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

Exorbitant Hamilton tickets reflect founding father’s life

December 5, 2017November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Exorbitant Hamilton tickets reflect founding father’s life “Hamilton: The Satirical.” More tickets were announced available this week to the politically partisan Broadway musical “Hamilton: An American Musical.” But only the super rich will be able to afford seats that allows them to see the whole stage and even the cheap, obstructed seats will still cost…

Blogger, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, National, Opinion, rayhanania, Theater

Netflix increases fees as programming drops

December 5, 2017November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Netflix increases fees as programming drops Netflix raised fees, again. But if they want to keep me as a loyal subscriber, they need to be loyal to me and produce some kickass programing. Dropping Kevin Spacey from “House of Cards” is a major blow, and the garbage they are offering the wake of another favorite,…

Baby Boomers, Blogger, Commentary, Editors Pick, Entertainment, General Topics, Movies, Opinion, rayhanania, Technology, Television, Videos

ComEd offers contact info in event of wind damage

December 4, 2017September 25, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

ComEd offers contact info in event of wind damage Utility encourages customers to be safe and report outage information via text or call ComEd is closely monitoring and preparing for changes in the weather predicted to increase winds that may affect parts of Northern Illinois starting Monday evening and continuing through Tuesday morning. Current forecasts call…

News, Suburban Chicagoland

Cicero honors Mixed Martial Arts Champion Jose Torres

December 4, 2017December 4, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Cicero honors Mixed Martial Arts Champion Jose Torres Mixed Martial Arts Champion Jose “Shorty” Torres and Combat-Do founder Master Bob Schirmer displayed the championship belts that Torres has won in international and national competitions at a recent meeting of the Town of Cicero Board. Torres, who is from Cicero, and told the board he is…

breaking news, Editors Pick, News, Suburban Chicagoland

Sandburg HS cracking down on e-Cigarettes and vapes

December 1, 2017November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Sandburg HS cracking down on e-Cigarettes and vapes Southwest suburban high school cracks down on students using e-cigarettes and vapes, warning it is a health hazard to students and also a local municipal crime. By Ray Hanania The principal of one of the Southwest Suburb’s largest high schools announced Friday that disciplinary action will be…

Blogger, Commentary, Crime, Editors Pick, Education, Health, Opinion, Orland Park, Police, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Bannockburn School District 106 cuts tax levy

November 30, 2017November 30, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Bannockburn School District 106 cuts tax levy Today the Bannockburn School District 106 Board of Education unanimously voted to reduce this upcoming year’s tax levy from 5,796,231 to $5,496,223. After the administration initially recommended a $100,000 decrease in the upcoming year’s tax levy, the board decided to cut the levy by $300,000, which is more…

Education, Government, News, Taxes

Cullerton urges Veterans to use free statewide legal hotline

November 29, 2017November 29, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Cullerton urges Veterans to use free statewide legal hotline Tom Cullerton urges military veterans and service persons to take advantage of free statewide legal hotline VILLA PARK- To better serve Illinois heroes, the state has formed the first-ever statewide legal assistance hotline and coordinated network of legal support services for military personnel, veterans and their…

Government, News, Veterans

Two garage fires in Orland Park

November 25, 2017November 25, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Two garage fires in Orland Park Crews responded to 9-1-1 emergency call involving a report of a possible garage fire at the 9000 block of 147th Street in Orland Park on Friday night at 6:56pm (Nov 24, 2017). Upon arrival Orland Fire Protection District firefighters found two detached garages on fire with exposure to the adjacent…

breaking news, News, Photos

All you can eat Brazilian steak houses

November 25, 2017December 19, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

All you can eat Brazilian steak houses One of my favorite restaurants is the Brazilian steakhouse where waiters serve the Churrascaria food selections on skewers one slice at a time with a huge salad bar in the background. Texas de Brazil is at the top of the list but I have enjoyed them all including…

Blogger, Commentary, Editors Pick, Entertainment, Opinion, Orland Park, Photos, rayhanania, Restaurant Review, restaurants, Suburban Chicagoland

Arab Americans celebrate Thanksgiving

November 23, 2017November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Arab Americans celebrate Thanksgiving Remembering back to the 1960s when Arab Americans had hope for freedom and racism in America was focused elsewhere. Thanksgiving was a feast in Arab American homes in the 1960s and 1970s before politics, hatred, racism and Israeli violence created a refugee crisis By Ray Hanania Thanksgiving is a special holiday…

Baby Boomers, Blogger, Commentary, Features, food, Opinion, rayhanania

Remembering Mayor Washington this Thanksgiving

November 23, 2017November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Remembering Mayor Washington this Thanksgiving Mayor Harold Washington was one of the more affable of Chicago’s mayors. He had a great sense of humor and was driven by a desire to balance the imbalance in Chicago’s society, bringing all of the city’s races and ethnic groups together, treating them equally. It’s something we no longer…

Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Editors Pick, elections, Government, Opinion, rayhanania

Cicero officials, businesses and residents raise money for hurricane relief

November 21, 2017November 21, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Cicero officials, businesses and residents raise money for hurricane relief Cicero Town Dominick, Town of Cicero Board, and the Disaster Relief Committee members, expressed their gratitude to local businesses, schools, churches, and the residents of the Town of Cicero who supported the Puerto Rico and Mexico Disaster Relief Fundraiser Event that held November 17 and…

Government, News

Orland Fire District to recognize CERT Graduates Tuesday Nov. 28

November 21, 2017November 21, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Orland Fire District to recognize CERT Graduates Tuesday Nov. 28 A new class of community residents who are trained in basic emergency response procedures will be recognized by the Orland Fire Protection District at its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, November 28. The graduates are everyday citizens who participate in the Fire District’s nationally recognized…

Editors Pick, Events, News, Orland Park, Photos

Orland Park police in action, nabbing a suspect at Mall

November 18, 2017March 17, 2019 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Orland Park police in action, nabbing a suspect at Mall Aaron411u.com caught this on tape tonight as I was driving … Orland Police nab a suspect fleeing the Orland Park Mall today, at the circle drive on the north side of the mall Click here to view the video or use the widget below: The…

breaking news, Editors Pick, News, Orland Park, Police, Suburban Chicagoland, Videos

Rauner’s bash-and-burn TV Ads slander Illinois

November 16, 2017November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Rauner’s bash-and-burn TV Ads slander Illinois Illinois Gov Bruce Rauner thinks his ads bashing House Speaker Michael J. Madigan are clever, tapping support from three neighboring Republican governors. But the Ads really symbolize Rauner’s own self-hatred of the state he leads By Ray Hanania Anyone with a lot of money can clog our TV viewing…

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

Illinois Congressman Foster opposes unfair GOP Tax plan

November 16, 2017November 16, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Illinois Congressman Foster opposes unfair GOP Tax plan Congressman Bill Foster (D-11 District Illinois) issued the following statement on passage of GOP Tax Plan I opposed the Republican tax plan because it will raise taxes on middle class families in Illinois, slash Medicare by 25 billion dollars next year, and pass on trillions of additional…

Government, News, Politics

Cicero Chaplain returns after volunteering to help residents in Puerto Rico

November 15, 2017November 15, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Cicero Chaplain returns after volunteering to help residents in Puerto Rico Cicero Chaplain Ismail Vargas returned from a week long volunteer trip to Puerto Rico where he worked with communities there to help cleanup and restore properties for residents following the devastation caused by hurricane Maria. Cicero officials donated funds to help cover the costs…

National, News

Lincolnshire Republican Sukovic announces bid to run for 59th State Rep District

November 15, 2017November 15, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Lincolnshire Republican Sukovic announces bid to run for 59th State Rep District Marko Sukovic, a Stevenson High School alum and graduating senior from the University of Illinois, has announced he is circulating petitions to run for state representative in Illinois’ 59th District. Sukovic has worked his way through college and has been a tireless…

elections, news release, Releases