Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
Writing my very first news story that ran in the Messenger Press By Ray Hanania The Southwest Messenger Press and publisher Walter H. Lysen gave me my very first opportunity as a professional journalist in 1975 after I had been honorably discharged from military service with the U.S. Air Force. I was living in Burbank…
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District 230 students receive journalism awards Consolidated High School District 230 newspaper students from Sandburg, Stagg and Andrew High Schools amassed several individual awards in five separate categories at the recent Southwest Suburban Conference High School Newspaper Conference hosted at Stagg High School. Eight students placed in five individual contests, with two 1st place ribbons,…
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From 8 Years Ago: 30 years isn’t too late to start at Regional News Eight years ago, Columnist Ray Hanania returned to the original job he was offered in 1985 at The Regional News, one he had to turn down after being offered a job a week later by the Chicago Sun-Times. This column was…
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Media portrayal of Arabs after Sept. 11 focus on ADC panel Aug. 16 ADC Presents a virtual online Zoom forum exploring the Post September 11th Media Portrayal of Arabs & Muslims with a panel of professional journalists. veteran journalist Ali Younes, who will be joined by Program Director at Rethink Media Adrienne Mahsa Varkiani; Arab…
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Opinion writing: “If you want a friend, get a dog” I am grateful for the readership that I get in my opinion writing, and I appreciate those who support me and enjoy the column and recognize the importance of the angry haters, too. If I wanted a friend, I would go out and get a…
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Orland journalist among finalists for 2021 Pulitzer prize Bill Healy Jr., who rose up in journalism as a young writer for The Villager Newspapers in the Orland Park region, was among a group of journalists who were named as finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. Although he did not win the Pulitzer Prize, being an official…
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WGN’s Paul Konrad offers deep look into his career on the “It’s Not So Late Show” with Aaron Hanania Nine time Emmy Award winning weatherman Paul Konrad talks about his career from news reporting to meteorology, his colleagues, and why the combination of serious news reporting and a strong edge of humor has made WGN…
Journalists and elected officials celebrate Arab American Heritage Month The Arab American Democratic Club hosted a forum of journalists and elected officials and community leaders on Thursday April 22, 2021 to discuss both Ramadan and Arab American Heritage Month (April). The panel included a video message offering both Ramadan Kareem messages and a celebratory salute…
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Podcast: Overcoming the challenges facing Arab Americans The Problem with the Arab American Community: Award winning journalist and communicator Ray Hanania talks about how the Arab American community can overcome the self-imposed failings to become successful. Many Arab Americans live here physically but are “mentally” still back home Podcast, July 21, 2020, Volume III, Episode. 11 Ray…
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Briefs: Seymour Hersh’s Southwest Suburban roots The hidden Southwest SuburbanChicagoland stories of Seymour Hersh, in Oak Lawn and Evergreen Park, and his publication of his own small community newspaper, revealed in his blockbuster new book “Reporter” By Ray Hanania Biographies of award-winning journalist #SeymourHersh leave out a very significant aspect of his career that he describes as having…
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30-year anniversary of a Chicago journalist’s passing Chicago City Hall Journalist Harry Golden Jr., died on May 1, 1988, 30 years ago having documented Chicago’s rollercoaster political scene, and bringing to a final end the era of Front Page journalism. Golden was one of the best journalists in America at the time and has never…
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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…