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

Ex-wife used daughter’s therapy to cut dad’s court ordered parenting time

August 30, 2024August 30, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Ex-wife used daughter’s therapy to cut dad’s court ordered parenting time By Laura Reichel The time a father spends with his child can be incredibly important to maintaining a strong relationship between father and child. However, in the case of a Chicago father, he feared his relationship with his young daughter was at risk. Chicago…

Blogger, Commentary, Jeffery Leving, Law, Opinion, Radio

Press Release: Orland Park should suspend TIF district plans until they release delinquent financial audits

August 29, 2024August 31, 2024 Ray Hanania 4 Comments

Press Release: Orland Park should suspend TIF district plans until they release delinquent financial audits Orland Park, IL — Plans by Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau to create three TIF districts to address “blighted land developments” should be put on hold until after he releases two delinquent financial audits detailing the true nature of the…

Education, Government, News, news release, NewsWire, Orland Park, Politics, Releases, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

7th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival opens Oct. 11

August 28, 2024August 28, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

7th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival opens Oct. 11 Subtext Studio Theatre Company’s Que Te Vaya Bien, Part of Destinos: 7th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival Opens October 11th at Greenhouse Theater Center Subtext Studio Theatre Company (SSTC) announces the first production of Season Two: Generations featuring the world premiere play Que Te Vaya Bienby Artistic…

Chicago, Culture, Entertainment, Events, Features, News, Theater

Unincorporated Orland homeowners blast mayor’s annexation move

August 25, 2024April 27, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Unincorporated Orland homeowners blast mayor’s annexation move Residents of Unincorporated Orland Township blast Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau for trying to grab their land and violate their rights. Residents say Mayor Pekau failed to properly notify them of his plans that began quietly in 2022 and continued to 2023 before residents could address the board…

Blogger, Civil Rights, Commentary, Cook County, Government, Opinion, Orland Park, Orland Township, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes, Videos

Illinois expands property tax breaks for veterans to include World War II vets

August 23, 2024August 23, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Illinois expands property tax breaks for veterans to include World War II vets By Maria Pappas Illinois lawmakers have enacted significant changes to property tax exemptions benefiting veterans, including a landmark provision for those who served during World War II. These amendments, effective for the 2024 tax year, underscore our commitment to supporting our veteran…

Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, Maria Pappas, Opinion, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes, Veterans

Leving legal team won appeal defending falsely accused Chicago dad

August 23, 2024August 23, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Leving legal team won appeal defending falsely accused Chicago dad By Laura Reichel The Leving legal team won a critical decision from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in favor of an accused father they defended. It is terrifying for any father to be faced with the allegation that he neglected his…

Blogger, Commentary, Jeffery Leving, Law, Opinion

Why you need to read Ray Hanania’s syndicated columns

August 22, 2024August 22, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Why you need to read Ray Hanania’s syndicated columns Ray Hanania is an award winning columnist but he needs your support. His columns reflects an honesty in political coverage that you don’t often find in American journalism. Watch this promotion on Ray’s commitment to objective journalism and commentary, “even when it hurts.” He needs your…

Blogger, Commentary, Culture, journalism, News, NewsWire, Opinion, Podcast, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Videos

Leving Firm Matrimonial Law Seminar: Enhancing Attorney-Client Relationships in High Conflict Litigation to Win

August 21, 2024August 21, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Leving Firm Matrimonial Law Seminar: Enhancing Attorney-Client Relationships in High Conflict Litigation to Win The Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving Ltd. will host the next presentation of the Arthur S. Kallow Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Seminar Series on August 21st at 6:30 p.m. CDT at 19 S. LaSalle St. in Chicago. The keynote CLE…

Chicago, Events, Jeffery Leving, Law, News, NewsWire

Congressional District 6 Challenger Niki Conforti, denounces Sean Casten for helping to drive prices higher

August 19, 2024August 19, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Congressional District 6 challenger Niki Conforti, denounces Sean Casten for helping to drive prices higher Last week’s inflation report brought more bad news for all Americans, 6th District Candidate for Congress Niki Conforti said Monday, August 19, 2024. Prices continued to increase in July and went up again, close to 3% over a year ago….

Economy, elections, Government, News, Politics, Suburban Chicagoland

Leving team’s victory in court keeps boy close to his dad

August 15, 2024August 15, 2024 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Leving team’s victory in court keeps boy close to his dad By: Laura Reichel When a father gets divorced, it’s usually great if his children live nearby so they don’t lose each other – and that was the situation for a dad and his 10-year-old son. However, according to court documents, the mother suddenly decided…

Jeffery Leving, Law, News, Radio

Senior rescued while sleeping in a 4 unit Orland Park townhouse as fire spread through walls and attic

August 11, 2024August 11, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Senior rescued while sleeping in a 4 unit Orland Park townhouse as fire spread through walls and attic Two of four units in Orlando Park townhouse were severely damaged an uninhabitable, including the senior’s unit The Orland Fire Protection District responded at 6:51 pm to reports of smoke coming out of the eves of a…

Baby Boomers, breaking news, Fire, News, NewsWire, Orland Fire Protection District, Orland Park, Quick News, Seniors, Suburban Chicagoland

Financial planning tool offers free online help to budget late tax payments

August 10, 2024August 10, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Financial planning tool offers free online help to budget late tax payments By Maria Pappas Property owners who were unable to pay their tax bills in full by the Aug. 1 due date need not worry about losing their home – at least not right away. As a homeowner you have time to pay off…

Cook County, Maria Pappas, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Leving team stopped mother from taking dad’s kids out of the country and disappearing

August 8, 2024August 8, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Leving team stopped mother from taking dad’s kids out of the country and disappearing By: Laura Reichel After the mother of his children told a Chicago dad that he would never see his kids again, the distraught father turned to the Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving Ltd. The Leving team went to court to…

Jeffery Leving, Law, News

Garage Fire in Orland Park Wednesday extinguished, no casualties

August 8, 2024August 8, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Garage Fire in Orland Park Wednesday extinguished, no casualties The Orland Fire District responded to a reported garage fire located in the 8900 block of Oakdale Court in Orland Park on Wednesday August 7th, 2024 at at 4:51 pm. Multiple 911 calls were received for a reported garage fire. Companies arrived on the scene and…

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

$22.5 Million Jury Verdict Against Naperville in One of Illinois’ Largest-Ever Wrongful Conviction Verdicts

August 6, 2024August 6, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

$22.5 Million Jury Verdict Against Naperville in One of Illinois’ Largest-Ever Wrongful Conviction Verdicts Late on Monday, August 5, 2024, a Federal jury delivered one of the state’s largest-ever wrongful conviction verdicts against a Naperville police officer for framing William Amor for an alleged 1995 arson-murder that turned out to be an accidental fire. Amor,…

Civil Rights, Crime, Law, News, NewsWire, Police, Suburban Chicagoland, Village of Naperville

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ Plan to Allow Leftover College Savings Funds to Be Used For Retirement Signed Into Law

August 5, 2024August 5, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ Plan to Allow Leftover College Savings Funds to Be Used For Retirement Signed Into Law Treasurer Michael Frerichs Thanks Governor, Lawmakers for Bipartisan Approval Parents who don’t use all the money in their Illinois 529 College Savings Accounts (Bright Start and Bright Directions) are now able to roll over the…

Education, Government, Illinois Legislature, News

Divorced dad recovered thousands in back child support

August 2, 2024August 3, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Divorced dad recovered thousands in back child support By Laura Reichel A struggling Chicago dad survived a divorce several years ago. However, after the divorce, his ex refused to pay child support he badly needed to the point where she owed a sizeable chunk of money – many thousands of dollars. Chicago matrimonial attorney Jeffery…

Jeffery Leving, Law, News

Pappas: New Payment Plan Calculator helps homeowners pay late taxes in smaller increments to avoid ‘merciless’ Annual Tax Sale

July 31, 2024July 31, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Pappas: New Payment Plan Calculator helps homeowners pay late taxes in smaller increments to avoid ‘merciless’ Annual Tax Sale Cook County property owners have a free financial planning tool that can help them pay off their past-due property tax bills and avoid the “merciless” Annual Tax Sale, Treasurer Maria Pappas said today. A Payment Plan…

Cook County, Government, Maria Pappas, News, NewsWire, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes