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

Wolves win Western Finals, advance to Calder Cup championship round

May 28, 2019May 28, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Wolves win Western Finals, advance to Calder Cup championship round The Chicago Wolves defeated the San Diego Gulls on Monday taking Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, and will advance to the Calder Cup Championship against the Charlotte Checkers hockey team with th efirst game on Saturday at Bojangles Coliseum. This is the CHicago…

National, News, Sports

Wolves take Game 5, one Game from winning Calder Cup Finals

May 26, 2019May 26, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Wolves take Game 5, one Game from winning Calder Cup Finals Max Lagace scored the first goal by a goaltender in AHL postseason and Chicago Wolves history to help the Wolves to a 5-2 victory over the San Diego Gulls in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday night at Pechanga Arena. Forwards…

Entertainment, News, Sports

Carr gives Wolves double-overtime Play-off win

May 25, 2019May 25, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Carr gives Wolves double-overtime Play-off win American Hockey League MVP Daniel Carr scored 6:01 into double-overtime to lift the Wolves over the San Diego Gulls 2-1 in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Friday night at Pechanga Arena. The Wolves pulled into a 2-2 tie in this best-of-seven series as defenseman Griffin Reinhart…

Entertainment, General Topics, News, Sports

Lipinski introduces bill to help taxpayers hurt by SALT deduction

May 24, 2019May 24, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Lipinski introduces bill to help taxpayers hurt by SALT deduction Lipinski Introduces Tax Relief Legislation That Will Help Families Hurt by SALT Deduction Cap Without Adding to Federal Debt Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-3) this week introduced legislation to provide tax relief to families in Illinois and across the country who saw their tax burden increase…

Government, News, Politics, Taxes

Joliet native serves on advanced U.S. Navy Warship in Pacific

May 23, 2019May 23, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Joliet native serves on advanced U.S. Navy Warship in Pacific By Robert Zahn Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class , Navy Office of Community Outreach Petty Officer 3rd Class Mike Kremske, a native of Joliet, Illinois, wanted to join the Navy to travel and see the world. Now, three years later and half a world away,…

General Topics, News, Veterans, Veterans Column

Ben Joravsky tackles Chicagoland Politics on podcast

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

Ben Joravsky tackles Chicagoland politics on podcast It was a lot of serious laughs joining longtime Chicago political writer and TIF Authority Ben Joravsky on his podcast this past Wednesday with former Tribune political writer Monroe Anderson. Joravsky’s podcast is one of the top discussions on Chicagoland politics By Ray Hanania Ben Joravsky’s Podcast Tuesday…

Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Government, News, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

San Diego Gulls beat Chicago Wolves in Game 3 of Finals

May 23, 2019May 23, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

San Diego Gulls beat Chicago Wolves in Game 3 of Finals The Chicago Wolves pulled within one going in the final minutes of Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, but fell to the San Diego Gulls 3-2 Wednesday night at Pechanga Arena. Forwards Tye McGinn and Curtis McKenzie scored for Chicago (8-6) while goaltender…

Entertainment, Events, News, Sports

Teamsters Local 727 criticize Pritzker plan to impose 6% parking tax

May 22, 2019May 22, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Teamsters Local 727 criticize Pritzker plan to impose 6% parking tax Pritzker’s Proposal for State Parking Tax in ‘Rebuild Illinois’ Plan Will Do Real Harm to Illinois Business Climate. Confiscatory parking tax targets City and unreasonably burdens Chicago workers and businesses The “Rebuild Illinois” capital plan recently released by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker proposed a 6%…

Government, Illinois Legislature, News, Politics, Taxes, Transportation

Chicago native serves aboard versatile U.S. Warship half-a-world away

May 22, 2019May 22, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Chicago native serves aboard versatile U.S. Warship half-a-world away By Robert Zahn Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class, Navy Office of Community Outreach Seaman Clarkensy Smith, a native of Chicago, joined the Navy to travel and see the world. Now, one year later and half a world away, Smith serves aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam, patrolling…

News, Veterans, Veterans Column

Lockport enlistee serving in Pacific Naval Partnership

May 22, 2019May 22, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Lockport enlistee serving in Pacific Naval Partnership Steelworker Constructionman Joseph Synowiec, a Lockport, Ill. native, is participating in Pacific Partnership, the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission in the Indo-Pacific region. As a member of the Pacific Partnership 2019 (PP19) team, Synowiec is one of more than 500 U.S. service members,…

Features, News, Veterans, Veterans Column

2nd candidate enters race to challenge Dan Lipinski for Congress

May 22, 2019May 22, 2019 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

2nd candidate enters race to challenge Dan Lipinski for Congress Rush Darwish, Community Organizer and Small Businessman, Announces Candidacy for U.S. Congress Illinois District 3. Darwish is the 2nd candidate to announce he will challenge incumbent Congressman Dan Lipinski who has held the office since 2005. His announcement follows the announcement of former Lipinski rival…

Chicago, elections, Federal, Government, News, Politics, Regional Midwest, Suburban Chicagoland

Illionois State Fair lowers admission prices

May 22, 2019June 12, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Illionois State Fair lowers admission prices Adult admission is now only $5 Sunday through Thursday Kevin Gordon, Manager of the Illinois State Fair (ISF) in Springfield is pleased to announce that Sunday through Thursday daily admission prices have been lowered to $5 for adults during the 2019 State Fair—senior prices will remain at $3 and…

Entertainment, Features, Festival, Government, News

Honoring Veterans this Memorial Day weekend

May 22, 2019May 22, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Honoring Veterans this Memorial Day weekend By Jerry Field This is one of several holidays when we can honor and salute our Veterans who defend our country’s freedom and form of government that insures that freedom. Seldom we have ventured to foreign soil and help those who need our assistance to maintain their freedom and…

News, Veterans, Veterans Column

Governor Pritzker needs a reboot on his tax plan

May 22, 2019November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Governor Pritzker needs a reboot on his tax plan Is Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker anti-women, or does he just not care about empowering women in politics? His faulty drive to replace the Flat Income Tax with the Graduated Income Tax is driven by a male arrogance and a shortsighted political strategy that spells loser across…

Blogger, Commentary, Government, Opinion, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Ford Introduces Legislation to Save Lives in the Opioid Overdose Epidemic

May 20, 2019May 20, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Ford Introduces Legislation to Save Lives in the Opioid Overdose Epidemic Emphasizing that we have to do everything that we can to save lives during the epidemic of deaths from overdoses, state Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, D-Chicago, has introduced legislation to make sure that those who have suffered an overdose have the antidote medicine…

Crime, Health, Illinois Legislature, News, Suburban Chicagoland

Orland Park’s Texas de Brazil knocks it out of the park

May 20, 2019November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Orland Park’s Texas de Brazil knocks it out of the park Texas de Brazil opens a new restaurant in Orland Park and it sizzles with perfect meat selections. It’s one of the best restaurants to enjoy a great family meal with the family for lunch or dinner. And it has a phenomenal salad bar which…

Blogger, Business, Commentary, Entertainment, food, Opinion, Orland Park, rayhanania, restaurants, Review, Suburban Chicagoland

Lightfoot targets gun violence in inauguration

May 20, 2019July 13, 2021 Ray Hanania No Comments

Lightfoot targets gun violence in inauguration Mayor Lori Lightfoot is sworn into office on May 20, 2019, as Chicago’s first African American woman and first “openly Gay” mayor. Much of Lightfoot’s inauguration speech reflected many of the same principles that were reiterated 40 years ago when on April 16, 1979, Jane Byrne was inaugurated as…

Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Government, Opinion, rayhanania

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele declares Racism as a “Public Health Crisis”

May 20, 2019May 20, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele declares Racism as a “Public Health Crisis” County Executive Chris Abele today joined Supervisor Marcelia Nicholson, Supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde and the Office on African American Affairs (OAAA) to sign the resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. The resolution builds on the county’s efforts to ensure racial equity is…

Crime, Health, News, Politics, Racism