Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
As it turns 200, Illinois needs change Illinois turns 200 years old next year, and maybe it’s time we made a few changes in how we describe ourselves. Just to be a little bit more accurate. By Ray Hanania We’ve been so busy over the past two years screaming about all of the problems Illinois…
Why opposing Cook County taxes is important Cook County has tried to force suburban businesses to pay more in wages in an effort to allow Chicago based politicians to extend their reach into the suburbs. They’ve targeted the suburbs with taxes like the 1 cent hike in the Soda Tax. The people most hurt by…
Meli Cafe and al Fresco Dining Restaurant review: Enjoying the outdoors in the summer should be a goal, not just when you are out and about but when you are eating. There are a lot of great outdoor cafes and restaurants in Illinois and I’ll showcase many of them. This is Meli Cafe in the…
Treat the Police same way we treat veterans Veterans are saluted and cheered at every event and holiday in America, and yet most people don’t think twice about the Police Officer who also puts his (and her) life on the line everyday in some of the toughest and most violent places on earth, right here…
Media plays fast and loose with healthcare facts It’s hard enough to understand America’s healthcare system without the mainstream news media abandoning a helpful role and instead using the issue to advance its own partisan political agendas. Healthcare is so important and yet the news media and both political parties are twisting facts to spin…
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Illinois should loosen up its restrictions on fireworks I boiled eggs the other day on the stove, and when I was done, I was smart enough not to put my hand on the grill cover where the eggs were boiled. So, I didn’t get hurt. Why is lighting a sparkler or a few bottle rockets,…
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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…
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Mainstream news media does not run America The mainstream news media is an industry driven by hypocrisy, power and greed, but it does not and should not be the force that defines America. It is the symbol of the American foundation of free speech, but in recent years has become a driving force behind political…
Who is Rauner trying to fool? Failed Gov. Bruce Rauner is doing his best to mislead Illinois residents while making poor choices that put the interests of criminals above the interests of hardworking taxpayers, families and youth. By Ray Hanania Last week, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner plagiarized a bill proposed by Democratic Cook County Sheriff…
Vino & Vintage festival at Candlewick Lake One of my favorite shows is American Pickers starring antique masters Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, but the next best thing is actually browsing through real vintage antiques and household items that are over 100 years old. So it was a lot of fun Saturday to inspect and peruse…
Kathy Griffin and the real extremism Southwest News Group June 8, 2017 By Ray Hanania I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve had it with the extremist critics of President Donald Trump. The criticism is so extreme, unfair and hypocritical I think it is damaging this nation. Trump was elected president in…
Buying a new car is so traumatic Seven years is about the most you should expect to keep a car because cars are made to fall apart to help generate more profits for the automobile industry. They don’t make them to last any more. There’s just too much money at stake for the auto industry…
Remembering at Memorial Day Memorial Day is an important time to remember the sacrifices of veterans in your family like your dad or your mom. But remembering requires a little work. Getting them to share their stories and documenting them in journals for later years is so important to do By Ray Hanania Like many people,…
Technology: Don’t get fooled by Magzter Magzter sent me a pitch that seemed great: For $49 a year, I could get access to thousands of magazines and articles and share those articles and magazines with up to four total family members. I had subscribed to several magazines from Magzter in the past but this sounded…
A mother of a Mother’s Day Published in the Des Plaines Valley News, The Southwest News Herald Newspaper, the Reporter Newspapers, the Regional Newspaper May 18, 2017 By Ray Hanania Mother’s Day: I was standing in the lobby of Buca di Beppo Sunday with my wife and son as some two dozens unhappy people waited…
Kennedy accuses Illinois Dems of blocking candidacy The race for governor seems to be focused on ousting incompetent Republican incumbent Bruce Rauner, but the real battle is between the two Democrats, Chris Kennedy and J.B. Pritzker to win party backing for the March 20, 2018 Democratic Primary By Ray Hanania It’s a war between a…
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Why is my TV clogged with election Ads? Nauseating political commercials have already started to clog our Spring season television viewing, and it has a lot to do with the fact that the three candidates for governor in Illinois are among the richest people around. Republican Bruce Rauner, one of the most incompetent governor’s Illinois has…
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…