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

Cicero to host Arts & Crafts Fair in May, vendor applications are now available

April 14, 2023April 14, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Cicero to host Arts & Crafts Fair in May, vendor applications are now available Cicero accepting applications through May 5 for arts and craft fair vendors. The fair will be held during two weekends on May 19 and 20, and May 26 and 27 Click here to download the Application Town President Larry Dominick announced this…

Culture, Entertainment, Events, Features, Government, News, NewsWire, Suburban Chicagoland

Orland Park Mayor Pekau’s lies cost him the election, again

April 12, 2023April 28, 2025 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Orland Park Mayor Pekau’s lies cost him the election, again Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau is a pathological liar when it comes to politics and his achievements. Worse is that Pekau uses taxpayer resources as a platform to fund his lies, making false statements from the podium of the Village of Orland Park board meetings….

Blogger, Commentary, elections, Government, Opinion, Orland Park, Police, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes

Stagg High school Charger receives 1st place in translation competition

April 12, 2023April 12, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Stagg High school Charger receives 1st place in translation competition Amos Alonzo Stagg High School senior Iza Lepkowski received first place in the Polish-English division of the 2022-23 Illinois High School Translation Competition hosted by the European Union Center at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Forty-three students from 24 schools in Illinois participated in the…

Culture, Education, News, Suburban Chicagoland

New and extremist Chicago political Machine takes over

April 11, 2023April 11, 2023 Ray Hanania 2 Comments

New and extremist Chicago political Machine takes over Years ago it was Leftists who used to complain about the Chicago Political Machine, asserting that it was impossible to get a fair shake because the Machine had resources to lobby and bully voters with exaggerations and lies. Today, that old Machine has been replaced by an…

Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Crime, elections, Opinion, Politics, Racism

Orland Park Sting FC announces Spring sessions

April 11, 2023April 11, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Orland Park Sting FC announces Spring sessions Orland Park Sting FC is VERY EXCITED to announce that we will be hosting a Spring Session of our LIL STINGERZ and STING UNIVERSITY Programs! Program information can be found below. Registration is NOW OPEN for the SPRING Session of our LIL STINGERZ Program – Registration Closes April…

News, Orland Park, Orland Township, Sports, Suburban Chicagoland

Seniors being abandoned by extremist politics on both sides

April 6, 2023April 6, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Seniors being abandoned by extremist politics on both sides By Ray Hanania Buried in a lot of the news over the past few weeks was the announcement that Social Security recipients will see a 20 percent cut in monthly payments by 2034, predicting the Social Security Trust Fund will “run out” by 2035. That’s only…

Baby Boomers, Blogger, Commentary, Government, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Seniors, Taxes

Illegal placement of election signs should be prosecuted

April 5, 2023April 27, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Illegal placement of election signs should be prosecuted By Ray Hanania The laws are clear in nearly every municipality regarding the placement of political campaign signs. You can’t place them anywhere you want. And yet, that is exactly what happens. Politicians deep into political power grab mode often are the biggest offenders, like in Orland…

Blogger, Commentary, elections, Government, Opinion, Orland Park, Orland Township, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Pekau’s attacks: A personal letter from Columnist Ray Hanania

April 4, 2023April 28, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Pekau’s attacks: A personal letter from Columnist Ray Hanania By Ray Hanania I have covered Chicagoland politics since 1975, when I was honorably discharged from active duty service in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. I served 12 years in the Illinois Air National Guard and believed strongly in military service. I followed…

Blogger, Commentary, elections, Fire, Opinion, Orland Fire Protection District, Orland Park, Orland Township, Police, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Theater

Brandon Johnson owes thousands in unpaid bills

April 1, 2023April 1, 2023 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Brandon Johnson owes thousands in unpaid bills Johnson’s Financial Mismanagement Under Fire After Water Bills Scandal. Ethics Concerns Also Rise After Revelations That Candidate Was Fined Almost $18K For Election Law Violations, Sued For Unpaid Credit Card Debt Brandon Johnson’s long term refusal to pay his city water bill is opening up new questions about…

Chicago, Cook County, Crime, elections, Government, News, Police, Politics, Taxes

Palos Park board’s personal attacks continue on social media

March 28, 2023March 28, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Palos Park board’s personal attacks continue on social media By Ray Hanania When a group of residents went to the Feb. 27 Palos Park Board meeting to express their views on the expansion of a parking lot for Wu’s House at 123rd and LaGrange Road, several of the trustees personally attacked them. It was a…

Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, elections, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Realtors twisting facts on Home Rule referendum

March 28, 2023March 28, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Realtors twisting facts on Home Rule referendum By Ray Hanania If you live in many of the Southwest suburbs, you might be receiving election mailers from the powerful realtors association urging voters to vote NO on referenda that would give local communities Home Rule powers. The realtors don’t like it because Home Rule gives local…

Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, elections, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Paul Vallas is clear choice for mayor over Brandon Johnson

March 28, 2023March 28, 2023 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Paul Vallas is clear choice for mayor over Brandon Johnson By Ray Hanania As much as he tries, Brandon Johnson can’t get away from comments that he made about the most important issues facing Chicagoans, his support to “defund” the Chicago Police and comments he made defending looters, criminals who destroyed and robbed hundreds of…

Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, elections, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania

Dad wins in court to get child enrolled in school

March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Dad wins in court to get child enrolled in school One of a father’s most important responsibilities is to protect his children, says Chicago-based family law attorney Jeffery M. Leving, founder and president of the Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving Ltd. “Fathers come to us because they are greatly concerned that their children are…

Chicago, Civil Rights, Cook County, Jeffery Leving, Law, News, Suburban Chicagoland

Overnight road closures set for Roberts Road and 87th Street as part of Tri-State Tollway reconstruction work

March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Overnight road closures set for Roberts Road and 87th Street as part of Tri-State Tollway reconstruction work Local road closures with detours needed over next two weeks to safely accommodate bridge beam placement Overnight local road closures with detours will be scheduled over the next two weeks on Roberts Road and 87thStreet to accommodate mainline…

Chicago, construction, Cook County, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Transportation

Lightning causes fire at Orland Home; car rollover no serious injuries; chimney fire extinguished

March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Lightning causes fire at Orland Home; car rollover no serious injuries; chimney fire extinguished Lightning starts fire in Orland home attic; SUV flips over on 151st Harlem; chimney fire in Orland Home A lightning strike caused a fire in the attic of an Orland Park home on Sunday at around 5 PM. at 132nd Block…

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

The Town of Cicero Senior Center hosted the annual Hearts & Shamrocks dance

March 25, 2023March 25, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

The Town of Cicero Senior Center hosted the annual Hearts & Shamrocks dance Town President Larry Dominick, the Town of Cicero Board and the Town of Cicero Senior Center hosted the annual Hearts & Shamrocks dinner and dance on Thursday, March 23, where seniors enjoyed an evening of music and entertainment. The popular dinner dance…

Baby Boomers, Entertainment, Events, Features, Government, News, NewsWire, Releases, Seniors, Suburban Chicagoland

Harlem Avenue closed from 86th and 87th pending investigation of pedestrian struck by vehicle

March 24, 2023March 25, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Harlem Avenue closed from 86th and 87th pending investigation of pedestrian struck by vehicle (UPDATE: Harlem Avenue was re-opened early Saturday morning) Bridgeview police have shut down Harlem Avenue between 86th and 87th both Southbound and Northbound lanes pending an investigation of a pedestrian who was struck by a vehicle this evening (Friday March 24,…

News, Police, Suburban Chicagoland, Transportation

Court orders ex to provide transportation so Dad can see his daughter

March 23, 2023March 25, 2023 Ray Hanania No Comments

Court orders ex to provide transportation so Dad can see his daughter What good is parenting time on paper, if a father and his child can’t get together in real life? The Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving Ltd. in Chicago represented the father of a high-school-age daughter who was given weekly parenting time in…

Civil Rights, Jeffery Leving, Law, News