Ray Hanania
Readers keep newspapers vibrant
By Ray Hanania
At a time when newspapers are dying, it is gratifying to hear from so many people in the southwest suburbs and in the city who read our important community newspapers.
So, I want to say thank you to our readers. Community newspapers are so important to the viability of our communities. You can judge the health of a community by the health of its local newspaper. Some communities, unfortunately, don’t have community newspapers and you can see how that hurts them.
I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
It doesn’t matter what your political allegiances are, or your ethnicity or race or nationality. We’re all Americans and we live in the greatest country in the world.
Of course, I wish there were a little less hate from both sides. We can have discussions, disagreements and even passionate debates without hating each other.
I avoid most of the news and talk shows on television these days. They are driven by anger and fuel the hatred that divides this country.
If we don’t do something about it, to stop the hate, end the animosity over politics and focus instead on how to help each other, we might find ourselves in a lot of trouble, folks.
My trip to Dubai
I traveled to Dubai last week to attend a journalism conference hosted by Arab News, the Gulf newspaper I work for as the U.S. special correspondent.
While the American news media continues to deteriorate, the Middle East news media is growing. They had more than 160 journalists there from 10 bureaus in Saudi Arabia, the UAE (Dubai), France, Pakistan, Japan, England, Asia and, with me, the United States. All anyone talks about overseas is the polarization that has crippled America and the fragile leadership that is so divided, angry and unproductive.
But that’s not the worst thing that shocked me during the trip. The absolutely most shocking thing I experienced was the deterioration of O’Hare International Airport.
O’Hare was filthy. The bathrooms were disgusting. The process of moving passengers through customs and to their planes is bogged down in laziness and poor employee service.
Honestly, the place smelled. It was a pit. I wanted to take a shower and use an in-hand sanitizer when I was out of there.
The parking system is broken. The shuttles they use to pick up passengers from those parking lots were filthy and broken. The shuttle seats were so dirty. The speaker system was inaudible. The road signs directing motorists to the parking lots were few and far between.
It was the worst experience of my life. Customs was terrible. On returning from Dubai, I had to stand in a line of people that zig-zagged through a maze of 22 roped areas (walking back and forth) for nearly three hours. The place smelled. I wanted to barf it was so bad.
The attitude of the customs officials was so terrible. Like they were angry I was returning to this country.
The baggage area was a mess with luggage piled on top of each other. The conveyor belt was jammed with bags because they couldn’t process the travelers quickly enough. It was crowded and the room was small.
I couldn’t wait to get out of there.
Contrast that to Dubai, where the system was so clean, efficient and fast. They were welcoming to everyone.
Is Dubai that much better than America?
Worse is that through all that filth at O’Hare, I had to walk past dozens of TV terminals broadcasting an expensive advertisement over and over again promoting Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
Even worse is that while I struggled to enter this country as a law-abiding, legal traveler, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much more attention and support those who sneak into this country illegally get when they cross the southern border.
Next time, I’ll enter the country illegally and avoid customs. I am sure I will be treated better and even given a free ride to my home with so many benefits: food, healthcare, insurance, education for my kids and even money to make my illegal experience productive.
Check out my Tiktok video comparing O’Hare to Dubai on my page at Titktok.com/@RayHanania. (Even if you don’t like politics, you can see the videos of me making Middle Eastern foods, which I hope you will enjoy.)
Check out Ray Hanania’s columns and political podcasts at hanania.com.
Local News
EPCHS students collect shoes for Christmas Without Cancer Sneaker Drive
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Students in Evergreen Park Community High School’s junior physical education leadership class teamed up with the non-profit organization Christmas Without Cancer to help local families battling the devastation of cancer. The class – taught by EPCHS physical education teacher Ree McDonald – helped gather donations for Christmas Without Cancer’s second…
Swallow Cliff Chapter, NSDAR, honors JROTC cadets
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Swallow Cliff Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, participated in recent JROTC awards ceremonies held at Shepard High School in Palos Heights and Richards High School in Oak Lawn. The DAR JROTC award, consisting of a medal and certificate, was presented to Navy Cadet Emily Schrode at Richards…
Man charged with child abduction in Stickney Township
Spread the loveFrom staff reports A Chicago man was charged last week with child abduction and luring of a minor after Cook County Sheriff’s Police detectives found he attempted to lure a minor into his vehicle, said Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart. According to police, about 4:43 p.m. on Monday, April 22, officers responded…
Worth Library celebrates 60th anniversary
Spread the loveBy Kelly White The Worth Public Library has been around for decades. Resting in the heart of the village at 6917 W. 111th St., the library held an event focusing on its rich background story on April 23 with a historical photo exhibit. “It’s amazing because this library is still so important to…
Rose Zubik, Woman’s Club veteran, installed as 3rd District president
Spread the love Rose Zubik, of Palos Heights, the new president of the 3rd District General Federation of Women’s Clubs-Illinois, lights a candle during the installation ceremony held April 27 at Fox’s Restaurant in Orland Park. Heather Linehan, the outgoing president, is beside her.By Dermot Connolly A longtime member of the Palos Heights Woman’s Club…
Shots fired in Chicago Ridge Commons parking lot
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Shots were fired Wednesday night in the parking lot at Chicago Ridge Commons mall. Police said they received reports of the shooting about 9:45 p.m. No injuries were reported. Multiple witnesses told police four men were walking through the parking lot from the XSport Fitness area. They approached two vehicles…
Hair salon with a ‘flair’ marks first year in Chicago Ridge
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Melissa Kowalski wanted to do something meaningful to mark the first-year anniversary of her Flair With Hair Salon in Chicago Ridge. “We did not have a grand opening last year so I wanted to do something really special,” Kowalski said. “We wanted to say thank you to our clients.” Kowalski,…
Palos East fifth-grader wins Scholastic Storyworks writing contest
Spread the loveGabriel Chowaniec, a fifth-grader at Palos East Elementary School, has been named a winner of the Scholastic Storyworks Magazine writing contest. Gabriel, who is a student in Cathy Casey’s fifth-grade classroom, was named one of only five winners nationally for the December 2023/January 2024 competition. Garbriel’s submission for the nonfiction story “The Shattered Land,” “showed a strong understanding of the text along with the ability to author a well-organized…
Shepard celebrates Autism Week
Spread the loveBy Kelly White World Autism Acceptance Week is organized by the National Autistic Society in the first week of April and aims to raise awareness about the challenges autistic people face across all areas of society. Not missing out the opportunity to celebrate all-inclusion was Shepard High School, 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave., Palos…
Billions of cicadas get ready to raise a racket
Spread the loveBy Kelly White If you haven’t heard the buzz yet, you will soon. With 2024 marking a big year for periodical cicadas in Illinois, billions of the red-eyed buggers will soon be making an appearance. Periodical cicada broods XIII and XIX will be emerging throughout much of the state at the same time.…
Neighbors
Saint Xavier men’s volleyball finishes historic season in nation’s top 4
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Saint Xavier men’s volleyball team made history by advancing to the semifinals of the NAIA Men’s Volleyball National Championship. But the Cougars fell to eventual national champion Georgetown (Kentucky), 25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 21-25, 15-10, on May 3 at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Although there was…
St. Francis first baseman Nate Maliska earns conference POW honors
Spread the loveBy Mike Walsh Correspondent The University of St. Francis sophomore first baseman Nate Maliska was chosen the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference’s Player of the Week in baseball for April 7. In helping the Saints to four wins that week, Maliska went 9-for-15 (.600) with eight RBI and seven runs scored. The St. Laurence…
Baseball | Marist claws way back to .500
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent This season has thus far not been what Marist had expected, but the RedHawks came into this week at .500. Marist was 2-8 after 10 games this season, with three of those first eight losses coming via shutout. But the RedHawks turned things around with a stretch of eight…
Red Stars fall to Spirit for third loss in past four matches
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent After enjoying one of their best starts in franchise history, the Chicago Red Stars have slid to the middle of the NWSL standings, with the latest setback being a 4-2 loss to Washington at SeatGeek Stadium. The Stars (3-3-1) entered this week having dropped three of their past four…
Red Stars take aim at NWSL attendance record with Wrigley game
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Red Stars are thinking big when it comes to their upcoming game at Wrigley Field. The team is taking aim at the NWSL record for single-game attendance when it hosts Bay FC at the historic home of the Chicago Cubs on June 8. The record is held…
IHSA announces boys volleyball postseason assignments
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Last year, the area sent a pair of boys volleyball teams to state as Lyons finished runner-up to champion Glenbard South and Brother Rice lost in the quarterfinals. This year, both could face each other in the sectional finals. The Lions picked up the second seed and the Crusaders…
Badminton players from Reavis and Lyons going to state
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Reavis singles player Dania Amjad finished third in the Bolingbrook Sectional on May 2 to qualify for the IHSA state tournament. The Lyons doubles team of Simone Brown and Mia Graziano finished fourth in the York Sectional to qualify for state. The state finals are May 10-11 at DeKalb…
Brother Rice, Sandburg sending boats to bass fishing state tourney
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Brother Rice is sending two boats to the IHSA state bass fishing tournament. The Crusaders had first- and third-place finishes at the Des Plaines River Big Basin Marina Sectional on May 2. Sandwiched in between the Brother Rice boats was a group from Sandburg in second place. The Crusaders’…
Lions Club District 1A Helen Keller race draws big field
Spread the loveBy Kelly White The damp weather from overnight rain did not deter more than 100 people on Sunday morning from getting some exercise. The 14th annual District 1A Helen Keller 5k Fun Run/Walk proudly took place along at Harold L. Richard’s High School, 10601 Central Ave., Oak Lawn. “This is a really great…