The Friends of the Fox River is urging community members to join their efforts to prevent the U.S. EPA from ending protections for millions of acres of wetlands and miles of streams. It all comes down to what's defined as "Waters of the United States."

A Woodstock woman has been accused of arson in a fire that broke out at the local Walmart on New Year’s Eve.

Charges have been upgraded to aggravated arson against a 21-year-old woman who is accused of intentionally setting a fire in Walmart in Woodstock.

The Richmond Township supervisor and clerk, who were elected, as well as the office manager, all resigned on the same day.

A man “maliciously attacked” a woman in a gas station in Woodstock and said he intended to kill her, police said.

Cary-Grove basketball twins Adam and Brady Bauer have been joined by their younger brother Evan this season. The Bauer trio has helped the Trojans put together an 11-2 record, including 4-0 in the Fox Valley Conference. Plus, more in the Northwest Herald boys basketball notebook.

Saying he wants to “step back and reflect on my candidacy,” Democrat Bruce Leon has announced he’s suspending his congressional campaign in the largely suburban 9th District.

Crystal Lake police have arrested a man who they say was drunk while driving a damaged Cadillac and possessing a stolen pistol, a scale and box coated with cocaine.

A DUI charge has been filed in a New Year’s Day car crash into a home in Johnsburg that injured two people, according to Johnsburg police.

A driver was killed in a single-vehicle crash near Harvard Wednesday, authorities said.

Demolition has begun on Crystal Lake's Academy Building, one of the oldest structures in town. Preservationists' efforts to save it were unsuccessful, but they were able to document the building before its demise.

A baby born into a Crystal Lake family on Thursday was the first baby born in 2026 at Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin

A home was left uninhabitable after a fire in the Marengo area late on New Year’s Eve

Visit Moraine Hills near McHenry or one of the area's additional state parks for a First Day Hike on Jan. 1.

A fire Wednesday evening at Walmart in Woodstock prompted the store to be evacuated and to remain closed for the evening.

A two-story house in Cary and its contents were deemed a total loss in a Wednesday fire that caused partial collapse to the structure. A pet remained missing.

There were no injuries reported, but the Cary home and its contents are considered a “complete loss,” and a dog remained missing as of early Thursday

As Shaw Media celebrates its 175th anniversary, we looked back at our New Year’s Day archives across three different centuries. These front pages serve as a time capsule, capturing the unique concerns and celebrations of our communities from 1890 to 2010

From the deaths of prominent citizens to the far-reaching impacts of the first year of President Trump's second term, here is a look at some of the biggest stories that happened in the McHenry County area in 2025.

Food Shed Co-op in Woodstock opened in 2024 after a decade in the making. But a year and a half later, it's at risk of closing its doors.

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.

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

Huntley's Aubrina Adamik and Luca Garlin earned all-tournament honors, and the Red Raiders held off a record-setting game by Mundelein's Casey Vyverman for a 59-45 win in the seventh-place game at the Komaromy Classic on Tuesday.

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.

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.