos Ready for New Sports Betting in Iowa Quad Cities (August 15, 2019) – Starting at noon on August 15, 2019, sports betting is now legal in Iowa, including on mobile devices that have a registered account. The two Iowa casinos in the Quad Cities are ready for people to start wagering. Both…

Entertainment, Features, News, Releases

Oak Park Police increase presence as students return to school

August 15, 2019August 15, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Oak Park Police increase presence as students return to school With the new school year about to get underway, Oak Park Police are preparing to ramp up enforcement efforts to protect the many students who walk and bicycle along community streets to and from neighborhood schools. Additional enforcement efforts are planned at key crossings and…

Crime, Education, Features, General Topics, Government, News, Police

Oak Lawn Navy Recruit helps honors WWII Merchant Marine in San Antonio

August 15, 2019August 15, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Oak Lawn Navy Recruit helps honors WWII Merchant Marine in San Antonio By Burrell Parmer Navy Recruiting District San Antonio Lt. j.g. Kathleen Spyrnal of Oak Lawn, Ill., an Officer Programs operations officer assigned to Navy Recruiting District San Antonio (NRD), had the honor of meeting WWII Merchant Marine Ray Denison during an Alamo Honor…

Features, General Topics, News, Veterans, Veterans Column

Chicago Wolves Hockey celebrate Pride Night Oct. 19

August 14, 2019August 14, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Chicago Wolves Hockey celebrate Pride Night Oct. 19 New hockey season begins October 5, 2019 The Chicago Wolves are proud to host their first Pride Night at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Allstate Arena. This night celebrates the Chicago area’s LGBTQ+ community while the Wolves take on the Rockford IceHogs. October marks National…

Releases, Sports