In the fall, natural areas often become dumping spots for yard waste, pumpkins, straw, and other organic decorations. Many think that a thrown-away pumpkin will break down and disappear. Not exactly.

"For my parents, fire drills were safety practice. For us, lockdowns are survival training. We’ve grown up expecting the sound we’ve only heard on TV," Tyler Barrus of Huntley writes in a letter to the editor.

Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and kicker Cairo Santos will all be active and play against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.

Check out these award-winning pizza places in Kane, Kendall and McHenry counties, as well as the Sauk Valley and Illinois Valley, to celebrate National Pizza Month during October.

"Like many others from McHenry County, I participated in a Oct. 18th No Kings Rally, exercising my right to peacefully protest actions of the current administration," Joan Davis of Huntley writes in a letter to the editor.

Here are the first round pairings for the IHSA playoffs.

A man working on the roof of a home under construction near Huntley was taken to the hospital after injuring his leg and being rescued by fire district personnel.

Harvard boys soccer won its third straight regional, Marian Central's Jenna Remke and Julie Lukey bowed out of the Class 1A state girls tennis tournament, boys and girls cross country regional results and more in Saturday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Check here for live updates and changes to Steve Soucie's IHSA football playoff projection for all eight classes.

The Chicago Bears placed cornerback Kyler Gordon and left tackle Braxton Jones on injured reserve Saturday in a string of moves before their game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

"Did anyone notice just how unruly the No Kings rally on Rt. 31 in McHenry was Oct. 18th? Oh, wait, the only police action was pulling over a vehicle backfiring exhaust along Rt. 31 in the faces of peaceful rally-goers," Carl Hurtig of McHenry writes in a letter to the editor.

Each year from 2017 to 2019, an estimated average of 9,200 fires were reported to fire departments in the U.S. over a three-day period around Halloween, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

"Northwest Herald, if you want to be relevant again, if you want people to have a reason to buy your paper, start reporting on issues that are important," Steve Willson of Huntley writes in a letter to the editor.

Chicago Bears rookie tight end Colston Loveland hasn't had the start many expected from this year's first-round pick. Here's why the Bears are confident in Loveland heading into Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Sam Vandello threw three touchdowns for Marengo in a 46-27 win over Sandwich, plus KRC victories for Johnsburg and Richmond-Burton in the Week 9 McHenry County roundup.

Prairie Ridge completed a perfect regular season with a 54-26 Fox Valley Conference win over Crystal Lake South on Friday night, wrapping up the 10-team conference title.

Logan Abrams rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns, and Cary-Grove's football team featured three 100-yard rushers in its 44-29 win over host Jacobs on Friday night in the Fox Valley Conference teams' regular-season finale.

Huntley sophomore Chase Hojnacki scored five touchdowns as the Red Raiders defeated Hampshire 42-25 in Fox Valley Conference action Friday night for their fifth win of the season.

Ethan Dietmeyer ran for 111 yards and a touchdown as McHenry ended the season with a 20-14 Fox Valley Conference win against Crystal Lake Central on Friday night.

Burlington Central finished the regular season with a 42-6 Fox Valley Conference win against Dundee-Crown on Friday night, getting three touchdown passes from Landon Arnold.

Woodstock faces Woodstock North in a Kishwaukee River Conference football game on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, at Woodstock North High School.

St. Charles North scored twice in the final 15 minutes to force overtime, and the North Stars went ahead for good on a Jacob Piper goal to beat Huntley 4-2 and win the Class 3A Huntley Regional championship.

Cary-Grove faces Jacobs in a Fox Valley Conference football game on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, at Jacobs High School, in Algonquin.

From Capitol News Illinois: Nicor Gas and Ameren Illinois customers will likely see a rate increase on their bills next year, pending a final decision from state regulators in the coming weeks.

A Florida man is accused of exposing himself to a child in a Fox River Grove park and urinating on the floor of the police station.

The Chicago Bears will try to win their fifth straight game when they travel to play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Here are the top five storylines to watch.

The Chicago Bears will be without three starters Sunday when they play the Baltimore Ravens. Cornerbacks Kyler Gordon and Tyrique Stevenson were both ruled out for Sunday’s game along with tight end Cole Kmet.

A man with a past violent conviction was detained after he was accused of starting a vehicle fire near Harvard and wielding a butcher knife when authorities arrived, a prosecutor said Thursday.

Police activity in Huntley Thursday related to authorities serving a search warrant in the Talamore , which led to an arrest on child sex abuse materials charges, authorities said.

The Chicago Bears will try to win their fifth straight game when they travel to play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday afternoon. Shaw Local's Michal Dwojak and Joe Aguilar give the latest news from Halas Hall and preview Sunday's game

On Oct. 25, 1995, a school bus was hit by a Metra express train in the heart of Fox River Grove, killing seven Cary-Grove High School students, injuring many more and prompting big changes in rail safety across the country.

In addition to his acclaimed acting career, Daniels is also a celebrated singer-songwriter.

Versatile Trey Maziarz, who kicks for Richmond-Burton's undefeated football team, had two assists to help the Rockets' soccer team beat Chicago Math and Science Academy 3-0 Thursday night in the Class 1A Richmond-Burton Regional final.

Marian Central's Jenna Remke and Julia Lukey and Huntley's Ainura Baidylaeva and Gulnura Baidylaeva are still playing after the first day of the state girls tennis tournament, plus volleyball scores and more in Thursday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Hampshire beat Huntley 25-18, 22-25, 26-24 on Thursday night to capture the program's first Fox Valley Conference championship. "We're never settling for anything less."

An Arizona woman who traveled to McHenry County with her son – smuggling 120,000 fentanyl pills as alleged carriers for a Mexican cartel – was sentenced Thursday to 17 years in prison.

The Chicago Bears got some good injury news Thursday. Starters wide receiver DJ Moore (hip) and running back D’Andre Swift (groin) both returned in limited fashion after missing Wednesday’s practice.

A man is believed to have suffered a medical emergency when he crashed into an Algonquin home and suffered injuries Wednesday afternoon, officials say.

From Capitol News Illinois: The commission will investigate actions by federal officials, including the fatal shooting of unarmed father and Mexican immigrant Silverio Villegas González by an ICE officer after dropping off his two young sons at school and daycare

Chicago Bears coordinators and assistant coaches met with reporters Thursday at Halas Hall in Lake Forest as the team continued to get ready for the Baltimore Ravens. Here are three of the most interesting things the Bears said Thursday.

The U.S. House race that’s shaping up to be the most crowded contest on Chicago-area primary ballots next March also could be Illinois’ costliest congressional clash.

Installation is underway on "Whorled," by local Artist Bobby Joe Scribner at the Lake Avenue/South Street/Madison Street roundabout.

McHenry County officials still are looking for ways to cut expenses and increase revenue as the County Board gets ready to vote on next year’s budget and a proposed property tax levy increase.

Enjoy trick-or-treating in McHenry and Crystal Lake, while the McHenry County Historical Society & Museum presents 'Murder and Mayhem: The Stories of Historic Murders in McHenry County" on Friday.

Hear the timeless music of The Beatles, Wings and Paul McCartney during this tribute concert on Friday, Oct. 24.

Huntley police are investigating a “local matter” in the Talamore subdivision and said no federal agencies are involved.

Woodstock’s Theatre 121 will produce the world premiere of the script, “It’s a Wonderful Christmas Carol” for several shows in November at the Woodstock Opera House.

The Woodstock Opera House will show the film at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25.

American Nightmare Scream Park, located next to Richardson Adventure Farm, has five themed haunted attractions in the cornfields.

The restaurant features a menu of small plates, shareables, pizzas and entrees, with most of the hot food prepared in a wood-fired oven. They favor clean, seasonal ingredients.