My McHenry County: Building For the Future

• McCaleb: We're rebuilding for the future here at home

Welcome to "My McHenry County: Building for the Future," a special Northwest Herald report that outlines how area businesses, industries, government and social service agencies, and other groups are preparing for a brighter tomorrow.

Videos

Building for the Future: Business - Champion Pizza in Hebron

Building for the Future: Healtcare - Don Jewel has weekly therapy sessions

Retail

• Retailers forced to adjust budgets
• Retailers say they have learned new lessons  to live by
• Getting in tune with the customer
• Business owners find ways to make it work
• Guest column: Targeting customers, tracking inventory key
• Family ties offer strength, longevity

Health Care

• Economy affects preventive care
• Guest column: 2009 proved challenging for us all
• Hospitals embracing changes in technology
• Reform movement looms large
• Residents in area deal  with recovery struggles
• Harder times mean health care choices

Transportation

• Recession hinders, helps transportation
• Rakow Road widening moves ahead
• Metra to expand service in area
• Traffic help may be on horizon
• Road Warriors help secure funding for county projects

Government

• When we don’t make money, government doesn’t, either
• State woes trickling down
• Guest column: Prepare for worst, hope for best
• Affordable housing need  in spotlight
• Time, passion required for public service
• We must act now to put county in prime position

Entertainment and Culture

• Shows go on despite tough times
• Venues, theater companies change to lure audiences
• Guest column: Company aims to do things differently
• Area cover band, theater troupe stand test of time
• Raue leader looks to brighter future
• Lucy’s Café provides bright spot at Raue

Housing

• Home builders see  'challenging' time
• Market crash changes Realtors’ world
• Area man offers  recessionary tale
• Guest column: Market sharpens Realtors’ skills
• Buyer’s story shows flip side  of harder times
• McHenry builder explains how market hurt industry

Education

• Economy forces cuts at schools
• Districts look to cope, rebuild
• More adults looking for education, job training
• Teachers past, future share stories
• Guest column: Trends point to bright future ahead
• SEDOM works to overcome ongoing economic challenges

Sports and Recreation

• Club sports pleasantly surprised
• Chicago’s professional sports teams weather economic storm
• Commitment to sports spurs success
• Sears Centre tries to make a go of it
• Participation in sports brings benefits
• Youth baseball hits home run in area

Church and Community

• Lack of food, home, job plagues those in need
• Agencies adapt to cuts, strive to meet needs
• St. Paul’s church diaper bank helps mothers, seniors in need
• Guest column: You can help United Way help others in area
• Church beats recession, builds new facility
• County's top needs? Jobs and housing

Communications and Technology

• Recession changes technology’s path
• Tech fields weather storm better than most
• New school has latest advances
• D-300 harnesses power of Web updates
• Guest column: Where are we going with Internet jobs?
• Lake in the Hills gym finds success with online efforts