Original News, Features & Opinion on local and regional news you won't find anywhere else
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….
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…
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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…
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…
1967 was a tragic year in Illinois: Tornadoes Hit Illinois 50 Years ago, Belvidere and Oak Lawn Published in the SW Newspaper Group Feb. 9, 2017 By Ray Hanania This year is the Golden Anniversary of one of the most tragic years in the lives of many Baby Boomers who still remember that far back…
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Suburbs should not have to pay Chicago’s spending shortfalls SW Newspaper Group Feb. 23, 2017 By Ray Hanania Don’t waste your time trying to figure out how Illinois divides the property taxes it collects to support local schools and the sales and income taxes it collects to subsidize Chicago’s bailout. It’s too complicated, intentionally. The…
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Skimming through the Obits and life The obituary section of the old more informed newspaper era was an obsession with my father back in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, the newspapers are anorexic but the Obit section is still growing strong. And, I understand why my father paid attention to it so much now that I…
How do you explain a newspaper to today’s youth? Many of today’s young people don’t see the value of newspapers. They have their heads and minds buried deeply into their cell phones, not just for talking and texting but for writing, typing, viewing videos and storing thousands of digital photographs. They Snapchat, Instragram, Facebook, Twitter…
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Raising taxes is never about healthy living Instead of raising taxes on soda pop, how about cutting the obscene $4.4 billion a year budget for Cook County. Merge Cook County into Township government. Eliminate redundancies that are outrageous. End the double dipping pensions and payrolls politicians in Cook County now get. Published in the Southwest…
Orland Park approves 375% increase in mayoral salary Nearly 100 residents crowded the Orland Park village hall to complain that the pay hike should be presented to the voters for approval and not the board members, who voted unanimously to hike the salary following two hours of public discussion and debate. By Ray Hanania (Note: You…
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Remembering the Daily Newspaper, and when big city journalism had more credibility. But today, the community newspaper and the Internet offer more variety, more diversity and more news that is of interest directly to you. Not even a fish wants to be wrapped in today’s dailies Read the column or listen to the author read the column…
In Suburbs vs Chicago, the city needs to improve By Ray Hanania I don’t hate the people of Chicago, but I do worry about the city where they live. The fact that everyday at least one or two people are murdered on the streets of the city is enough to cause worry. You can’t blame…
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State Rep. Lou Lang has proposed a brilliant and fair plan to help the state of Illinois dig itself out of its multi-billion dollar debt. Change the state’s fixed income tax rate for everyone and replace it with a scaled tax that actually reduces the state tax for most taxpayers, those earning under $200,000, and…
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State should prevent candidates from suing each other By Ray Hanania Part of the job of running for office is to tell the voters why you should be elected. And another part of the job of being a candidate is to tell the voters why your opponent shouldn’t be elected. That means that you give…
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Red light cameras would be good, if they were fair By Ray Hanania If there is one thing that most drivers hate, it’s red light cameras. But I think red light cameras, and even speed cameras, are necessary to crack down on reckless drivers who we all see blow red lights, or who race 20…
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Most communities are automatically given Home Rule powers. But some communities have to fight for it, and overcome the ignorance of some politically active whiners who complain about everything because they are not in power By Ray Hanania The last election shows that newly appointed Mayor Sergio Rodriguez is very popular in the Village of…
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I finally found a great place to work out, at Charter Fitness. I’ve bounced around a few health clubs but Charter fitness so far is the best. And I think seniors in Southwest Suburban Chicago should give it a closer look. It’s also the least expensive of all the clubs By Ray Hanania I think…
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Midnight Flight: Chapter 13 — Notes from Readers One family’s experience of White Flight and the racial transformation of Chicago’s South Side (an online novel) By Ray Hanania (C) 1990-2022 Ray Hanania, All Rights Reserved Send us your comments, letters and memories and I will post them here. Email me by clicking here. You must let…
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