Category: Orland Park

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

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

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

Orland Park sidesteps the will of the people

October 25, 2016September 28, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

Orland Park sidesteps the will of the people The Orland Park Board approved a plan to significantly increase Mayor McLaughlin’s salary 375 percent from what it was (a 275 percent increase). But the board action ignores the rights of the village’s taxpayers and voters. Oct. 20, 2016 Des Plaines Valley News, The Regional, The Reporter…

Orland Park, Suburban Chicagoland

How can movie reviewers all be so wrong?

October 25, 2016September 28, 2018 Ray Hanania No Comments

How can movie reviewers all be so wrong? Tom Cruise knocks it out of the ball park in his latest movie “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.” Cruise costars with Cobie Smulders of TV’s “How I Met Your Mother.” And even better, the Marcus Theaters in Orland Park isn’t even finished with its renovation and it is…

Baby Boomers, Entertainment, Orland Park, Suburban Chicagoland

Orland Park approves 375% increase in mayoral salary

October 18, 2016November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania 3 Comments

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…

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

Finding a new place to lose weight & hang my iPod

April 3, 2016November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

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…

Baby Boomers, Features, Opinion, Orland Park, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Common Core and our failing high schools

November 4, 2015November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Common Core and our failing high schools. Too many high schools are graduating students who are “not ready” for college, achieving under 21 on ACT testing. By Ray Hanania When I was young, if my grade point average was under 60 percent, I flunked. The grading system we used then applies today: A=90+; B=80+; C=70+;…

Education, Opinion, Orland Park, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Gorman gives Rauner some added ‘Big Mo’

December 29, 2013November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Gorman gives Rauner some added ‘Big Mo’ By RAY HANANIA Southwest News-Herald Newspaper Friday, December 27, 2013 Winnetka Businessman Bruce Rauner may be new to politics, but he apparently knows more about Republican politics than his rivals. Rauner won the endorsement of the Cook County Republican Party over GOP rivals State Sen. Kirk Dillard and Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford,…

elections, Opinion, Orland Park, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Gorman attacked by critics jealous of her leadership

November 24, 2007June 4, 2022 Ray Hanania No Comments

Gorman attacked by critics jealous of her leadership By Ray Hanania (Originally published in the Southwest News-Herald Newspaper, 11-21-2007) Liz Gorman is the Republican committeewoman of Orland Township and was elected Chair of the Cook County Republican Organization recently. She’s a tough fighter and while we have had some differences, she has one solid commitment…

Blogger, Commentary, Cook County, Opinion, Orland Park