Category: rayhanania

Video Podcast on James Comey, ICE Agents, Government shutdown, Gaza Peace Plan, Ukraine and long range missiles, and New York mayoral race

September 29, 2025September 29, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Video Podcast on James Comey, ICE Agents, Government shutdown, Gaza Peace Plan, Ukraine and long range missiles, and New York mayoral race Welcome to this week’s episode of Two Guys on Politics with co-hosts former Illinois Congressman Bill Lipinski and columnist at the Southwest News Newspaper Group, and myself, Ray Hanania, writer and columnist with…

Bill Lipinski, Civil Rights, elections, Federal, News, Police, Politics, rayhanania, U.S. Attorney, Ukraine

Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, one of the best candidates to become Illinois Governor

September 7, 2025September 7, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, one of the best candidates to become Illinois Governor As you know, I have never been a big fan of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, or, for that matter, many of the most recent governors we have had, including Bruce Rauner, Pat Quinn, or “Mr. Celebrity” Governor, Rod Blagojevich. (Previously published on Ray…

Blogger, Commentary, elections, Illinois Legislature, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania

Village of Orland Park Receives Clean Audit Opinion for Fiscal Year 2024

August 19, 2025August 19, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Village of Orland Park Receives Clean Audit Opinion for Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Completed on Time for First Time in Three Years By Ray Hanania After former Mayor Keith Pekau attempted to politicize the Village of Orland Park’s financial spending and his growing debt by intentionally withholding the filing of financial audits in 2022 and…

Government, News, NewsWire, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Taxes

Video Podcast on Trump’s problems with Jeffrey Epstein, Netanyahu’s coalition in jeopardy

July 19, 2025July 20, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Video Podcast on Trump’s problems with Jeffrey Epstein, Netanyahu’s coalition in jeopardy In the Video podcast, political columnist Ray Hanania and former Congressman Bill Lipinski discuss the Jeffrey Epstein controversy and its impact on President Trump; open rebellion among some MAGA Republicans including Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene over foreign aid and Epstein, the issue of…

Bill Lipinski, Blogger, Civil Rights, Commentary, elections, National, News, Opinion, Podcast, Politics, rayhanania, Republican, Taxes

Exclusive interview with Orland Mayor Jim Dodge says former mayor left huge debt

July 12, 2025July 12, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Exclusive interview with Orland Mayor Jim Dodge says former mayor left huge debt Newly elected Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge detailed the problems that former Mayor Keith Pekau left to the taxpayers of the village he controlled for the past six years including an impending financial debt of $200 million. You can read the entire…

breaking news, elections, Government, News, NewsWire, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Republican, Suburban Chicagoland

Podcast: Musk vs Trump and the impact of media distortion on news

June 11, 2025June 11, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Podcast: Musk vs Trump and the impact of media distortion on news Veteran political journalists and media analysts Thom Serafin and Ray Hanania discuss a wide range of issues on The Crisis Cast podcast including the rift between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, the transformation of newsmedia news reporting from objectivity to “perspective news,”…

Commentary, Media Bias, National, News, Opinion, Podcast, Politics, Racism, rayhanania

Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez blindly defends Israel at expense of truth

June 3, 2025June 4, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez blindly defends Israel at expense of truth Once a champion of the victims of racism, defending Arab American and Muslim store owners against the discriminatory policies of former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Chicago Ald. Raymond Lopez has since flipped, replacing morality with political exploitation, blindly defending Israel’s government violence in Gaza to…

Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, Opinion, Politics, Racism, rayhanania

Illinois has many better options than Pritzker’s choice to succeed Durbin

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

Illinois has many better options than Pritzker’s choice to succeed Durbin By Ray Hanania Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who believes he can buy any election, any time for any amount of money, wants to buy the seat of retiring U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. Pritzker has pushed his Lieutenant Governor, Juliana Stratton, to run for the…

Blogger, Commentary, elections, Government, Illinois Legislature, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Senator Michael Hastings, Taxes

“The Dinner Detective” is an audience-interactive phenomenal entertainment option

April 20, 2025April 20, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

“The Dinner Detective” is an audience-interactive phenomenal entertainment option If you are looking for entertainment that is unusual, fun, and immersive, The Dinner Detective is a perfect choice to enjoy. Dinner, a murder mystery, and audience involvement, it offers everything. Check it out at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Lisle Naperville By Ray Hanania A…

Comedy, Crime, Entertainment, Features, News, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Theater

72 years around the sun, an experience that continues to grow

April 19, 2025April 19, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

72 years around the sun, an experience that continues to grow Journalist and columnist Ray Hanania looks back at 72 years and the ups and downs of life from school to journalism, politics, cancer, legionnaires’ disease, standup comedy, and music By Ray Hanania 72 years around the sun today .., thank you everyone for the…

Blogger, Chicago, Commentary, General Topics, Opinion, Podcast, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Videos

Illinois officials offer best wishes to Muslim community at end of Ramadan

March 30, 2025March 30, 2025 Ray Hanania 1 Comment

Illinois officials offer best wishes to Muslim community at end of Ramadan By Ray Hanania Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, and several officials including from Cook County, the State of Illinois and from officials of the Orland Fire Protection District offered their best wishes to the Muslim American community as they prepared…

Culture, Editors Pick, Government, Maria Pappas, News, Orland Fire Protection District, Orland Park, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Patch publishes inaccurate news story on Fire District & merger

March 21, 2025March 24, 2025 News Editor No Comments

Patch publishes inaccurate news story on Fire District & merger By Ray Hanania The Patch is a great source of information but it should also have checks and balances on the publishing of news and information. This week, Patch writer Lauren Traut published an article on the growing controversy regarding the issue of “consolidation” or…

elections, Government, News, NewsWire, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Former Homer Glen trustee Pazmino says village board needs independent voice

March 20, 2025March 20, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Former Homer Glen trustee Pazmino says village board needs independent voice Former trustee and restaurant owner Ruben Pazmino hopes to continue to push his ideas to help taxpayers in Homer Glen as an independent voice in the April 1 election. Homer Glen gets very little attention from the media and its issues and needs are…

elections, Homer Glen, News, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland, Will County

Illinois Legislature honors State Rep. Cyril Nichols in tribute resolution

January 17, 2025January 17, 2025 News Editor No Comments

Illinois Legislature honors State Rep. Cyril Nichols in Tribute Resolution Video: State Rep. Cyril Nichols was one of the hardest-working members of the Illinois General Assembly. Despite his dedication to the needs of residents of his diverse 32nd House District that ran from Chicago to Bridgeview, we did not get the backing of the leadership…

Civil Rights, Cook County, Crime, elections, Festival, Government, Illinois Legislature, News, NewsWire, Politics, Racism, rayhanania, Regional Midwest, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes, Videos

Ray Hanania’s columns this week on Chicago, Orland Park and the Arab American community

January 16, 2025January 17, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Ray Hanania’s columns this week on Chicago, Orland Park and the Arab American community A look at some of the most recent columns published by award-winning political and satire columnist Ray Hanania. The columns examine the political war at Chicago City Hall between aldermen and Mayor Brandon Johnson, and the continued financial exaggerations and political…

Chicago, Crime, elections, Festival, Government, News, Orland Park, Politics, Racism, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Recent Ray Hanania columns you may have missed on Madoff, Kaegi and targeting criminals

January 7, 2025January 7, 2025 Ray Hanania No Comments

Recent Ray Hanania columns you may have missed on Madoff, Kaegi and targeting criminals How is it that members of Congress can far exceed the profit performance of the stock market when it comes to their own investments? Why did Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi artificially increase the assessments of suburban homes, thereby dramatically increasing…

breaking news, Comedy, Commentary, Cook County, Crime, Entertainment, Federal, Festival, Government, Humor, Law, National, News, NewsWire, Opinion, Police, Politics, rayhanania, Regional Midwest, Religion, restaurants, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes, Veterans

An Arab, Middle East recipe for Stuffed Grape Leaves

December 29, 2024December 29, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

An Arab, Middle East recipe for Stuffed Grape Leaves #Read @RayHanania I love #MiddleEastern #Arab food recipes in addition to politics. Here’s my how to make Stuffed #GrapeLeaves with diced #lamb #steak #wariqDuwali #OxTail and #rice Read Ray Hanania’s columns on politics, life in general and his love for Middle East and Arab food. In…

Culture, Features, food, News, rayhanania, restaurants, Suburban Chicagoland

Orland School District 135 turns sex abuse case involving 2 female students into victim shaming

November 23, 2024December 13, 2024 Ray Hanania No Comments

Orland School District 135 turns sex abuse case involving 2 female students into victim shaming By Ray Hanania Everyone remembers in January 2015 when an Elementary School District 135 teacher, Cara Labus, was arrested on charges of sexually abusing two young school girls, aged 14, beginning in 2008 in suburban Orland Park. The case was…

Blogger, Commentary, Education, Law, Opinion, Orland Park, Police, rayhanania, Religion, Suburban Chicagoland, Taxes, women