Thousands greet procession returning Marine Capt. McHone to Crystal Lake

UPDATED: 2:34 p.m.
Friday afternoon update: ... Read More »

Judge orders county to pay $288K to special prosecutors

WOODSTOCK – The legal wrangling over how much McHenry County still owes the special prosecution team that pursued corruption charges against county State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi likely will drag on for a considerable time. ... Read More »

Romney, Gingrich focus on Hispanic voters in Fla.

UPDATED: 2:34 p.m.
DORAL, Fla. (AP) – Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney pitched their ideas for reforming immigration law and pushing democracy into Cuba and across Latin America as the Republican ... Read More »

Local News

State witness: Defendant said 'Things got out of hand.'

WOODSTOCK – The trial of a man accused of murdering a Johnsburg teen in 2002 could end as soon as Monday. Prosecutors said they have one witness left in the case against Mario ... Read More »

Island Lake plans 
daddy-daughter dance

ISLAND LAKE – The Parks and Recreation Department will host its annual Daddy-Daughter Dance on Feb. 4. Admission is $35 a couple and $10 for each additional child. Advance reg ... Read More »

State News

Bond reduced for father in duct tape photo case

NEW: 2:39 p.m.
CHICAGO (AP) – A Cook County judge has reduced bond for a Chicago man accused of binding his young daughter with tape and posting a picture on Facebook. Judge Lawrence Flood o ... Read More »

Police: Driver dies after collapsing in custody

GRANITE CITY (AP) – Illinois State Police investigators are trying to figure out what happened to a man who died five days after collapsing in police custody in his southweste ... Read More »

Nation & World

Suicide bomber kills 33 at Shiite funeral in Iraq

NEW: 2:37 p.m.
BAGHDAD (AP) – A suicide car bomber struck a Shiite funeral procession Friday, killing 33 people as suspected al-Qaida militants stepped up apparent efforts to provoke a count ... Read More »

Cruise ship victims mull $14,460 compensation deal

NEW: 2:36 p.m.
ROME (AP) – How much is it worth to suffer through a terrifying cruise ship grounding? Italian ship operator Costa Crociere SpA on Friday put the figure at €11,000 ($14,460) p ... Read More »

Prep Sports

Towers of power

McHENRY – With three 6-foot girls in the rotation, McHenry is one of the taller teams in the area. ... Read More »

Chicago Sports

Chara opens draft by picking Datsyuk

GATINEAU, Quebec – Daniel Alfredsson stuck close to home – both his native Sweden and his adopted home of Ottawa – in making his selections in the NHL All-Star draft on Thursd ... Read More »

Bulls eager to bounce back

CHICAGO – Almost any other team would have shrugged off a narrow loss. In the course of an NBA season – even with a condensed 66-game schedule – no team is going to be flawles ... Read More »

Pros & Colleges

Eddie Curry, comeback kid

MIAMI – Over the past month, Eddy Curry has toned his body and toned down the rhetoric. When he signed with the Miami Heat, Curry made no secret that games against one opponen ... Read More »

Business

Suran brothers branch out into downtown showroom

CRYSTAL LAKE – For more than a decade, Andy and Kamil Suran worked to make area homes a little brighter, a little newer, a little more comfortable. ... Read More »

Opinion

Wyss: Will creepy find be enduring mystery?

Ah, the mystery of it all. Just where did the two human skulls that stirred a minor frenzy in Bull Valley this week come from, anyway? To whose bodies did they once attach? Fo ... Read More »

Our view: Allow cameras in courtrooms

In this space in September 2010, we called on then-soon-to-be Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride to bring a pilot project to the state that allowed unobtrusi ... Read More »

Letters to the Editor

End abortion

To the Editor: In response to “Protect the unborn,” (It’s Your Write, Jan. 20), I totally agree that we need to end abortion. Many churches tolled their bells at noon Jan. 23 ... Read More »

Raise cigarette tax

To the Editor: Today, the American Lung Association in Illinois released its 10th annual State of Tobacco Control report. The report card format grades states on key tobacco c ... Read More »

Daily Dish

Sajak: Vanna and I drank between 'Wheel' tapings

NEW YORK (AP) — The "Wheel of Fortune" wasn't the only thing spinning for Pat Sajak and Vanna White back in the day. Sajak said in an interview on ESPN2 this week that the lon ... Read More »

Lifestyle

Hydroponic greenhouses keep stores stocked with fresh produce year-round

Bearing in mind that leafy greens and I become somewhat estranged during the winter, I cleverly scheduled a visit to Endless Summer Harvest for the end of December. The Purcel ... Read More »

McHenry Co. Mag.

Healthy Helpings

Learn how to make local favorites — with a healthier twist for your New Year's resolution — from some of the area’s restaurants. ... Read More »

Planit Northwest

Planit Picks: What's going on this weekend!

Experience Nature at Night on Friday at the Prairieview education center in CL. The MCCD is offering an evening event featuring educational activities about nocturnal animals, ... Read More »

Real Estate

Five questions to ask yourself before deciding to buy

Perhaps you’ve found a house, or maybe you’ve just started the house hunt, but regardless of where you are in the home-buying process, you need to consider some key questions before you even think about making an offer. ... Read More »

Regis Philbin sells Greenwich home

With retirement came a bit of real estate luck for TV personality Regis Philbin. ... Read More »

Blogs

» Bears Insider
Bears Insider

Bears begin Round 2

The Bears kicked off their second round of interviews Thursday as their search for a general manager has dwindled to two finalists.
» Job Bridge
Job Bridge

Ways to keep your career moving forward and list of new positions available

What's the best way to ensure that you're always employed? Follow these five expert tips to make sure you're prepared for whatever lies ahead.
» The Bulletin Board
The Bulletin Board

Franks to hold hearing on government abuse

State Rep. Jack Franks issued the following news release on Thursday:
» Payoff Pitch
Payoff Pitch

White Sox to sign Crystal Lake South grad Olsen

CHICAGO – The White Sox are set to sign left-handed starting pitcher Scott Olsen who attended Crystal Lake South and graduated in 2002.
» Payoff Pitch
Payoff Pitch

White Sox to don 1972 throwback uniforms

CHICAGO – The White Sox announced Wednesday that for all Sunday home games this season they will wear 1972 throwback uniforms.

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