Woodstock

Woodstock wants a vacant property downtown and plans to use eminent domain to acquire it.

Former McHenry County Board member Lou Ness is running as a write-in candidate for Woodstock City Council.

Jeffrey Hauck, imprisoned for the fatal overdose of Stephanie Phillippi in Crystal Lake, was paroled in December and found dead Jan. 30.

With the film having been made in Woodstock, it’s understandable that Theatre 121 doggedly – or should we say groundhoggedly – pursued the rights to produce the musical.

The Cherry Tree in, where Bill Murray's character stayed in "Groundhog Day" the film, has a wait list of several years to stay at the inn during the festivities.

Woodstock city officials are mulling whether to use eminent domain to force the sale of a vacant property downtown to the city to be used for parking.

Woodstock Willie doe not see his shadow when he emerged on Woodstock Square early Sunday, meaning an early spring according to Groundhog Day lore.

A look back at some of Northwest Herald photojournalist Gregory Shaver's favorite pictures in the Northwest Herald from January 2025.

"Groundhog Day" movie inspires fashion

The new woodstock willie

Woodstock Willie makes his prognostication Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, during Woodstock's annual Groundhog Day event on the Woodstock Square.

The weather is expected to be relatively balmy but somewhat windy for Woodstock Willie's big Groundhog Day reveal Sunday. This year's festivities include the local debut of the musical take on the locally shot film.

Hundreds of people lined up outside a bookstore in the Woodstock Square Saturday afternoon with hopes to meet with actor and “Groundhog Day” star Stephen Tobolowsky.

A Woodstock man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison in a plea deal after he was charged with drugging and sexually assaulting a child.

Woodstock Willie appeared – both in mascot and in animal form – in the rodent’s namesake city Thursday evening to commence the Groundhog Day festivities.

In McHenry County, federal money has been used in far-reaching ways, helping fund roadwork, health care programs, nonprofit programs for those in need, specialty courts, workforce housing and much more.

Shop Valentine’s Day gifts in Huntley and take in the Groundhog Day festivities in Woodstock.

Here's a listing of the best live music venues in Kane, McHenry and DeKalb counties and the Illinois Valley, as voted on by Shaw Media audiences.

Escape rooms are perfect for date nights, family outings, team building adventures and more. Check out this list of locations across northern Illinois.

Doug "Dougie" Webster was killed Nov. 12 in a Woodstock apartment building fire. He was a prolific artist and student at McHenry County College, which now has a retrospective of his work on exhibit.

Huntley is planning to have its brick-and-mortar retail business incubator program up and running in time for the holiday shopping season.

Outtakes from recent assignments from the Northwest Herald for Jan. 26, 2025.

A Woodstock man remained jailed Sunday after being arrested Thursday with more than 4 ounces of methamphetamine, a loaded automatic machine gun and body armor on him.

A warrant was issued Thursday for a man accused of breaking into a Woodstock apartment, stealing $300 and threatening a resident with a gun, according to McHenry County court records.

Woodstock is getting closer to getting a Metra rail yard that would be moved from Crystal Lake. Officials say the change would benefit both towns and Metra UP-Northwest riders.

The teen driver of involved in an October crash near Woodstock that killed him and two others tested positive for marijuana, according to toxicology reports released by the McHenry County Coroner Michael Rein.

Learn about storm chasing in Woodstock and shop sales in Crystal Lake this weekend in McHenry County.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office has issued warrants for two Waukegan men who are charged with stealing “hundreds” of vases from gravestones in September in McHenry and Lake counties, officials report.

A brush fire that broke out Wednesday morning on a Bull Valley property was extinguished within 30 minutes, officials report.

A male driver suffers serious injuries from a crash that resulted in a car going off the road Wednesday afternoon near Woodstock, officials report.

A 19-year-old Wisconsin man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in a plea deal after he was charged as a minor with armed robbery of a gas station in Woodstock.

The Woodstock Opera House will host an evening with meteorologist Reed Timmer at 7:30 pm. Friday, Jan. 24.

Woodstock's Groundhog Days is coming up, and there are souvenirs ready to snag from local retailers.

Here's a look at just a few of the items for sale in Woodstock to commemorate and celebrate Groundhog Days festivities.

Property transfers in McHenry County for the week of Dec. 30, 2024.

McHenry County's annual Point in Time count, held Thursday night into Friday morning, counts the number of homeless residents found on one night

When Gail Gilbert's new puppy suddenly stopped being able to use its legs normally, she was told to euthanize the animal. Her refusal led her to make a feature-length documentary called "Puppy Love." Upcoming screenings will benefit Helping Paws animal shelter in Woodstock.

The driver of a UTV that crashed near Hebron in August was nearly three times the legal limit for alcohol, according to toxicology reports. He and another Woodstock man were killed

Getting a solar farm at Woodstock North High School has proven to "frustrating," a school official said. It's experienced several setbacks.

Stay warm inside with RC racing in Johnsburg and a winter carnival in Crystal Lake this weekend in McHenry County.

A Prairie Grove man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison in two plea deals after he was charged with possessing over 11 pounds of marijuana and images of children being sexually abused.

Visitors to the Woodstock Public Library can help chip away at an 18,000-piece puzzle, and maybe even win it in the end.

A Woodstock man has been sentenced to eight years in prison in a plea deal after he was charged for possessing with intent to deliver over 12 ounces of cocaine.

Over a year ago, Woodstock District 200 approved a solar farm. The district is now considering whether to keep going with the project.

Five people, including an infant, were taken to area hospitals following a crash Saturday evening in Woodstock, but all were reported to have minor injuries.

State seizes an estimated $1 million in cash and property in 2022 drug bust and money laundering case

Embrace the cold during a candlelight hike or stay warm inside for a bubble show this weekend in McHenry County.

Test your knowledge at one of these northern Illinois bar trivia nights.

Here are the properties that changed hands in McHenry County during the week of Nov. 7-15, 2024.

Friends of the Woodstock Opera House is sponsoring a production of “Treasure Island” for children for the 13th year.