Step through the door at Basil Tree and time quietly rearranges itself. Inside one of Dixon’s oldest buildings, familiarity meets flexibility, from candlelit tables to hundreds of pasta possibilities, all built around making people feel at home.

Once an aging farm, an Oregon wedding venue is now a lovingly restored getaway where a mother-and-daughter team shape wedding weekends through antiques, photo nooks, heartfelt management and a devotion to making magic happen.

From fleeting emotions to unscripted moments, Callie Shrimplin captures the rhythm of a wedding day while reshaping her own future in photography and film.

A Dixon man brings calm, ceremony and Percheron horses to make wedding days unforgettable with each trot and clack on the Mane Street pavement.

Spray tan business owner Caitlin O'Connor has studios in Dixon and Polo, and has become part of wedding mornings – helping brides feel comfortable, natural and camera-ready for their big day before they ever step into their dresses.

For nearly 30 years, ye olde Red Knight Pub in Stockton has rolled out a welcome mat that gives people the Red-carpet treatment, with friends and hospitality from people on both sides of the bar.

Amboy’s own little Cookie Jar blends creativity, comfort and a sense of fun in every batch its owner bakes, proving dessert can be playful and welcoming, with just the right amount of over-the-top.

Playing at professional baseball's highest level was a feat achieved by five people born in Lee County: Lou Bevilacqua of Nelson, George Bristow of Paw Paw, Betty Degner of Amboy, Leroy Herrmann of Steward and Frank Shaughnessy of Amboy.

Local students discover how communication and confidence can shape their future through Whiteside Area Career Center’s CEO program. Eastland H.S. students Brecken Hayden and Wyatt Carroll talked with Shaw Media’s Lake Lifestyle (Lake Carroll) magazine about their experiences.

From breezy afternoon games to tournament wins and travel-ready paddles, more people are embracing the growing sport of pickleball – whose quick learning curve and social energy keep drawing more players to the net. There are many places to play throughout northwest Illinois.

Looking to unplug and enjoy some time with friends and family? Game shops can bring a lot to the table, whether you like to roll with the roles, practice your skills and perfect your strategy, or go on an epic quest.

A Lanark florist who sees the world through Rosemary-colored glasses loves to help people find just the right flowers for any occasions, from roses of red to violets of blue.

From chopping wood then to tapping a remote now, today’s gas fireplaces are changing how families warm their homes with more efficiency. Shaw Media's Lake Lifestyle magazine (Lake Carroll) interviews Jay Doyle at Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning about what makes them great.

The former schoolhouse in the tiny southwest Stephenson County town of Loran finds new life as the Slurp 'n Burp – serving hearty plates, cold pints and community spirit much larger than the small burg itself, keeping stories and beer flowing.

Want to see some life entertainment in the Sauk Valley? All it takes is a ticket and trip to a theater where history and headliners share equal billing. Shaw Local catches up with The Dixon Historic Theater executive director Spencer Aurand to preview the Spring 2026 season.

At Nomia Meadows Farm in Franklin Grove, John and Lisa Ayers tend to bees, apples and 110 acres of native ground, welcoming visitors into the full-circle quiet of their prairie sanctuary.

150 years on, a small Lee County village still finds its strength in the neighbors who never stopped looking out for one another. As Compton celebrates its sesquicentennial, its people remind each other what truly endures in their small town.

A focus on service and community is a driving force at Carquest’s store in Dixon, where the owner of the family business and his team are building on decades of experience by focusing on relationships and reliability.

A Freeport music shop is a go-to spot for instruments and inspiration. Whether you’re plucking your first pick or cutting a record, the store keeps the music playing.

Tradition meets innovation at a Forreston business as custom cabinetry becomes a deeply personal experience. From kitchen drawers to Navy installations, Danlee Wood Products blends craftsmanship, comfort and function with made-to-fit pieces.

In the course of playing a game they love, the members of Timber Creek’s Lincoln Highway golf team do more than just become champions – they become friends.

Fishing is in Mike Schafer's blood. The second-generation Fulton business owner has grown his fishery into a worldwide market with most of its catch coming from the mighty river he grew up near.

Coloma Township Park District has a lot to celebrate this year: A century of history in its green spaces and places, people passionate about supporting parks, a Village with lots of stories to tell, and much more … including a big fiberglass chicken.

Having some cents of Ogle County history: Centennial, quasquicentennial, sesquicentennial, dosquicentennial … Ogle County can observe them all this year, from the anniversary of driving through a cut up rock to blazing trails and rails.

Creativity is a longtime hobby for many people in Morrison, and throughout Whiteside County, and a downtown art gallery spreads the word about local talent with a mission to inspire and evoke.

A Dixon-born singer has found her happy place in country music. She’s striking a chord with her fans, too, with songs of independence and inspiration that have found a home in charts and hearts.

Sam Tucibat transforms scenes of nature into works of unique photography art through digital composition, blending it into imagination of striking images that reimagine the area.

Seasoned performers are getting in on the act in Dixon, where seniors' talents are getting an encore performance, thanks to a new theater group.

At the corner of a street of Clay and a street of brick in Mount Carroll stands a place that bridges the past and present, a historical hotel where guests can relax and revisit a simpler time.

Collecting and selling sports cards and memorabilia has been a successful business for a Davis Junction resident who has earned a national following for finding unique sports treasures, and helping others sell them for loads of money.

Kaelyn Carstens is only 13, but she has quite the imagination to start a small business. Her colorful crochet designs have been a frequent sight at local farmers markets, and it’s been quite a learning experience for her as well.

Lake Carroll's annual Mr. and Mrs. Club Championship brings out the best in teamwork to come out on top, and there's a strong bond among the teammates – they're spouses.

Sometimes a trip off the beaten path can give people more things to learn and talk about. Take a drive from Mount Carroll to Scales Mound, and there's something for everyone.

Cameras roll, meters hum, a Savanna family hunts for what the living cannot see. Armed with ghost-hunting gear, 2 a.m. Paranormal in Savanna searches for stories the living can’t explain.

Royally hand-in-hand: A pair of Stillman Valley businesses under one roof sought to bring back memories of generations ago: one with the name of a longtime grocery store chain, and another with Grandma's beef jerky recipe.

Drag racing and Arnie Beswick were born around the same time – one on the dry lake beds of California and the other in Morrison – and they’ve both found fame through the years, with drag racing attracting legions of fans and “The Farmer” becoming a legend in his field.

A Mount Carroll craftsman is happy when he’s in his own neck of the woods, having the run of his Mill and creating hand-crafted pieces made with tools that have some history behind them and more work ahead of them.

Melinda Jones has a message for people – My hometown Rocks! – and the city’s tourism director and her team are committed to getting that message out to people near and far.

What was once a beacon to Sterling's founding Brink now is reminder of local church history and a helping hand to the community he started, and its pastor and congregation are carrying on traditions more than 185 years later.

The menu at a downtown Dixon restaurant has customers seeing green, as well as many vegetable and fruit colors to consider in a more healthier offering.

From multi-state marathons to races close to home, a Lake Carroll runner brings a lifetime of endurance and passion to others at Mount Carroll's Davis Community Center, helping them get healthier, stay active and build connections through fitness.

The preservation of natural areas has become a winning mission in Winnebago County, where there are more than 40 places to get away and enjoy the flora and fauna thrive – in forests, wetlands and along the county's winding rivers.

To B or not to B – that was a question that Blair McCafrey's fans of his cooking often asked about starting his own restaurant one day, and the Amboy native made it happen with Uncle B's Bar and Grill, serving up its own styles of food and fun.

After years in their careers, a husband and wife decided it was time to wear different hats, as owners of an antique shop in Mount Carroll, where they’ve been glad to be Mad for over 25 years

Expanding the classic car community throughout northwest Illinois is a passion of a Lake Carroll couple who moved their auto sales business from Oswego to Freeport.

Taking care of their community isn't just a job for a Rock Falls couple, but a passion that goes beyond that: making sure hungry bellies are full during the holidays and giving teenagers a chance to explore their hands-on skills.

A Morrison couple loves living a life of Adventures, hauling their home away from home on highways and byways, and sharing their journeys with kindred wandering spirits.

It doesn't happen often when competing in sports gives kids an experience of earning a medal in national competition, but Dixon's Lily Haws has one in the sport she enjoys playing. The 13-year-old recently brought home silver from a national curling competition.

A father and child reunion is only an ocean away for a pair of Prophetstown natives who love getting together to make music

Esports is changing the game of extracurriculars at local high schools, as is Eastland High School's program in Lanark. They're not just playing games, but learning about teamwork, perseverance and strategies.