Which teacher was named Educator of the Year for McHenry County? Find out who won that title and the names of the other winners.

The McHenry County Regional Office of Education handed out its annual top prizes for teacher and other school staff members on May 9, 2026.

A home was deemed uninhabitable after a fire damaged the side of the house and the attic Monday afternoon in McHenry, officials report.

A 22-year-old driver was flown to a trauma center after a single-car crash whose wreckage caught fire early Sunday near Harvard.

McHenry City Administrator Suzanne Ostrovsky has resigned, and Mayor Wayne Jett said Monday that he is filling the role temporarily.

Cary-Grove senior left-hander Addy Green fired a six-inning no-hitter against Downers Grove North with 12 strikeouts. For her performance, Green was voted the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week.

As Shaw Media celebrates its 175th anniversary, we looked back at four front pages from May 11. These archives serve as a time capsule, capturing everything from the twilight of World War II to the cosmic wonder of a solar eclipse and the enduring strength of local community ties

The McHenry County Animal Control & Adoption Center will host three low-cost rabies vaccination and microchip drive-thru clinics for cats and dogs this spring.

Carrie Ozog built a business delivering frozen organic food. Now she's opened a shop in McHenry, Rooted Ritual Apothecary, expanding to handmade beauty, home products, cleaning and personal care products.

Home State Bank in Crystal Lake has announced the hiring of a new vice president of retail banking who has deep ties to the McHenry County community.

Catch up on the week’s top McHenry County news in minutes. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you, for the week of May 3-9

McHenry's Soap Box Derby has roots dating at least to 1939. It's returning after a several-year hiatus in June.

An Elgin man arrested in Woodstock last year and found in possession of more than 32 grams of cocaine has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Property tax bills are on their way to McHenry County mailboxes. Here's all you need to know about how to avoid late penalties.

An off-duty Crystal Lake firefighter used a garden hose to help contain a house fire Saturday until fire crews arrived.

A residential home in Lakewood that sold for $710,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in McHenry County during the past week.

Central High School senior Hazel Anderson, 17, of Hampshire, submitted her senior portfolio to the Illinois High School Art Exhibition, one of the premier student art showcases in the country – and was offered $372,000 in scholarships from five institutions

Officials have identified the infant who died following a medical emergency at a Woodstock daycare facility.

The Mchenry City Council said yes to new signage to get cars to available parking spots, but it's a wait-and-see for time limits

Developers are one step closer to transforming the former Maplewood School property in Cary into a multi- and single-family residential area, despite significant resident pushback.

As Shaw Media celebrates its 175th anniversary, we looked back at four front pages from May 9. These archives serve as a time capsule, capturing everything from the immediate aftermath of global conflict to the everyday triumphs and challenges of life in northern Illinois

A local longtime historian who’s given presentations throughout the state, including in McHenry County, has pleaded guilty to possessing an image of child sex abuse, according to court records.

Two drivers were taken to the hospital after a crash near Union Friday morning between a minivan and a large mixer truck.

An infant who was found unresponsive at a Woodstock daycare Tuesday has died, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

Some McHenry County school districts and McHenry County College use an online system for learning that went down this week following a cyberattack with possible data access.

A man fell into the Fox River in McHenry Friday morning as he was opening his boat for the season.

The Fox River Grove Village Board censured one of its trustees for raising questions of conflict of interest within staff in what they considered “potentially slanderous.”

A Crystal Lake man is charged with exposing himself to children while they were outside a School District 47 school during recess, officials report. He previously worked for the district, officials confirmed.

Saying “conservatives can no longer afford to be silent,” groups aligned with the Republican Party plan what they’ve dubbed a “Rally of the Silent Majority” on May 17 in McHenry.

The McHenry Division of Transportation is redoing the Charles J. Miller Bridge southern deck starting in May, so access to McHenry's Miller Riverfront boat launch will be limited

From packed tour buses to rising conversion numbers, clergy across Illinois say the first American-born pope is energizing Catholics one year after his election

The lower Fox River between McHenry and the Algonquin dam is back open for boating after flooding prevented activity on the river.

A five-story mixed-use development will occupy the vacant block along Route 14 in Fox River Grove after the village board gave the plan a thumbs-up.

After about four hours of deliberating, a McHenry County jury found an Elgin man guilty of drug-induced homicide in the fentanyl overdose of a man at a Marengo motel.

Two people were rescued without injury after a sailboat capsized Wednesday evening on Crystal Lake, officials report.

The Lake County Health Department is now in its second year of Operation Dropbox, a donation drive dedicated to supporting more than 3,000 veterans and their families.

Celebrate Mother's Day with comedy shows in Woodstock and Crystal Lake. Eagles tribute band Heartache Tonight will also perform in Woodstock on Saturday night.

A home in Huntley was left uninhabitable following a fire late Wednesday, Huntley Fire Protection District officials said in a news release.

A four-vehicle crash closed Route 31 in Johnsburg and injured three people.

A Woodstock man who records show has multiple previous domestic violence convictions pleaded guilty to his most recent Tuesday and was sentenced to three years and six months in prison.

Johnsburg leaders have agreed move forward in exploring a potential taxing incentive to redevelop Hidden Harbor at the Fox River.

A baby found unresponsive at a Woodstock daycare was taken to the hospital for advanced care, police said.

Johnsburg has announced that a Target store has agreed to set up shop at a shuttered JCPenney along Route 31 – with millions in sales tax rebates to make it happen.

The Chain O’ Lakes and part of the Fox River are back open for boating, the Fox Waterway Agency announced Tuesday.

Approaching the third year of celebrating LGBTQ+ pride in Crystal Lake, organizers of the event have established an independent nonprofit organization aimed at securing pride celebrations in the city for years to come.

The McHenry County Mental Health Board encourages the community to join in sharing that mental health is essential to overall health, Executive Director Bridget Geenen writes.

An Elgin man accused of selling a fatal dose of fentanyl to a man who later died in a Marengo motel room has gone on trial in McHenry County on a charge of drug-induced homicide.

Teachers are asking the same questions on technology: What is changing, and how do we keep up? A Dixon educator is helping them find answers, even as the technology keeps shifting beneath him.

Fox River MedSpa in Algonquin said on Facebook it's mourning one of its employees who officials say died from strangulation at a Schaumburg home.

Lake in the Hills police continue to investigate what they said was a bomb threat called in to Costco.