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

Sports figures, activists warn of rising opioid crisis

May 14, 2017November 30, 2020 Ray Hanania No Comments

Sports figures, activists warn of rising opioid crisis Sports figures, community leaders and activists warned Wednesday that heroin and opioid use has reached a crisis stage in suburban Chicagoland and is rising across the country. At a forum organized by the Orland Fire Protection District (OFPD), the National Football Players Fathers Association (NFPFA), Cook County…

News, Orland Fire Protection District, Orland Park, Sports, Suburban Chicagoland

OYA/Warriors Tournament raises $1,000 for Veterans

May 14, 2017September 28, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

OYA/Warriors Tournament raises $1,000 for Veterans OYA Inaugural Weekend Warriors’ 10U Rumble Tournament. Presented by DEKAYO Mechanical to support Wounded Warriors, Veterans. Closing Ceremony held Sunday May 7, 1:30 pm, Field 1 near the Orland Pool Orland Park-The Orland Youth Association (OYA) and the Orland Park Warriors’ hosted its Inaugural Weekend Warriors’ 10U Rumble Tournament from May 3rd…

Features, Sports

David Cerda awarded Jeff Award

May 14, 2017May 14, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

David Cerda awarded Jeff Award David Cerda to receive special non-Equity Jeff Award More than 200 members of the Chicago theatre community signed a recommendation that the 2017 Non-Equity Special Jeff Award be bestowed on David Cerda, the co-founder and Artistic Director of Hell in a Handbag Productions for his theatrical and charitable contributions. The…

Releases

Kennedy endorsed by Southern Illinois Democrats

May 14, 2017May 27, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Kennedy endorsed by Southern Illinois Democrats First major endorsement in the governor’s race goes to Chris Kennedy two weeks after announcing his campaign Chris Kennedy, Democratic candidate for governor, received the endorsement of the Southern Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association yesterday. This is the first major endorsement in the Democratic race for governor. “The SIDCCA insists…

Politics, Releases

Kennedy: Rauner Holds budget hostage

May 14, 2017May 27, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Kennedy: Rauner Holds budget hostage “We want to pass reform, not pay a ransom.” Chris Kennedy, Democratic candidate for governor, faulted Governor Rauner’s budget address for failing to offer solutions to Illinois’ budget crisis. “He needs to stop holding us hostage. We want to pass reform, not pay a ransom,” said Kennedy. “Instead of Governor…

Politics, Releases

Why is my TV clogged with election Ads?

May 14, 2017November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Why is my TV clogged with election Ads? Nauseating political commercials have already started to clog our Spring season television viewing, and it has a lot to do with the fact that the three candidates for governor in Illinois are among the richest people around. Republican Bruce Rauner, one of the most incompetent governor’s Illinois has…

Opinion, Politics, rayhanania

No injuries in fire that damaged three homes in suburban Chicago

April 24, 2017September 28, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

No injuries in fire that damaged three homes in suburban Chicago Three homes were damaged when broke out between two homes in Orland Hills, a Southwest suburb of Chicagoland. Photos and drone video shows extent of the fire View the Drone Video below Two Orland Hills families were displaced by a fire this afternoon, Monday April 24….

News, Orland Park, Suburban Chicagoland

Arrogance of the Orland Park Village Board

April 20, 2017November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania 3 Comments

Arrogance of the Orland Park Village Board The Orland Park Village Board is apparently pretending that village voters really didn’t mean to support “change” in the last election, voting to oust 24-year incumbent Dan McLaughlin and replacing him with a little known, well-intentioned challenger, Keith Pekau. The board has named Joe LaMargo, the former head…

Editors Pick, elections, Opinion, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Rauner, Pritzker & hypocrisy at the Chicago Sun-Times

April 19, 2017November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Rauner, Pritzker & hypocrisy at the Chicago Sun-Times Most mainstream American journalists love to dish it out and criticize people, but they are thinned skinned and hate to be criticized themselves, especially when they are involved in their own conflicts-of-interest that they fail to mention in their stories. As a columnist who writes my opinions, I…

Editors Pick, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Analysis: Why Pekau won and McLaughlin lost

April 6, 2017October 21, 2020 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Analysis: Why Pekau won and McLaughlin lost A poorly run re-election campaign by seven-term incumbent Mayor Dan McLaughlin combined with a hot-topic issue of salary and pension hikes, and a laser-focused issues campaign of a non-political challenger, Keith Pekau, running on the Republican Party banner did what no one thought could happen April 4 in Orland Park….

Editors Pick, elections, Opinion, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Muslims lose in backlash in Suburban Chicago elections

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

Muslims lose in backlash in Suburban Chicago elections Two Muslim candidates who had strong political backing lost their bids for election on Tuesday in Suburban Chicago contests. Dave Shalabi, who was appointed to a position on a local school board two years ago, lost his bid to remain on the influential school board. Bahira Karim fails in…

elections, Opinion, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Pekau defeats McLaughlin in Orland Park mayoral race

April 5, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Pekau defeats McLaughlin in Orland Park mayoral race Republican challenger Keith Pekau easily unseated 23 year incumbent Dan McLaughlin as Mayor of Orland Park in a contest that focused on the mayor’s bid to boost his salary by more than 375 percent and to spike his pension from $30,000 a year to $110,000. By Ray Hanania…

elections, News, Orland Park, Politics, Suburban Chicagoland

Pekau says he won’t take pension benefit

April 4, 2017September 28, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Pekau says he won’t take pension benefit The high profile battle for the office of mayor of Orland Park in southwest suburban Chicago is fueled by the board’s decision to give the 23 year incumbent Mayor Dan McLaughlin a massive salary boost and huge pension after only one term in office. The salary and pension spike has…

elections, News, Orland Park, Politics, Suburban Chicagoland

Orland Mayoral race has state’s attention

April 4, 2017November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Orland Mayoral race has state’s attention The battle between Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin and challenger Keith Pekau has the attention of the entire state apparently creating a wild election contest filled with a lot of unusual issues, supporters and claims By Ray Hanania The battle to lead Orland Park, one of the fastest growing suburbs…

elections, Opinion, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Sports figures, activists warn of rising opioid crisis

April 4, 2017September 28, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

News, Orland Park, Sports, Suburban Chicagoland

Kennedy promises to bring diversity to Illinois government

March 23, 2017September 25, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Kennedy promises to bring diversity to Illinois government Christopher Kennedy, the son of slain former New York Senator and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, told an overcrowded gathering of American Arabs outside of Chicago that he would defend the rights of immigrants and fight to bring diversity back to Illinois government when elected governor of the…

Editors Pick, elections, News, Politics, Suburban Chicagoland

Fighting oppressive taxes in Cook County

March 14, 2017January 17, 2023 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Fighting oppressive taxes in Cook County SW News Group Column March 9, 2017. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle bashed former President Todd Stroger when she ran against him for proposing outrageous hikes in taxes including the sales tax. But as soon as she got to office, she raised the taxes, too. Even worse. The…

Editors Pick, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Victorian home damaged by fire restored to fine detail

March 9, 2017September 25, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Victorian home damaged by fire restored to fine detail The owner of a Victorian home in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood that was severely damaged by fire offered enthusiastic praise and support to Restore Construction Inc., for its Commitment to detail in restoring the property to its original luster. Home was restored to its antique historical quality Chicago,…

News, Suburban Chicagoland