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  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    What You’re Missing on Your Property Tax Bill Cook County
  • State Sen. Michael Hastings inspects storm damage. Photo courtesy SenatorHastings.com
    Hastings commends local disaster proclamations after July 27 storms Cook County
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas celebrates Colombian Independence Day with Colombian American community leaders
    Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas celebrates Columbian Independence Day Cook County
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    Orland Fire Protection Board praises all first responders for emergency response to Monday’s storm Fire
  • Fathers Rights Attorney Jeffery M. Leving
    Court Victory: Grandson Safeguarded From Danger after Mother’s Tragic Death Dads' Rights
  • Press Release, News Release, graphic
    Treasurer Maria Pappas: Homeowners Blast Property Tax Increases, but Skip Voting When Given a Chance to Reject Them Cook County
  • Battalion Chief Carl Jones, Deputy Fire Chief Joshua Girdick, OFPD Commissioner Mohammed Jaber, promotion candidates BC Russell Ricobene, Lt. Sergio Navarro, Engineer Justin Shanklin, and OFPD Trustees Bridget Tolan and DJ Jeffers. Photo Courtesy OFPD
    Three firefighters honored with promotions by Orland Fire Protection District Thursday Fire
  • Leving photo father sons
    Leving Team Fought and Brought Dad’s Twin Boys Home Dads' Rights
  • Laura D. Glenn Steppenwolf ensemble member
    Steppenwolf announces new ensemble member, Laura D. Glenn Chicago
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    Cook County Board of Review Opens 2026 Property Tax Appeal Season on Monday, July 27 Cook County
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Member of 10-Person Robbery Crew Targeting Chicago Suburbs Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison Crime
  • Press Release, News Release, graphic
    Northbrook West/Citation Lake Stormwater Project earns highest-priority ranking from Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Flooding
  • Orland Park News Release Graphic
    Court Denies former Mayor Keith Pekau’s Motion to Dismiss lawsuit Government
  • US Attorney General Federal Charges, Crime, Police, charges
    Former Summit Police Chief John Kosmowski sentenced for corruption Crime
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    Hastings hosts Summer Soiree Thursday August 6, 2026 Old Plank Trail Frankfort Entertainment

Common Core and our failing high schools

Posted on November 4, 2015November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Common Core and our failing high schools

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+;…

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Education, Opinion, Orland Park, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Muslim, Christian and Jew to perform comedy for Interfaith group in Deerfield Oct. 24

Posted on October 24, 2015April 27, 2021 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Muslim, Christian and Jew to perform comedy for Interfaith group in Deerfield Oct. 24

Muslim, Christian and Jew to perform comedy for Interfaith group in Deerfield Oct. 24 Deerfield, Il. – An interfaith gathering of people committed to promoting religious tolerance and inter-cultural dialogue will host a comedy show in Deerfield Oct. 24 featuring three comedians of different faiths. The three performers at the show hosted by the Southeast…

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News, Suburban Chicagoland

First Arab Church opens in Southwest Chicago suburbs

Posted on October 19, 2015May 31, 2017 By Ray Hanania No Comments on First Arab Church opens in Southwest Chicago suburbs

First Arab Church opens in Southwest Chicago suburbs By Ray Hanania Oct. 10, 2005 Although most Americans believe the myth that all Arabs are Muslims, statistics show that the majority of Arabs in Chicagoland are Christian. There are several Arab Christian Churches in the Chicago area, but the first one to serve the huge Christian…

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News, Suburban Chicagoland

Suburbs lose a great leader in Liz Gorman

Posted on July 31, 2015January 17, 2023 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Suburbs lose a great leader in Liz Gorman
Suburbs lose a great leader in Liz Gorman

Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman resigned from her 13 year position on the board to take an important private sector job at a Fortune 100 company. It’s a loss for Cook County,  a loss for moderation, a loss for Gov. Bruce Rauner and a loss for taxpayers By Ray Hanania Liz Gorman, the Orland Township…

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Blogger, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Former Sandburg student authors children’s book

Posted on June 8, 2015September 28, 2018 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Former Sandburg student authors children’s book

Sandburg High school graduate Ashley Pickens authors a new illustrated children’s book inspired by her late father who pushed her to enjoy art as a young child. The new book, Waddle with Scuttle or Swim with Kim, will be featured at a book party Friday June 12 from 5 pm until 9 pm at Barraco’s in Mt. Greenwood….

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Books & Films, Features, News, Suburban Chicagoland

Would Chicago just stop whining already?

Posted on May 27, 2015November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Would Chicago just stop whining already?

Would Chicago just stop whining already? Chicago’s financial mess is dominating the news and dragging the state of Illinois down. The only solution Chicago mayor’s have had over the years is to make the State bail out the city. But I think it’s time we stopped By Ray Hanania I’m so tired of listening to…

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Opinion, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Remembering Summit Mayor Joe Strzelczyk

Posted on May 22, 2015September 28, 2018 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Remembering Summit Mayor Joe Strzelczyk

Summit Illinois Mayor Joseph Strzelczyk died Sunday, May 17, a few days before he would have celebrated his 76th birthday. Strzelczyk was a people’s mayor, kind, generous and caring. Despite his small handful of relentless critics who falsely claimed he was absent during his recent battle with cancer, Strzelczyk worked hard for the citizens of…

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Baby Boomers, Features, Politics, Suburban Chicagoland

Are handicap parking privileges being abused?

Posted on May 22, 2015November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania 1 Comment on Are handicap parking privileges being abused?

Too often, I see people briskly step out of their vehicles parked in handicapped parking zones and displaying handicapped licenses plates or handicapped rear view mirror tags. They just don’t look like they need the plates, but who in government is courageous enough to set this abuse straight? By Ray Hanania Three times in the past…

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Baby Boomers, Opinion, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Have a Halal of a time at Pete’s Market, and meet women too

Posted on May 13, 2015November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Have a Halal of a time at Pete’s Market, and meet women too

Pete’s Fresh Market opened a new store in Bridgeview recently that offers the widest range of fresh deli salads and buffets, the largest I have ever seen. And I love grocery stores. By Ray Hanania I love food, especially from the Middle East. That’s one reason why I spend so much time meandering around grocery stores…

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Features, food, Opinion, rayhanania, Recipes, Suburban Chicagoland

Chicagoland stores battle for growing Middle Eastern market

Posted on May 13, 2015November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Chicagoland stores battle for growing Middle Eastern market

This week, another major grocery retailer entered the battle for the growing Middle Eastern food market in Chicagoland offering a wide range of Arab food products. The past half century has seen Arab food migrate from the shelves of small ethnic neighborhood food stores to the premium shelves of the largest national chains. Chicagoland has been no exception, just…

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Features, food, Opinion, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Gorman gives Rauner some added ‘Big Mo’

Posted on December 29, 2013November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Gorman gives Rauner some added ‘Big Mo’

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,…

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elections, Opinion, Orland Park, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

What’s Peotone’s Impact On Midway Airport?

Posted on October 24, 2013November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania No Comments on What’s Peotone’s Impact On Midway Airport?

What’s Peotone’s Impact On Midway Airport? By RAY HANANIA Southwest News-Herald Newspaper, Friday, October 25, 2013 We hear a lot about the third airport that everyone wants to build in the “South Suburbs.” But we don’t hear enough about Midway Airport. I have been a Southwest Sider almost all of my life, migrating with my…

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Opinion, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

David Orr and Making Voting Just So ‘Easy’

Posted on June 20, 2013November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania No Comments on David Orr and Making Voting Just So ‘Easy’

David Orr and Making Voting Just So ‘Easy’ By RAY HANANIA Southwest News-Herald Friday, June 21, 2013 Despite the low voter turnout, voting is already easy. But not everyone wants to take the time to vote. In fact, the vast majority of residences who could vote don’t even register to vote. They don’t want to….

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elections, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Local governments not responsible for flooding

Posted on April 25, 2013November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Local governments not responsible for flooding

Local governments not responsible for flooding By Ray Hanania Southwest News-Herald Friday April 25, 2013 When my home flooded in 1997, the Village of Orland Park provided large garbage canisters for each group of homes that had been damaged. They also provided dozens of crates of bottled bleach to kill mold and bacteria, that one…

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Opinion, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Low turnout in Chicagoland elections reflects hypocritical monitoring systems

Posted on April 9, 2013November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania 1 Comment on Low turnout in Chicagoland elections reflects hypocritical monitoring systems

Low turnout reflects hypocritical monitoring systems By Ray Hanania Southwest News-Herald Newspaper Friday April 12, 2013 Everyone likes to blame the low voter turnout each year on the “low quality” or the “corruption” of elected officials in government, but I like to blame it on something else, the hypocrisy of the monitoring systems. Those “monitoring…

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elections, Opinion, Politics, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Time to clean the Water Reclamation District’s political filter

Posted on December 6, 2011November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Time to clean the Water Reclamation District’s political filter

Time to clean the Water Reclamation District’s political filter
By Ray Hanania — For far too long, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Great Chicago has been a reservoir for retired, do-nothing government officials who were rewarded with spots on the board in return for their party loyalties.

Or, it has been a place where ambitious candidates with political clout have tried to launch their power dynasties.

The fact is the MWRD-GC board is unaccountable and a cesspool of wasted taxpayer dollars.

It is a do-nothing board that has spent most of its time spending money lavishly on itself and its members. They have huge salaries yet their impact on our lives has been so un-impactful.

Their primary responsibility is the management of flood water and they do a very poor job of doing that. But they do a great job of blaming everyone else.

The do-nothing chairman of the board Terrence O’Brien spent money on himself like there was no tomorrow, buying very expensive lunches and having a blast. He’s retiring after trying to turn the retirement home into a stepping stone to higher office.

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General Topics, Opinion, rayhanania, Suburban Chicagoland

Bank of America should change its name

Posted on October 11, 2011November 29, 2019 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Bank of America should change its name

Bank of America should change its name
By Ray Hanania — Bank of America really doesn’t deserve to carry that name. They are not very American. Or at least, they don’t seem to care much about the American people.

The bank announced it would impose a $5 monthly fee on its bank customers to use their ATM cards.

For those few out there who don’t know what an ATM card is, it is a Debit Card that takes your money out of your checking account without writing a check.

Why would they do that to their customers, you might ask? Greed? Stupidity. Greed? Greed?

Ironically, the Bank of America decision to impose the $5 fee comes right at the time when the U.S Congress is seeking to limit the outrageous profits the banks have been making off of most Americans. But worse, it comes at a time when most Americans are using Debit Cards as an alternative to credit cards as they struggle to get out of credit card debt.

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Harry ‘Bus’ Yourell Was a Fighter to End

Posted on September 28, 2011October 25, 2021 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Harry ‘Bus’ Yourell Was a Fighter to End
Harry ‘Bus’ Yourell Was a Fighter to End

Harry ‘Bus’ Yourell Was a Fighter to End By Ray Hanania The first time I met Harry “Bus” Yourell was in 1978 while writing for the Southtown. At the time, he was the Worth Township Democratic Committeeman. I had written something nice about his Republican rival, Herbert V. Huskey, and “Bus” was giving me a piece…

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