Local restauranters are getting candid about the struggles they're facing in today’s economy and are asking for community support to keep their businesses alive.

For the first time since the 40-year-old building was built, the McHenry County Coroner’s Office got a major upgrade with renovations to the office and morgue.

Barb Neises learned how to volunteer from her mom and has taken on projects for the McHenry Riverwalk Foundation since.

A Crystal Lake boy has made it his personal mission to provide blankets to people who are homeless. He pitched his plan to his principal, and in the process got others at his school into giving.

Holly Eberle is a librarian, mentor, volunteer, advocate for people with mental illness, defender of intellectual freedom and more.

New Directions Case Manager Joe Ledesma shares how he went from living in the organization's sober living facility to helping those who are in the same position he once was in.

The Northwest Herald honors the everyday heroes making a difference in McHenry County through their hard work, kindness and dedication.

A Woodstock man has been accused of driving drunk for a sixth time – in this case with an infant in tow – and allegedly told police who stopped that him he was “wasted.”

The McHenry County Division of Transportation is naming a trio of plow trucks for next year and wants the public to help them pick the names at Sunday’s touch-a-truck event.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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 April 26-May 2

A single-family home in Woodstock that sold for $1.15 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in McHenry County over the past week.

After a two-week delay, Woodstock has authorized the city manager to sue the owners of Thompson’s Appliances if action towards demolishing the store doesn’t move quickly.

Find out how much Woodstock is raising its water and sewer rates, and some of the budget pressures city officials say are causing the changes. The new rates kick in Friday.

As we complete National Poetry Month, celebrated in April, our annual poetry columnist spotlights examples in history when poems have been banned or restricted from access.

Businesses on the historic Woodstock Square and in the surrounding downtown area will represent a different country, each offering a small drink paired with a themed bite.

Half a dozen people were displaced and more than 15 cats are unaccounted for following a fire in Woodstock early Wednesday in a building that contained four units.

An educator who has spent his career in Woodstock Community School District 200 has been named the new principal of Woodstock High School.

Marengo faces Woodstock North in a Kishwaukee River Conference softball game on Tuesday, April 28 , 2026, at Woodstock North High School.

A Lake County Sheriff’s Office squad car hit a large utility pole near Woodstock late Monday while transporting someone to McHenry County Jail, according to authorities.

A Woodstock woman who was released from McHenry County jail pretrial in January on cocaine allegations now faces new drug charges, official records show.

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 April 19-25

Woodstock officials have approved the city’s annual budget – including funding for the controversial Flock security cameras downtown. City Council members gave themselves an out when approving the cameras, saying they could still defund them.

In an exclusive interview with Shaw Local. the Woodstock gas station clerk who was attacked on New Year's Eve shares how it shattered her life and says she's been given no help by the gas station owners.

Mackenzie "Mack-Judo" Stiller, who fights out of One Touch Fight Team & Academy in Woodstock, will compete on Season 34 of "The Ultimate Fighter," which premiers June 14 on Paramount+. Stiller is coached by Woodstock native, Iraq War veteran and gym owner Brett Brendel.

Five months after the Thompson’s Appliances building in downtown Woodstock partially collapsed, the city pumped the brakes on legal action to get the remaining structure torn down.

Authorities have identified a man who was found dead in a Woodstock homeless encampment and determined whether it was a natural death.

The family of a Crystal Lake man claims a Woodstock cinema left him inside a dark theater, causing him to fall and leading to his death about a week later.

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 April 12-18

A car veered off Route 14 in Woodstock on Saturday and hit several cars in the Culver's parking lot.

Richmond-Burton faces Woodstock North in a Kishwaukee River Conference softball game on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at Woodstock North High School.

Broadway star Levi Kreis will perform at the Woodstock Opera House on April 19, while David Maraniss will speak on April 16.

The long-awaited Route 47 widening through Woodstock has finally started. Here’s what you need to know.

Huntley officials want to make beekeeping cheaper and easier for hobbyists, but aren’t OK with allowing it on smaller lots.

A lawsuit claims Kalahari, a Wisconsin Dells water park, was “negligent” for serving alcohol to an Elgin man who later “violently collided” in his Mercedes with another car near Woodstock, killing him and critically injuring a family of four.

To improve communication and encourage more positive interaction between police officers and people on the autism spectrum, the Lake in the Hills police department is gearing up to participate in the “Blue Envelope” initiative.

New regulations on video gaming have been adopted by the Woodstock City Council, with a limit on how much a business' revenue can come from the gambling machines.

Woodstock may have to sue to get the owners nf the former Thompson Appliance building to tear down the structure, which partially collapsed in December.

Another McHenry County student will be competing on the national spelling bee stage after taking home the top spot in the regional tournament last month.

The Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry has launched a new digital gift card program as way to help people support local businesses.

Thunderstorms that hit Thursday night left their mark in McHenry County, with downed electrical wires, tree damage, flooding and a collapsed home reported.

A Woodstock man is facing charges of driving under the influence after crashing his car into a Woodstock home, within inches of where a resident of the home was sitting last week.