Orland Park's ethnic diversity comes out at Taste of Jerling event

Orland Park's ethnic diversity comes out at Taste of Jerling event

A woman came up to me who has been reading my columns since the 1980s said she has been living in Orland Park more than 35 years, and that during that time "It really has changed."

I was at the Jerling Junior High school "Taste of Jerling" event which featured food samplings from 17 ethnic groups, including "United States," which I thought was cute.

"When we first moved here, it was all White. All Irish, some Poles and Italians and maybe a few Koreans," she said. "Now there are so many Arabs, Mexicans and Asians. Indians. It's really changed."

We talked. She wasn't being racist or bigoted. She was just remarking about the reality of Orland Park that the community had changed, and become more diversified. And in truth, she was right. Orland Park has changed over the years. I noted that I moved in 30 years ago, too, and jokingly said, "It seems like there are more and more White people living here, don't you think?"

I was being facetious, of course. In a nice way. I mentioned that when I moved in, people stayed int heir homes and you didn't hear or see them. Now, as the population has become more and more diverse, you see more and more White people rising up and speaking out about it.

Maybe for some, this would be an uncomfortable conversation. But it was genuine. The woman I spoke with honestly was not being racist, and neither was I. She was just noting a fact. And she was so excited to see all the different cultures and taste their foods which were on display in the Jerling Gymnasium Friday night.

The event was held to celebrate the "rich cultural and ethnic diversity" of Jerling and the community. There were 17 ethnic groups represented at the Taste of Jerling. China, Croatia, France, Greece, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Palestine, Phillpines, Poland, Serbia and the United States.

I told my wife, who is Jewish, that I was proud to see three Arab cultures represented, Jordan, Palestine and Morocco.

Sandburg students joined in to provide some ethnic entertainment. Students performed traditional dances from Lithuania, Mexico and India.

It was really nice to see all the parents and the kids attend to show support. Each of the food displays included some ethnic artifacts that represented their culture. Some of the kids did extra-credit work and completed a survey of each display and wrote down something important about what they learned from the ethnic cultural displays. One student wrote down, "In their culture, they give away wives." And he wasn't talking about my ethnic group. Apparently, the host of one of the ethnic groups had said that in their country, women are not allowed to chose their husbands and the wives and chosen for the husbands.

It's not a racist thing to say, I thought. It is a fact. A fact in several of the cultures. The reality of our world. Why shouldn't kids know that?

Of course, as a Baby Boomer, it's hard to identify with today's young kids Their world is so much different from my world. But I can identify with the adults.

I wanted to explain to the woman who observed that it appeared that Orland Park has changed with so many new ethnic and cultural groups moving in, that the reality is that the numbers don't support that conclusion.

I understand why, though. Arabs, for example, are among the ethnic group that has moved into Orland Park over the past 30 years. Most are Christian Arabs, something many Americans don't even realize exists (especially based on how Americans ignore the plight of Christians in Israel and the Arab World). But many are Muslim and some of the Muslim women where Hijabs, head coverings that are very similar to the head coverings Polish women would wear in my old neighborhood on Chicago's South East Side. So they stand out, even though there are only a few of them. They appear like there is an invasion, even though there are really not that many.

Darker skinned cultures, too, have increased. And again, even though there are really not many, they stand out. Years ago when the community was nearly all White, culture was not noticeable. That's what I had meant by how there seems to be more White people today than before. It's not until you get diversity that you actually start to see everyone. Some, more than others, even if the numbers don't match the perceptions.

Here are some numbers about Orland Park's diversity.

The population, according to the 2012 U.S. Census, is 57,392.

86.1 % of that population is White. That's a big population number, folks.

1.7 % are African American. While that is negligible, it is noticeable.

6.2 % are Hispanic.

4.9 % are Asian.

That leaves 1.1 percent of "Other," which according to the U.S. Census which does not include "Arabs."

Has Orland Park really changed that much over the past 35 years?

Not really. And not enough.

(Ray Hanania is an award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter. Reach him on his website at www.TheMediaOasis.com.)

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For more on diversity, visit www.TheArabDailyNews.com

Bellar & Patch activist join in vicious attack against popular Gorman in March primary

Bellar & Patch activist join in vicious attack against popular Gorman in March primary

By Ray Hanania

I was reading the slop that passes for "journalism" these days on the Patch, a web-based platform that just as often reports news as it engages in partisan political activity.

English: Chicagoland map (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The most recent attack is from Barbara Bellar, the Tea Party nut-job whose friend happens to be an editor at the Tinley Park Patch. Bellar is challenging Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth "Liz" Gorman in the March 18 Republican Primary.

The Patch gave Bellar a self-serving bully pulpit to repeat a litany of distorted accusations against Gorman, who is by far one of the most responsible leaders of the Republican Party and a champion of the taxpayers.

Bellar's invective drips with anger, hatred and lies against Gorman because, frankly, she has no idea about what the taxpayers of Cook County need or want. It's all about getting herself into a position of authority.

Never mind for a moment that the Patch should be ashamed of itself for allowing Bellar to use the Patch as her own campaign platform. But worse is that Bellar, in her rundown of some of the most vicious and ignorant accusations ever published in Chicagoland regional politics, doesn't have one idea on how to make Republicans and taxpayers stronger.

Professionally, the Patch should be ashamed of itself for throwing away its credibility and being used for a selfish political agenda.

Elizabeth Ann Doody Gorman (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

She'll attack me, I'm sure, but at least I am upfront. I am a former journalist (many awards -- some the editor probably never heard of or will ever hope to win) and today I work as a media and political consultant, always upfront about who I work for. I don't work for Gorman, though. I just happen to be believe she is one of the best elected officials in the Chicagoland suburbs, and a role model for what Republicans can be if they turned away from the fanatics and started to listen to what voters want, instead of to themselves.

Yet, I'd rather be aligned with Liz Gorman as a friend, than to be so tackily associated with a pathetic activist like Bellar, who based on her attack against Gorman doesn't have one intelligent idea to help make the situation of taxpayers better. Not one idea in her rant that includes 16 of the most obnoxious, ridiculous assertions any political candidate can make about another candidate. Not one idea.

Gorman has fought for taxpayers. Her battle to stop and then rescind the Todd Stroger Sales Tax hike is legendary. Neither Bellar nor her Patch pal would know what the taxpayers need.

Bellar's most obnoxious accusation is to falsely claim she was assaulted by Gerry Gorman, Liz Gorman's husband. No, Bellar, a nut case who claims to have been a "Nun,"is lying because she has nothing else to say. Yes, Bellar filed a complaint that police totally ignored because it was so clear that it is untrue. It was so politically motivated, it was a waste of police manpower.

Bellar claims to be pro-Choice. For a self-proclaimed "Nun?" Wow. Bellar is a political activist from the lowest rungs of the political ladder, and only with the help of her whacky friends, she is trying to distract voters from her own past.

Click here to read Phil Kadner's column on Bellar, which should pretty much tell you everything about Bellar. Kadner wrote:

"I wrote a column about Bellar during last fall’s election season because on her campaign literature and website she used the slogan there’s “Nun Better,” a reference to claims she made repeatedly in pubic that she had been a Catholic nun. 

"But when I checked into her background, I discovered that Bellar had only been a postulant in the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago and could find no evidence that she ever took vows of fidelity and obedience. 

"Bellar refused to answer my repeated inquiries about the discrepancy between her campaign claims and information provided by the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago."

The real issue is why would the Patch run this false slop without checking it?

Most voters are smart enough to see past these kinds of cheap lies. For a Nun, Bellar can't even come up with one positive thing to say that she would do if she were ever elected to public office. But she can't because she has no ideas. All she can do is throw mud.

No one cares about Bellar's religion. No one cares about Bellar's vicious attacks. All the people care about is what will their elected officials do to ease the burden of taxes on their families. Gorman has done more for the taxpayers and suburbs than anyone.

Bellar says she wants to debate Gorman, but I would urge Gorman to ignore this nut job and continue to do what you are doing, working hard to champion the needs of the taxpayers. Bellar is a goof who has shamed the Tinley Patch. There's nothing to debate. Bellar wants a debate obviously so she can repeat all of her stupid claims. And they are stupid.

Bellar proves that there is no contest in the race for the Cook County Board in the 17th District. Liz Gorman is the best candidate for the job and there is no doubt, based on the overwhelming support she has already received from voters, that she will earn another term.

(Ray Hanania is an award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter and president is his own media and political consulting firm.)

Democratic shots at Rauner seem lame for $2 million

Democratic shots at Rauner seem lame for $2 million

Bruce Rauner, the independently wealthy Republican businessman has everyone in a tizzy. His campaign came out of nowhere, made some smart decisions and is moving forward to headlock the Republican Party nomination on March 18.

The Democrats have invested some $2 million through PACs to target Rauner and dirty him up for the final stretch, assuming he does win the GOP Primary defeating better known rivals: Bill Brady, the Republican State Senator who is making his 3rd bid for the office after losing in 2010 to then Acting Gov. Pat Quinn; Sen. Kirk Dillard, whom most "Reagan Democrats" would have supported in 2010 had Brady not nosed Dillard out in that primary race; and the congenial Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford who has been dragged down by ugly attacks raising questions about his sexuality and allegations of sexual harassment.

The GOP primary mess only reinforces Rauner's certainty of winning. None of this rivals have the cash to beat him. It will be a gubernatorial version of the 2011 Chicago Mayoral election in which Rahm Emanuel moved back in to Chicago with a $14 million campaign war chest to blow away a field of veteran Chicago Democrats, former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun, City Clerk Miguel Del Valle, and legal powerhouse Gery Chico, all of whom barely had $3 million in campaign funds together.

A lot of Democrats don't like Quinn. I recall Quinn as being a great outsider when I covered Chicago City Hall but when I moved to community radio, Quinn never thought I was worth spending any time on. No problem. Unfortunately, Quinn does that to a lot of people he once leaned on for support when he was the outside crusader battling the old Chicago Democratic Machine. Now, he's the insider. It comes with its privileges, of course, but Quinn brings in a lot of not-forgotten battles with his new suitors.

English: Gov. Pat Quinn making a point at Green Expo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

While Rauner has dominated the field with more TV commercials than Personal Injury Attorney Glenn Lerner, he's focused almost entirely on attacking Quinn. His Republican challengers have been left trying to dent Rauner's image. But Rauner was smart. His first move was to lock in key Republican support. His move to win over the support and endorsement of key mainstream Republican Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth "Liz" Doody Gorman locked in his prominence with Republicans in the Democratic heavy Chicagoland region.

Rauner's strategy has to be very simple. Get through the Republican Primary without bashing his Republican Rivals, leaving the door open to their possibly rallying around him afterwards. And then do what every Republican easily does, win the downstate Republican vote by a large margin. It won't be enough to win the gubernatorial election. But Rauner needs to also win soft Democratic support in the Democratic havens in Chicagoland. If Rauner can win some of those Democrats who have long memories, or have felt burned by Quinn's attitudes over the past few years, he has a formula to take the state and be the next Governor of Illinois.

In 2010, Quinn only beat Brady by about 30,000 votes. That's not too much to expect from disgruntled conservative "Reagan Democrats" who live in the Chicagoland area who just might turn to Rauner.

Additionally, the Democrats, who have less money to spend than Rauner, are not spending it wisely. The attack ads they've funded with their last ditch burst of funds are lame, attacking Rauner for allegedly being friendly with Stuart Levine, the convicted felon who was part of the corrupt circle around former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

English: Mug shot of Rod Blagojevich. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But throwing Blagojevich at Rauner is so ineffective. Voters are tired of the "use Blagojevich to dirty up an opponent" by arguing someone was close to Blagojevich. The fact is Quinn was Blagojevich's running mate, after all. Quinn was his Lt. Governor, though he quickly distanced himself from Blagojevich when the governor's federal troubles exploded in newspaper driven investigations.

If they are going to beat Rauner, the Democrats need to come up with a better attack than simply throwing Blagojevich at him.

In the end, the truth is the Democratic controlled House and Senate can just as easily work with a Republican Governor as they work with a former liberal who has joined the Democratic Party parade.

Quinn has years of experience spinning the media and can easily handle himself in a debate. But what's the real issue that voters care about? So far, no one has defined that, making it easy for Rauner to bludgeon his way into office with his bottomless financial pockets.

Of course, having a guy who knows how to make money, instead of wastefully spending it, is probably what appeals to voters the most. It's something Rauner is hammering away, unimpeded by the Democratic Pacs and consultants. And unless they can stop it with another issue, the certainty of what's going to happen in the Nov. 4 General Election is clear.

-- RAY HANANIA

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"SnowNado": One tough winter with Snow Dec 2013 through February 2014

"SnowNado": One tough winter with Snow Dec 2013 through February 2014

By Ray Hanania

We live in Chicagoland so we shouldn't complain about the excessive snow and the sub-Zero temperatures.

But this winter has been tough.

January 2014 ranked 3rd in terms of total snowfall in Chicagoland history. Here is that history, top 5 months for snowfall:

January 1918: 42.5 inches
January 1979: 40.4 inches  (The snow that got Jane Byrne elected)
January 2014: 33.5 inches (The one we just had)
December 1951: 33.3 inches
January 1978: 32.3 inches

Ironically, the big snowfall of 1967 which shut down the entire Chicagoland area is not on that list because the snowfall was spread out over several months.

And on February 1, 2011, a total of 21 inches fell on Chicagoland creating that hard to forget image of cars stranded on Lake Shore Drive for days in downtown Chicago.

In 2013, Chicagoland didn't have any snow until Jan. 25.

That's called whacky weather.

I bought a large Sno-Tek Snowblower in 2012 anticipating a tough snowfall that never came that year. The snowblower cost about $550 and honestly, Sno-Tek is a terrible brand to buy. I wouldn't buy it again. The blades jammed on a rock and broke the screw holding the blades on the rotor. I called in a mechanic from Sears for $129 to fix it - the cause of the problem wasn't obvious, of course. But when he arrived, he explained that it was just one screw and showed me how to fix it if it happens again. Talk about getting "screwed."

Then, last week, the Choke lever broke off. Turns out it is made of plastic and when it gets too cold, the plastic doesn't hold up well. I've managed to get the Sno-Tek started without the choke after repeatedly pulling on the engine rope starter. What a hassle.

Once I got past the Sno-Tek snowblower problems, then I had to deal with the weather. Maybe that's why it's been especially annoying this winter because of the Sno-Tek problems with their equipment.

The wind added to the misery as I plowed the driveway, which is long and can hold 5 cars bumper-to-bumper in two rows, winding. I have to play the "wind" near the house first and then move to the straight portion of the driveway to clear it properly. But there has been so much snow it has literally piled up in mounds higher than 4 feet along the driveway, like a wall.

They say don't clean the snow off of the shrubs, especially if the snow turns to ice as it can damage the trees. But one large shrub is leaning so much now under the weight of all the snow on its crown that I have to cut it down this Spring. But I had to carefully remove the eight inches of snow off the top of the bushes -- carefully -- to ease the weight. And that snow was replaced by another six to eight inches of new snow.

And even worse is that when I pull the car into the garage, the snow on the car melts and int he morning there is a puddle on the garage floor. I clean the car before putting it in the garage but that doesn't eliminate all of the snow that melts. It doesn't take much snow to create a puddle right at the back of the car when I want to open the trunk.

The tough winter has also hit many suburban communities that are strapped for cash and only purchased limited supplies of salt for the roads, making the roads even more dangerous.

In driving from Orland Park to the offices of one of my clients in Cicero, the roads were treacherous until I got to Bridgeview, where the streets were cleaned. Cicero, too, was good.

Here are some pictures to help us remember this winter snow storm:

end

Orland Park continues reduced property tax rebate program; But maintains the Orland Park sales tax hike of .0075 cents

Orland Park continues reduced property tax rebate program

But maintains the Orland Park sales tax hike of .0075 cents

Orland Park Taxpayers will take another hit. In 2002, Orland Park increased its sales tax by .75 percent. The intent was to increase revenues from non-residents who came to the Orland Mall to shop.

To protect residents, Mayor McLaughlin explained back then, he would rebate the majority of homeowner village property taxes. It was called the Property Tax Rebate for Sales Tax Increase Program. 

In 2003, the first rebate averaged $240 a household. It was a fair system. In 2008, as the economy worsened, McLaughlin and the village reneged on their promise and reduced the Property Tax Rebate for the Sales Tax Increase Program. 

In 2009, they revoked it completely. Then, as their re-election fortunes started to look bad, they began re-implementing a weakened version of the Sales Tax Rebate program to shore up their vote. 

Last year, they reimplemented it, but at a reduced rate by putting a rebate pool ceiling and then requiring that it be divided up by how many residents actually apply. 

The more that applied, the lower the rebate amount. 

This year, they are offering the limited rebate again, even though the Orland Park .0075 cent Sales Tax (three quarters of a penny tax) remains in full force. This year's average rebate will be even less than last year, the Village is reporting. That's pretty sad. 

Here's some background info:http://orlandparker.blogspot.com/search?q=rebate

Rauner victory in Cook County gives him the “Big Mo” moving into March GOP Primary battle

Rauner victory in Cook County gives him the “Big Mo” moving into March GOP Primary battle

Gorman gives Rauner the “Big Mo” in Republican battle for governor

The media is focused on what they say is the “big story,” that the Cook County Republicans finally rallied behind a candidate for governor for the first time in anyone’s memory.

The Cook County GOP overwhelming backed wealthy Winnetka businessman Bruce Rauner for Governor in the Republican Primary on March 18, 2014.

But the real story may be about Rauner himself and a critical error on the part of Kirk Dillard, a great candidate who might have become governor four years ago had he been able to defeat Bill Brady, who went on to lose to Pat Quinn.

Rauner may be new to politics, an independently wealthy businessman who has committed his resources to this race. But he showed that he probably knows more about Illinois politics than the so-called veterans like Dillard and even Dan Rutherford.

In seeking to win the backing of the Cook County Republicans, and thus giving himself a public relations victory – perception has a lot to do with victory in Illinois – Rauner was smart enough to approach Cook County Commissioner and Orland Township GOP Committeeman Elizabeth “Liz” Doody Gorman for her support.

It was a strategic move considering that Cook County represents 21 percent of the Republican vote in Illinois. In the 2010 GOP Primary, more than 765,000 Republicans voted with 162,000 of them casting ballots in Cook County.

It was a fatal mistake on Dillard’s part to turn to the North Side Republican extremists for support and not go to Gorman, who backed Dillard so many times in the past.

The Cook County GOP has not endorsed a candidate for governor in years. They didn’t endorse Big Jim Thompson, one of the state’s most successful and popular governors. And they didn’t endorse Mr. Politics himself, George Ryan who threw poor political alliances and choices sent himself to prison for six years on corruption charges, only to be released this year.

But in the battle to defeat Gov. Pat Quinn, whose popularity has soared on the backs of several key issues from his marksmen-like play to push for pension reform and his undying support for Illinois’ military veterans, you have to be especially smart.

Rauner, apparently, is the only one who apparently is thinking ahead.

Dillard had the support of Ruth O’Connell from Wheeling, a well known foe of Gorman and a foe of the equally popular Illinois Comptroller Judy Barr Topinka. Dillard put all his eggs in O’Connell’s basket and watched as they all cracked wide open, winning a mere 10.2 percent of the Republican vote at the Cook County GOP meeting.

Rutherford, the Illinois Treasurer who is an amiably and as capable candidate like Dillard, also made a critical mistake by not approaching Gorman for her support. He won 5 percent of the Cook County vote.

Both Dillard and Rutherford made a critical mistake, but more so Dillard. Rauner, with Gorman’s backing and the backing of Committeeman Sean Morrison, won a whopping 63.3 percent of the vote.

It was unprecedented, but may give us a peek into the course of the Republican primary battle in the coming months.

Bill Brady, by the way, who won the Republican primary for governor four years ago, got nothing in Cook County. Brady got “zero” voter support in Cook County, which is the second biggest story to come out of the party leadership vote.

You could only imagine that had Dillard turned to Gorman in Cook County, he not only would have won the Cook County endorsement and would be riding high on the wave of publicity that Rauner is now enjoying. But he would probably have taken the party nomination this time around.

Dillard has always had appeal to moderate Democrats, in much the same way as the late President Ronald Reagan. Many Democrats in Chicagoland, especially in the Southwest region, viewed themselves as “Reagan Democrats.” They voted Democratic locally but Republican nationally. Some of that Republican inclination also helped Republicans win in local regional races in the legislature, too.

But we’ll never probably know, though. Gorman has proven to be one of Illinois’ most popular Republicans over the years because of her fierce allegiance to taxpayers. And Rauner won her support simply by showing respect.

It’s something Rauner will be able to use to empower his campaign, probably giving It a burst of momentum that might be tough to stop as we round the corner to the primary in the next few months.

That’s not to say that Quinn will be an easy candidate to defeat. For Quinn, Rauner’s “Big Mo” might help him keep the conservative Democrats from jumping ship for someone like Dillard. That won’t happen now and Quinn can count on conservative Democrats to stand with the party in March and for sure in November.

But Rauner winning Gorman’s backing might still give him an opportunity to carve out a strategy to appeal to Cook County voters who in every election have backed Gorman in landslide turnouts.

Gorman and Morrison have become the key Republican leaders in Cook County. You have to wonder about any Illinois politician who couldn’t see that a mile away, or who thought there is a better strategy in some nook and cranny up in northern Cook County.

Cook County Party Chairman Aaron Del Mar, who is a close Gorman ally, told the media his plan is to change the party and have them back the strongest candidates, rather than keep playing inside favorites. Del Mar noted this is the first time Cook County Republicans have stood up to become major players in a statewide race.

Gorman is also backing Jim Oberweiss in the U.S. Senate battle, a tough uphill fight against incumbent U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

Rauner’s strong campaign war chest will only benefit all of the Republican candidates running in Illinois. He’s come out swinging with a battery of campaign commercials that have defined him as a moderate Republican and successful businessman in a state, he says, needs business smarts.

END

Gorman takes first spot on Cook County election ballot

Gorman takes first spot on Cook County election ballot

Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth "Liz" Doody Gorman won the top spot on the ballot for her re-election in March 2014 over controversial challenger Barbara Bellar in the Republican Primary.

Although honestly, her name could have been off the ballot and Gorman would still win. Gorman's record of fighting for the rights of taxpayers is unprecedented in Cook County. Her persistence in her bid to repeal the hated one cent sales increase imposed by former Cook County Board President Todd Stroger. It won her tremendous public respect. Most officials wanted to drop the fight after the first repeal effort failed, but Gorman refused to give up.

She won my undying respect and she deserves you.

Not much is known about her challenger, Bellar, except that she was profiled in the past in a few columns in the Southtown by writer Phil Kadner.

Bellar is described as a "darling of the Tea Party," which means she is way off the radar when it comes to extremism. The Tea Party is not very popular in centrist Illinois.

Worse, when Bellar was running for the Illinois 18th Senate District seat in 2012 against incumbent Bill Cunningham, she claimed on her website she had been a "Nun." Bellar's campaign slogan was "There's Nun Better."

That would be pretty impressive, if it were true. Kadner wrote about how he tried to confirm it with her but she ducked and dodged him everywhere. Apparently she studied one year to become a Nun but never finished, which means she wasn't even close to becoming a Nun.

Although maybe she is good with rapping knuckles with rulers in classrooms, I don't know.

Bellar is also from wealthy Burr Ridge and frankly that's a bigger issue for Orland Park residents. Do you really want to hand the district over from an Orland Park native to a Burr Ridge carpet-bagger?

Regardless, Gorman couldn't have it better. She's been on a roll. But there are a lot of people who would love to take her down, including some at Orland Park's Village Hall. There seems to be a detente in the rivalry with Orland Mayor Dan McLaughlin, the Democratic Committeeman. It's a smart move. The two of them together could do wonders for the region. But a few trustees still don't like her after she took out the scion of the Hynes dynasty, Pat Maher, a few years ago in a smack-down that is unprecedented in Cook County politics.

All the plans the old 19th Ward had for Orland Park went up in smoke with that questionable candidacy.

In 37 years in political reporting and coverage, I'd never seen anyone beat down as bad as Maher had been.

And, there are a few others who are still smarting from the changes at METRA. Egos always get in the way of what's in the best interests of the public.

END