A Harvard man was denied pretrial release Monday after he was accused of strangling a woman until she passed out.

Cary successfully passed a balanced budget Tuesday, but not without some major changes from the draft presented last month, including an updated budget for renovations for a downtown alley that increased by over $500,000.

Recently hatched bald eagles have been spotted around the Chicago area, including at Fermilab grounds in Batavia.

The McHenry County Department of Health has reopened its Crystal Lake facility after about a year of renovations.

Cats and birds were among the pets that were missing following a house fire outside McHenry in an area without hydrants.

Woodstock sophomore Megan Kuiper struck out 38 batters in her first 14 1/3 innings of the season, including 20 in a near no-hitter against Round Lake. Kuiper is the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week in an online vote.

A level 3 severe risk is now in place, with the strongest storms likely on Tuesday afternoon into the evening

Top senior players from across the McHenry County area participate in the All-Star Basketball Extravaganza on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at Alden-Hebron High School in Hebron.

Top senior players from across the McHenry County area participate in the All-Star Basketball Extravaganza on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at Alden-Hebron High School in Hebron.

A man already on the sex offender registry is accused of luring a child from Harvard to Wisconsin and sexually assaulting the child, authorities said.

Plans for a five-story building with commercial space and nearly 100 apartments for Fox River Grove's Block B got the nod from the local planning board. The Village Board has final say.

The city of McHenry has formalized its agreement with Jett's RISE Up Foundation for operations of Miller Point Park ice rink.

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.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness McHenry County’s upcoming annual gala has a new name and venue this year.

Friends since middle school, two McHenry County women have started Here for the Plot, a mobile bookshop that is making appearances at farmers markets, craft fairs and other events.

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 5-11

A single-family home in Richmond that sold for $787,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in McHenry County during the past week

Before Johnsburg Village Board members agree to a tax incentive for the proposed Hidden Harbor development, they want more information on how the plan could benefit the village.

The McHenry Golf Club - known as the McHenry Country Club for more than 100 years – annexed into McHenry at owner's request.

The massive Brake Parts Inc. property in McHenry has seen interest from buyers, according to the city's economic development director.

The Nunda Rural Fire Protection District responded to a two-vehicle crash Friday in which one burst into flames.

West Dundee police are urging teens to think twice about playing the popular “senior assassins” game after a participant scared people and caused a school lockdown this week.

McHenry is eyeing 232 acres of unincorporated land on the west side of Route 31 and south of Veterans Parkway for future annexation and development.

A multimillion-dollar state grant will put Marengo closer to the I-90 exchange and future growth.

A School District 300 elementary school teacher is facing six felony battery charges after authorities said he got into a physical altercation outside a Crystal Lake bar.

Step into the spotlight for an evening inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood at the 2026 McConnell Ball Saturday in Richmond.

A Richmond man on pretrial release in two Wisconsin DUI cases is accused of illegally possessing stolen guns, ammunition and 50 package of firecrackers in Lake in the Hills, according to authorities.

A McHenry resident is left without a home after a fire that started in a detached garage spread to the home and two other structures early Thursday morning, officials report.

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.

Storms may drop over an inch of rain across northern Illinois overnight, raising rivers and increasing flooding concerns by Friday morning.

Country music band Parmalee will perform at The Vixen McHenry Thursday, April 9.

Metra will be undertaking a wide scope of projects this year, including improvements to 20 stations, replacement of 22 grade crossings, and three major tie replacement projects.

Bill Foster talked about the Iran war, immigration and whether President Trump should be removed during a Crystal Lake town hall meeting Wednesday evening.

The Crystal Lake McDonald’s is getting a fresh start with a brand-new building and a reconfigured site to improve traffic.

Troy, the Marengo-area horse that was swept into floodwaters on Friday night and saved during an hours-long operation on Saturday, is home.

Lake in the Hills officials have formally opposed pending state legislation that would limit their ability to regulate issues like parking minimums and accessory dwelling units.

The Village of Algonquin is looking to demolish a 99-year-old building in the downtown area over concerns about the building’s structural integrity.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources put the restriction in place Monday night.

McHenry County has a system that will alert you if someone files a deed on your house. The program has been enhanced to also alert law enforcement.

Salvation Army of McHenry County's new and improved emergency vehicle canteen provides food and drinks to those affected by and responding to local disasters.

Some Lake in the Hills officials expressed skepticism about a proposed car wash in town.

The traffic lights at an intersection in Lake in the Hills were out for a time Tuesday, Lake in the Hills police said.

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.

People can soon have a look around inside the new Lake in the Hills police station, which opened over the winter. An open house will coincide with the rededication of the relocated Veterans Memorial.

As Shaw Media celebrates its 175th anniversary, we looked back at four front pages from April 6, including a look at the growth of small-town villages in McHenry County from 1997

Fire crews, an equine veterinarian and sheriff's deputies all assisted in a tricky effort to rescue a horse from floodwaters near Marengo.

Kathleen Narusis rose up the ranks at Home State Bank in Crystal Lake at a time when it less common for women to get such opportunities. She's one of the Northwest Herald's Women of Distinction recipients.

Rain totals varied Friday and Saturday across northern Illinois.

An Illinois Department of Transportation worker was injured after a driver crashed into an IDOT truck while crews worked on storm damage along Route 120 Friday morning near McHenry.

Sgt. David Gudgeon is a McHenry High graduate who earned Eagle Scout and now is one of just two drill sergeants in U.S. Space Force, the nation's newest military wing.