During McHenry County College’s recent winter commencement ceremony, one of the 528 graduates was a 16-year-old student from Cary who received his associate’s degree before graduating from high school.

Two Men and a Junk Truck, an offshoot of Two Men and a Truck, is expanding to Crystal Lake and Aurora.

The McHenry County Coroner’s Office has identified a woman who died Monday morning in a Harvard car crash.

Two men face felony charges that they “knowingly misrepresenting” the cost of repairing the driveway of an 87-year-old Crystal Lake homeowner.

Rescued pets are more likely to be adopted if they've been fostered, local advocates say, but they add the number of people willing to foster pets is declining.

McHenry County’s first Scooter’s Coffee location is open inside the Algonquin Meijer, located at 400 S. Randall Road.

Jacobs' Hinkle Holiday Classic used a 35-second shot clock this year for the first time in the tournament's long history, and it made an impact. The shot clock will be mandatory next season for IHSA teams.

One of Crystal Lake’s oldest standing buildings, built in about 1853, is scheduled to be torn down starting this week after a year-long effort to preserve it was unsuccessful.

Hampshire used a 10-0 run to start the second half and pull away from South Elgin for its first win of the 42nd Komaromy Classic at Dundee-Crown High School. Senior guard Mikala Amegasse tallied 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals for the Whips.

A fatal crash in Harvard Monday is among several around McHenry County as slick roads and high winds made for dangerous driving.

Prairie Ridge sophomore Tymen Robinson captured the 106-pound championship at the Larkin Royal Throne Invite and went 5-0 during the week. Robinson was voted the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week.

A loud boom Thursday evening in the McHenry that some say shook their homes prompted hundreds to take to social media for answers. But so far they have materialized.

Five people were injured in a two-vehicle crash Sunday morning near Marengo that caused a car to crash into a ditch, officials report.

McHenry will get feedback from business owners and work on signs to help direct people to available parking.

Next summer, area residents and visitors will be able to gather for a new festival in Algonquin following the end of Founders Days.

The Huntley Red Raiders Fastpitch travel softball program has opened a new indoor facility. In the past the organization rented space wherever available; now it's got a home to all its own.

A selection of the top feature photos in the Northwest Herald in 2025, by Shaw Local photographers.

Maine South held on for a 48-46 triumph over Huntley on Saturday to advance to Monday’s Komaromy Classic semifinals at Dundee-Crown High School. The Red Raiders will play in the fifth/seventh place bracket.

Luke Robinson scored a game-high 22 points, and clutch free throws by Will and Dane Gardner helped lift Richmond-Burton to a 51-42 victory over Crystal Lake Central in the championship game of Marengo's E.C. Nichols Holiday Classic on Saturday.

A distillery and bar in Cary known for its unique spirit options has permanently closed after co-owners lock horns in years-long legal battles.

Woodstock School District 200 is slated to lower its property tax levy this year, citing in part the use of fund balances to make debt payments.

Donna Rasmussen, one of the Northwest Herald's 2025 Women of Distinction honorees, overcame a challenging childhood. Now she's head of a consumer credit counseling service, mentor and inspiration.

Cooper Mellican scored 28 points as St. Charles North defeated Woodstock on Friday at the Elgin Holiday Tournament.

Cary-Grove hit 10 3-pointers, including two by shutdown defender Brandon Freund, and beat Larkin 81-39 in Friday's fifth-place game in the championship bracket of Jacobs’ Hinkle Holiday Classic.

Josh Kaunas scored 21 points, and Trey Toussaint and Jayce Schmitt earned all-tournament honors as Johnsburg won Jacobs' Hinkle Holiday Classic consolation championship. McHenry advanced to the consolation final at the Elgin Holiday Tournament, and more in Friday's roundup.

Crystal Lake South junior Carson Trivellini set a career-high with 32 points as the Gators outlasted Lakes 91-77 on Friday and finished the Jacobs' Hinkle Holiday Classic with a 3-1 record.

Woodstock residents will be seeing an increase next year in the portion of their tax bills that goes to the city.

Crystal Lake-based Community High School District 155 is planning to break ground on the multi-million football stadium renovations for Prairie Ridge High School early next year.

John Clauson was adopted and never knew about his biological family. But after searching for years, he learned the identity of his birth father - and would reconnect with the eight children his father later had.

Shaw Local photographers across northern Illinois captured some amazing moments this year, including the excitement and drama of high school sports, the hometown pride of a summer festival, and the reality of the news events that shaped our communities. Together, these images preserve not just what happened in 2025, but how it felt to live in the towns and neighborhoods we call home.

Cary Park District continues annual tradition of Holiday Party in a Bag for the sixth year to bring hot food and festive gifts to seniors in the area.

Woodstock is the latest McHenry County town to mull adding a special tax for self-storage units, which generally don't generate the kind of property or sales taxes of other types of commercial ventures.

Jeeps on the Run delivered an estimated $130,000 in toys and $60,000 in cash for the US Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots programs in Lake and McHenry counties – despite an overnight snowstorm the day of the event.

Heading into the Christmas holiday, flu activity remained at “high” levels in McHenry County.

McHenry County College’s Nursing Program was recently named the top nursing school in Illinois for 2026 by registerednursing.org.

Elton Rohn will perform at Raue Center for the Arts Dec. 27, while American English will perform Dec. 31.

A Rockford man sought by Harvard police since September is in custody amid allegations that he shoved a pistol into a teen’s torso during an argument at a Taco Bell.

The Jeeps on the Run crowd delivered once again this year, with an estimated $130,000 worth of toys and $60,000 in cash collected for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots programs in Lake and McHenry counties.

After what Mayor Mike Turner described as having “a couple false starts” going back to 2008, Woodstock is working to redevelop the Die Cast site downtown.

The Village of Cary is building a new 1,300-foot deep well and water treatment facility at the Cary Lake in Rotary Park.

The new Erne’s Restaurant & Bar inside Pickle Haus in Algonquin is described as “polished casual” with an updated menu and atmosphere. Operators hope it will bring people in to dine, not just play pickleball.

The Wirtz legacy of dressing McHenry residents comes to an end on Dec. 30, when Tony and Laurie Wirtz retire, closing the tailor shop Tony has ran for 36 years.

Vickie's Place on the Fox River in McHenry is closing Sunday after 40 years. But a new owner already has plans to reopen. Find out who is it.

Jacobs junior guard Elijah Bell scored his 1,000th career point, but Grayslake Central used a big second half to beat the Golden Eagles 60-45 on Day 3 of Jacobs' Hinkle Holiday Classic on Tuesday in Algonquin.

Three congressional candidates vying to serve different parts of the Northwest or West suburbs will find out early next month if they’ll appear on March 2026 primary ballots or be booted.

An Indiana man accused of sexually assaulting a Huntley woman while she slept in 2022 has been taken into custody and detained pretrial in McHenry County jail.

McHenry County voters who want to cast a ballot in the March 17 primary can now ask for a vote-by-mail ballot.

Woodlands in northwestern McHenry County, spanning 55 acres and containing trees believed to be up to 400 year old, are now permanently protected under the McHenry County Conservation District.

Jayden Wright scored 16 points, including 4 of his team's 13 3-pointers, and Benet beat Crystal Lake South 66-30 in the Day 2 finale of Jacobs' Hinkle Holiday Classic on Monday night in Algonquin.

Naperville North made 13 of 17 shots from 3-point range to beat Cary-Grove 65-48 on Day 2 of Jacobs' Hinkle Holiday Classic on Tuesday, snapping the Trojans' eight-game winning streak.