Category: Features

New Cubs inspired musical “Miracle” rolls out weekly events and special offiers

June 18, 2019June 18, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

New Cubs inspired musical “Miracle” rolls out weekly events and special offiers From participating in Chicago Cubs Trivia Night to scoring a Family Four Pack deal, sports and theatre fans of all ages can now enjoy unique weekly programming at this hit production. MIRACLE, the hit Chicago musical set against the backdrop of the Chicago…

Comedy, Entertainment, Features, News, Sports, Theater

Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass to Kick-Off Alternating Currents Festival Weekend

June 10, 2019June 12, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass to Kick-Off Alternating Currents Festival Weekend Downtown Davenport Partnership (DDP) is excited to announce the third year of Alternating Currents festival August 22-25, 2019, now expanded to four days. The festival kicks off with headliner Keller William’s Grateful Grass, with Max Weinberg’s Jukebox opening on Thursday, August 22 at the Adler…

Entertainment, Events, Features, Festival, News, Regional Midwest

Aurora hosts Blues Festival June 14 and 15

June 10, 2019June 12, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Aurora hosts Blues Festival June 14 and 15 TAJ MAHAL, ROBERT RANDOLPH HEADLINE 23rd BLUES ON THE FOX FESTIVAL, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, JUNE 14 & 15 AT AURORA’S RIVEREDGE PARK AURORA, IL, June 10, 2019 – Downtown Aurora’s 23rd Annual Blues on the Fox Festival boasts a killer line-up of longtime favorites and fresh new…

Baby Boomers, Entertainment, Features, Festival, General Topics, News

Paramount Theater to present “Killer Queen” tribute to Freddie Mercury April 3, 2020

June 6, 2019June 12, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Paramount Theater to present “Killer Queen” tribute to Freddie Mercury April 3, 2020 PARAMOUNT TO PRESENT KILLER QUEEN, THE PREMIER QUEEN TRIBUTE WITH PATRICK MYERS AS FREDDIE MERCURY, APRIL 3, 2020 Visit ParamountAurora.com/press-kits for photos of Killer Queen featuring Patrick Myers as Freddie Mercury. Aurora, Il., June 5, 2019 – If you want to go…

Entertainment, Features, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Theater

Moraine Valley Speech Team earns national awards

June 4, 2019June 4, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Moraine Valley Speech Team earns national awards The Moraine Valley Community College Speech Team earned five individual national titles and an overall team silver medal at the National Phi Rho Pi speech and debate tournament in Nevada. Awards were garnered by (back row from left) Natalie Jurcik, of Bridgeview, two gold medals; Jennifer Gutierrez, of…

Education, Features, News

Lockport enlistee serving in Pacific Naval Partnership

May 22, 2019May 22, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Lockport enlistee serving in Pacific Naval Partnership Steelworker Constructionman Joseph Synowiec, a Lockport, Ill. native, is participating in Pacific Partnership, the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission in the Indo-Pacific region. As a member of the Pacific Partnership 2019 (PP19) team, Synowiec is one of more than 500 U.S. service members,…

Features, News, Veterans, Veterans Column

Illionois State Fair lowers admission prices

May 22, 2019June 12, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Illionois State Fair lowers admission prices Adult admission is now only $5 Sunday through Thursday Kevin Gordon, Manager of the Illinois State Fair (ISF) in Springfield is pleased to announce that Sunday through Thursday daily admission prices have been lowered to $5 for adults during the 2019 State Fair—senior prices will remain at $3 and…

Entertainment, Features, Festival, Government, News

Game of Thrones is a “thrilling disappointment”

May 9, 2019November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Game of Thrones is a “thrilling disappointment” The Final Season of Game of Thrones is thrilling because fans like myself have invested more than 8 years into the series. It is a fantastic series, one of the best. But the ending is proving to be a huge disappointment as if the Game of Thrones writers…

Blogger, Commentary, Entertainment, Features, Movies, Opinion, Podcast, rayhanania, Television

Landscape Structures Provide Function and Beauty

May 8, 2019November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Landscape Structures Provide Function and Beauty By Melinda Myers Incorporate arbors, trellises and other structures into your designs when planning new or updating existing gardens and landscapes. These structures help form the framework of any garden, add year-round interest and provide years of beauty and function. Utilize arbors to define and connect distinct areas of…

Blogger, Commentary, Environment, Features, General Topics, Obituary, Opinion, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Steppenwolf Theatre to host Gala featuring Armie Hammer and James Franco

April 16, 2019April 16, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Steppenwolf Theatre to host Gala featuring Armie Hammer and James Franco Armie Hammer to Emcee Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s 2019 Gala Saturday, May 11, 2019. James Franco Guest Auctioneer at This Unforgettable Event Celebrating 43 Years of Extraordinary Theatre CHICAGO (April 16, 2019) – The acclaimed Steppenwolf ensemble and Board of Trustees host Gala 2019, an…

Entertainment, Features, Movies, News, Theater

Milwaukee County Executive Abele and Milwaukee County Parks announce new concessions

April 16, 2019April 16, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Milwaukee County Executive Abele and Milwaukee County Parks announce new concessions The Dock will operate food and beverage options at Bradford Beach Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele and Milwaukee County Parks today announced a new food and beverage partnership at Bradford Beach this summer with CCH Management LLC (The Dock). Pending approval from the Milwaukee County…

Entertainment, Events, Features, Festival, Government, News

Recruit Training Command Hosts Regional SeaPerch Competition

April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Recruit Training Command Hosts Regional SeaPerch Competition By Alan Nunn Recruit Training Command Public Affairs A total of 228 students representing 51 teams from 22 schools and organizations participated in the fifth annual Navy Great Lakes SeaPerch Regional Competition April 6, at the USS Indianapolis Combat Training Pool at Recruit Training Command (RTC). The SeaPerch…

Features, General Topics, News, Veterans, Veterans Column

Tyler Wong named Chicago Wolves 2018-19 AHL Man of the Year

April 3, 2019April 3, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Tyler Wong named Chicago Wolves 2018-19 AHL Man of the Year GLENVIEW, Ill. – The Chicago Wolves are proud to announce that Tyler Wong has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Chicago community during the 2018-19 season. The 23-year-old forward…

Features, News, Sports, Suburban Chicagoland

Former Chicago City Hall reporter hosts politics podcast

April 3, 2019April 3, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Former Chicago City Hall reporter hosts politics podcast Ray Hanania, a former Chicago City Hall reporter, and political columnist during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, has launched a new podcast available for free on most podcat systems. Called “Ray Hanania on Politics,” the podcast is recorded several times each week and addresses mainstream American politics…

Chicago, Features, General Topics, News, Podcast, Politics

Countryside Navy Recruit teaching students

April 2, 2019August 6, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Photo: Countryside Navy Recruit teaching students Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Cory Van Beveren, from Countryside, Ill., assigned to USS Constitution, teaches students at New Hanover High School how to tie knots during Wilmington Navy Week. Wilmington is one of the selected cities to host a 2019 Navy Week, a week dedicated to raising U.S. Navy…

Editors Pick, Features, News, Suburban Chicagoland, Veterans, Veterans Column

Restaurant Review: Oozi Corner Mediterranean Restaurant Bridgeview

April 1, 2019April 1, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Restaurant Review: Oozi Corner Mediterranean Restaurant Bridgeview By Ray Hanania Oozi Corner Restaurant is a new eatery located at 91st and Harlem with a large dining area and a creative menu of some of the best Middle Eastern and Arab food available in the Chicagoland area. Oozi or Ouzi is a Jordanian dish consisting of…

Business, Features, food, News, restaurants, Review

First-Place Wolves roll in San Antonio

March 24, 2019March 24, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

First-Place Wolves roll in San Antonio Chicago Wolves goaltender Oscar Dansk earned his second shutout of the campaign on Saturday night in a 5-0 victory over the San Antonio Rampage at AT&T Center. Forwards Tye McGinn, Keegan Kolesar, Matthew Weis and Tomas Hyka and rookie defenseman Nic Hague all scored for Chicago (39-19-5-3) while Dansk…

Entertainment, Features, News, Sports

April proclaimed Arab American Heritage month by Cook County Board

March 24, 2019March 24, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

April proclaimed Arab American Heritage month by Cook County Board Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison introduces a proclamation honoring April as Arab American Heritage Month at the board meeting March 20, 2019, in coordination with the passage of a State of Illinois Law designating April as Arab American Heritage month. The Cook County Board on…

Features, Government, Illinois Legislature, News, Religion