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

Briefs: Seymour Hersh’s Southwest Suburban roots

August 25, 2018August 25, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Briefs: Seymour Hersh’s Southwest Suburban roots The hidden Southwest SuburbanChicagoland stories of Seymour Hersh, in Oak Lawn and Evergreen Park, and his publication of his own small community newspaper, revealed in his blockbuster new book “Reporter” By Ray Hanania Biographies of award-winning journalist #SeymourHersh leave out a very significant aspect of his career that he describes as having…

Blogger, Books & Films, Briefs, Editors Pick, Features, Suburban Chicagoland

Orland Fire to receive International Accreditation Status

August 23, 2018September 28, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Orland Fire to receive International Accreditation Status The International Center for Public Safety Excellence (ICPSE) and Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) have awarded the Orland Fire Protection District the highest honor of “International Accreditation Status.” Accreditation affirms that the Orland Fire Protection District’s safety and emergency response duties are performed using industry best practices…

Fire, Government, National, News, Suburban Chicagoland

Lipinski directs major grant to MVCC

August 23, 2018August 23, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Lipinski directs major grant to MVCC Lipinski Announces $600 Thousand Education Grant for Moraine Valley Community College Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-3) is announcing that Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills has been awarded a $600 thousand grant through the National Science Foundation to help establish an “Internet of Things (IoT)” Coordination Network to bring…

Education, Government, News, Suburban Chicagoland

Tollway Chairman slams board members’ bullying

August 23, 2018November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Tollway Chairman slams board members’ bullying The Chairman of the Illinois Tollway Authority released copies of a letter and memos critical of Tollway board member Joseph “Joe” Gomez who has been accused of bullying and using inappropriate language in addressing Tollway employees. Gomez denies the claims but the letters offer specific details about incidents and…

Blogger, Commentary, Government, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Transportation

Getting bored by the empty void of streaming TV

August 21, 2018November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Getting bored by the empty void of streaming TV With so many streaming cable options all competing for the public’s attention, there are some great choices and some terrible ones. And there are things that each system can do to improve their services, besides adding quality original programming to their offerings. When the monthly subscription…

Blogger, Commentary, Entertainment, Features, General Topics, Movies, Opinion, rayhanania, Television

WalletHub lists Best and Worst Community Colleges

August 20, 2018August 21, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

WalletHub lists Best and Worst Community Colleges South Suburban College in South Holland was named as the second to the worst community college in the State of Illinois, ranking 39 out of 40, while Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Heights also struggled in the lowest third of the state’s colleges ranking at only 31…

Education, National, News, Suburban Chicagoland

60 residents, and pets, rescued from major apartment fire in Cicero

August 19, 2018August 21, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

60 residents, and pets, rescued from major apartment fire in Cicero Cicero Firefighters rescued 60 residents from a 3-story multi-unit apartment building on the block of 1600 S. 50th Court this morning (Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018) as fire and heavy smoke consumed the building. Two of the residents (one male adult and one female adult,…

breaking news, Fire, Government, News, Suburban Chicagoland

Law to improve internet access for seniors passed and signed

August 14, 2018September 25, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Law to improve internet access for seniors passed and signed Gov. Bruce Rauner signed bills today to increase Illinois seniors’ access to high-speed internet and provide more convenience with permanent identification cards. House Bill 5752 creates the Broadband Advisory Council to explore ways to expand broadband access, often called high-speed internet, throughout the state, including…

News, Seniors, Technology

Madigan’s staff challenges report on gender diversity

August 14, 2018August 14, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Madigan’s staff challenges report on gender diversity Statement from Chief of Staff Jessica Basham on Gender Diversity Statistics Jessica Basham, chief of staff for the Office of the Speaker, released the following statement Tuesday on diversity and the hiring of women: “While recent reporting by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform recognizes the importance of…

Illinois Legislature, Releases, women

Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago announces Fall LookOut series

August 14, 2018August 14, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago announces Fall LookOut series LookOut is Steppenwolf’s performance series that presents the work of artists and companies across genre and form. Emerging artists and performance legends, quintessential Chicago companies and young aspiring ensembles, familiar Steppenwolf faces and new friends. Unless specified otherwise, all performances take place in Steppenwolf”s 1700 Theatre, an…

Entertainment, Features, Theater

Poor journalism blocks Perseid Meteor Shower

August 12, 2018November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Poor journalism blocks Perseid Meteor Shower They said poor weather would probably be the main reason why most people don’t see the Perseid Meteor Shower, but the real obstacle is poor journalism by science and technology writers, and online websites that are filled with “Spam Ads” and “Spam Writing.” Here’s the easy way to find…

Blogger, Commentary, Editors Pick, Environment, National, Opinion, rayhanania, Technology

Dryer fire in Orland Park home at 144th Block of Mason Lane

August 11, 2018August 11, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Dryer fire in Orland Park home at 144th Block of Mason Lane The Orland Fire Protection District (OFPD) responded to a house fire located in the 14400 block of Mason Lane at approximately 11:56 PM on Friday night. OFPD Fire companies arrived on the scene and found heavy smoke coming from the sub-basement of the…

Editors Pick, Fire, General Topics, News, Orland Park, Suburban Chicagoland

When will people in Chicago get serious about violence?

August 8, 2018November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

When will people in Chicago get serious about violence? Organized protests may bring attention to the problem of neighborhood violence. But if community homeowners and families don’t stand up to the violence in their own community, they can’t make a difference and violence will continue. The past weekend when Chicago saw 74 brutal shootings and…

Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Crime, General Topics, Opinion, Police, Racism, rayhanania

Federal Judge Enters Judgment in Favor of Orland Fire Protection District

August 8, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Federal Judge Enters Judgment in Favor of Orland Fire Protection District After a week-long trial in the Northern District of Illinois, Federal Judge Thomas M. Durkin ruled in favor of the Orland Fire Protection District in a lawsuit filed against it by a major fire alarm monitoring company. The lawsuit alleged that the Fire District violated…

News, Orland Park, Releases

Rauner appoints Tim Butler as Bicentennial Commission co-chair

August 8, 2018September 25, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Rauner appoints Tim Butler as Bicentennial Commission co-chair Gov. Bruce Rauner announced he has appointed Illinois Rep. Tim Butler to serve as co-chair of the Illinois Bicentennial Commission. Butler joins fellow co-chairs Gloria Castillo and Lori Healey. “I would like to thank Gov. Rauner for this tremendous honor,” said Butler, R-Springfield. “For me, the Illinois…

Government, News

Rick Lesser Slated as Candidate in 58th Illinois House District

August 7, 2018September 25, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Rick Lesser Slated as Candidate in 58th Illinois House District “We need everyday people to fix Illinois for the sake of our children and grandchildren.” Rick Lesser, a successful small business owner and one of the leading estate planning attorneys in Illinois, announced his candidacy today for Illinois State Representative in the 58th District. Lesser was slated…

elections, Illinois Legislature, Politics, Suburban Chicagoland

Hardiman breaks ties with organizers of anti-violence protests

August 7, 2018August 7, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Hardiman breaks ties with organizers of anti-violence protests Organizers of the Successful Lake Shore Drive Demonstration Sever Ties. Activist Tio Hardiman No Longer Sees Eye to Eye with Pastor Greg Livingston About Getting All of Chicago To Feel the Pain of Chicago’s Surging Violence Tio Hardiman, the executive director of the Violence Interrupters and one of…

Chicago, Crime, News, news release

Biased news media reinforces Trump’s popularity

August 7, 2018November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Biased news media reinforces Trump’s popularity The mainstream news media’s bias is empowering President Donald Trump. So far, every one of their predictions has been wrong, from asserting he could never with the presidency to claims he would be impeached before completing his first year. What the news media is doing is helping Trump by…

Baby Boomers, Commentary, Editors Pick, elections, General Topics, Government, National, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania