Mackenzie Thiel, 7, gets a big hug from Santa Claus during Forreston's Christmas in the Country on Dec. 3. Santa met with children to hear their Christmas present wish list in Memorial Park. Mackenzie asked him for a toy puppy. (Alexa Zoellner/Shaw Media)
Alexa Zoellner reports on Lee, Ogle and Whiteside counties for Shaw Media out of the Dixon office. Previously, she worked for the Record-Eagle in Traverse City, Michigan, and the Daily Jefferson County Union in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.