Category: Orland Park

ISO awards Orland Fire District with highest safety rating

September 6, 2017September 6, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

ISO awards Orland Fire District with highest safety rating New elevated ranking will help reduce insurance costs for district residents The Insurance Services Office (ISO) has raised the rating for the Orland Fire Protection District from Class 2 to Class 1, the highest evaluation rating which assesses the response effectiveness of fire departments around the…

Government, News, Orland Park, Suburban Chicagoland

Painful to watch news reports on flooding

September 3, 2017January 21, 2021 Ray Hanania No Comments

Painful to watch news reports on flooding The reports of the massive flooding in Texas caused by Hurricane Harvey are depressing and remind me of floods that slammed Illinois in 1996. Flooding is so much more damaging to regional populations and governments are not equipped to handle it. By Ray Hanania Flooding isn’t like a…

Baby Boomers, Editors Pick, Government, Opinion, Orland Park, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Is the school year starting too soon?

August 29, 2017November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Is the school year starting too soon? It’s the beginning of August and my son is already consumed with figuring out his high school schedule and buying his books and schools supplies. Isn’t that too early for young people to stop enjoying summer vacation and worry about school? By Ray Hanania When I was a…

Baby Boomers, Education, Opinion, Orland Park, rayhanania

Rauner protects suburban schools against Chicago fund grab

August 29, 2017November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

Rauner protects suburban schools against Chicago fund grab Gov. Bruce Rauner won his battle against the bloated and failed Chicago public schools forcing the legislature to significantly cut-back additional funding to bailout Chicago and redistribute those monies to needy suburban and state school systems that had been ignored. The plan also allows a 75 percent…

Editors Pick, Education, Government, News, Opinion, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Orland Fire Protection District presents lifesaving commendations

August 23, 2017August 23, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Orland Fire Protection District presents lifesaving commendations Good samaritans and Lifetime Fitness employees among those recognized by Orland Fire District Tuesday OFPD Fire Chief Mike Schofield and the Board of Trustees set aside time at the beginning of the August 22nd Board of Trustee’s meeting to receive the following awards: Firefighter Doug DePersia brought up…

News, Orland Park, Releases, Suburban Chicagoland, Videos

Weather gives Chicago suburbs light show

July 11, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Weather gives Chicago suburbs light show Lightning lights up the skies over the Chicagoland South and Southwest suburbs Monday night in a rapid succession, and some thought might be a scene out of the SciFi movie “War of the Worlds.” By Ray Hanania The skies above gave the South and Southwest Chicagoland suburbs a real…

Features, News, Orland Park, Suburban Chicagoland

Village of Orland Park Vets Collect for Current Military

July 6, 2017July 6, 2017 Ray Hanania No Comments

Village of Orland Park Vets Collect for Current Military The Village of Orland Park Veterans’ Commission will collect items for current military on Saturday, July 22. The care package collection will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Orland Park Veterans Center, 15045 West Avenue. “We’re happy to be able to collect…

Orland Park, Releases, Veterans

It’s our obligation, not politics, to support our Police

June 26, 2017November 29, 2019 Ray Hanania No Comments

It’s our obligation, not politics, to support our Police The Village of Orland Park this year is distributing new vehicle stickers that salute the dedication and service of the nation’s Police. Police have come under attack because a few members have committed criminal, violent acts against civilians, unjustly killing suspects or asserting excessive violence in…

Crime, Editors Pick, Opinion, Orland Park, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

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