The long tradition of Shop with a Cop, the initiative that brings police together with children to provide gifts and mentoring, continues this holiday season.

Crystal Lake Central faces Huntley in a Fox Valley Conference wrestling match on Friday Dec. 13, 2024, at Huntley High School.

Prairie Ridge faces Crystal Lake South in a Fox Valley Conference basketball game on Friday Dec. 13, 2024, at Crystal Lake South High School.

Crystal Lake South faces McHenry in a Fox Valley Conference basketball game on Wednesday Dec. 11, 2024, at McHenry High School.

The Illinois Flag Commission this week released 10 potential new designs for the state flag after lawmakers moved in 2023 to explore replacing the current banner

Cary-Grove faces Hampshire in a Fox Valley Conference girls basketball game on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, at Hampshire High School.

A look back at some of the outtakes from recent assignment for the Northwest Herald.

The holiday season is in full swing, with weekend events that included the Marengo Christmas festivities on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, downtown and the Merry Cary parade on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024.

Hampshire faces Huntley in a Fox Valley Conference boys basketball game on Friday, Dec. 8, 2024, at Huntley High School.

Prairie Ridge faces Hampshire in a Fox Valley Conference wrestling match on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024 at Hampshire High School.

In the 1980s, Henri and June Giugni introduced four pairs of trumpeters swans to a manmade lake on their property near Harvard. Decades later, there are now dozens of trumpeter swans that return to the area each winter.

A look back at some of photojournalist Gregory Shaver's favorite pictures of the month in the Northwest Herald for November.

Christmas trees are installed and decorated Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, for the McHenry Chamber of Commerce Festival of Trees at the McHenry Recreation Center. The tree festival and runs through Dec. 29. Visitors can vote for their favorite Christmas tree by leaving canned food or toiletries under the tree they like best during normal business hours. All donations go to Veterans Path to Hope.

Jacobs faces McHenry in a Fox Valley Conference boys basketball on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 at McHenry High School.

Cary-Grove faces Huntley in Fox Valley Conference girls basketball on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, at Huntley High School.