Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
Illinois Senator Committee approves resolution urging Illinois K through 12 schools to offer Arabic as Foreign Language option By Ray Hanania As Consolidated High School District 230, one of the largest in Illinois, blocked the adoption of Arabic as a Foreign Language at their three High Schools, Sandburg High School, Andrew High School, and Stagg…
Orland Fire District inducts firefighter trainees into fulltime positions Orland Park, IL – The Orland Fire Protection District (OFPD) Wednesday (March 4, 2026) swore in five firefighter trainees to positions of full-time firefighters. The five inductees trained for more than a year before qualifying for the positions, and included Benjamin Bergen, Christopher Bailey, Philip McLaughlin,…
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Orland Fire Protection District promotes two firefighters Thursday Nov. 6, 2025 OFPD, IL – Two firefighters were promoted by the Orland Fire Protection District during ceremonies administered by the Orland Fire Commission at a meeting held on Thursday, November 6, 2025. Firefighter James Schultz was promoted to the rank of Engineer, and Eric Petravich was…
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Orland Fire Protection District promotes three Firefighters at ceremony The Orland Fire Protection District (OFPD) promoted three firefighters to the ranks of Engineer, Lieutenant and Battalion Chief at a special ceremony on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at the District’s Administrative office. Joined by OFPD Trustees DJ Jeffers and Bridget Tolan, Commissioners Brian O’Neill and Mohammed…
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Orland Township Trustee Matariyeh joins School District Trustee Jaber in showcasing Food Pantry Orland Township Trustee Lena Matariyeh, who was elected to her position with the largest vote turnout in the April 1 elections, is off to an amazing start promoting the needs of the Orland Township community. Even though Orland Township has had a…
Frozen with an Orland Firefighter at McDonald’s Orland Park, IL – About 100 children and their parents participated in an exploration of an Orland Fire Protection District Fire Truck at a “Frozen with a Firefighter” event hosted by McDonald’s in Orland Park. Each child and parent attending the event received a free Frozen drink, courtesy…
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Mohammed Jaber takes Oath of Office for Orland Fire Commission The Orland Fire Protection District’s Board of Fire Commissioners on Monday, July 7, 2025, administered the Oath of Office to Mohammed Jaber, 42, to fill a vacancy on the three-member board. The Fire Commission reviews and recommends issues related to the hiring of firefighters and…
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Illinois Attorney General slams Orland Park for withholding critical information on unfiled annual audits By Ray Hanania In another major setback for Keith Pekau, the besieged MAYOR of Orland Park in suburban Chicagoland, the Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul ordered the village to release the correspondence between the village and its auditors. The issue surfaced…
Jaber urges Village Board to stop undermining the Orland Park Public Library system Mohammed Jaber, Candidate for Orland Park Trustee in the Feb 25 and April 1 elections, steps up to defend the Orland Library from attacks by the Orland Park Village Board and Mayor Pekau. Orland Park, IL — Orland Park Trustee candidate Mohammed…
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Taxpayer advocate Mohammed Jaber files for Orland Park Village Trustee in 2025 elections Orland Park, IL — Education leader Mohammed Jaber Friday announced he is running for Orland Park Village Trustee to break the “rubber stamp” that has driven increased village fees and property taxes and to restore the publics participation in local government that…
Arab Americans honored by Treasurer Pappas as part of program recognizing all ethnic groups By Ray Hanania Chicago, IL — Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, honored a dozen Arab Americans for their leadership and positive contributions to the community as a part of an overall commitment on her part to…
PRESS RELEASE: Town Hall meeting in Orland Park Wednesday to address 3 NEW TIFS and impact on taxpayers, homeowners Town Hall meeting will explain and identify issues with Orland Park’s current Triangle TIF and 3 New TIFs being considered by Village of Orland Park Tom Tresser, a recognized authority on Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts…
Tresser to lead Town Hall on damage Orland Park’s 3 New TIFs will have on taxpayers A Town Hall meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 beginning at 6:30 PM to help homeowners and taxpayers in Orland Park understand the negative impact on local governments and schools that the three NEW TIFs that…
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State Comptroller Susana Mendoza takes tough action against Orland Park over unfiled audits Comptroller Mendoza Suspends Payments to the Village of Orland Park for Failure to File Documents. The move aims to motivate Orland Park’s administration to follow the law without penalizing town residents By Ray Hanania Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza took tough action on…
Orland Park withholds Finance and TIF audits and brings State censure State Comptroller Susana Mendoza slaps the wrist of Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau as TIFs, Taxes, and Audits continue to plague the Southwest suburban village, but is it enough? By Ray Hanania State Comptroller Susana Mendoza suspended the Village of Orland Park from the…
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High School District 230’s President Lynn Zeder should resign from the board Opinion: District 230 President Lynn Zeder was aware of plans involving three TIF districts that will siphon hundreds of millions in property taxes from the district’s three high schools, but she has been publicly silent about it. Instead of addressing these TIFs, which…
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Katsenes and Pekau are angry that I blew the whistle on their TIF district threat to taxpayers By Ray Hanania 09-04-24 The dangers of Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau’s secretive TIF district proposals I am not surprised Orland Park Trustee Cindy Katsenes, a local realtor with Village Realty, attacked me personally at the Village Board…
Press Release: Orland Park should suspend TIF district plans until they release delinquent financial audits Orland Park, IL — Plans by Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau to create three TIF districts to address “blighted land developments” should be put on hold until after he releases two delinquent financial audits detailing the true nature of the…