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Photo Detective

Photo Detectives, we expect that it wasn’t too hard last week to pinpoint this station at 501 Washington St. In 1930, Harold Riley and his sister Helen opened Riley and […] Subscribe…

May 26, 2023

Sunday school class (left) at First United Methodist Church prepares art decorations for the SonWorld Adventure Park Vacation Bible School. (Courtesy photo)

Global Bible school: Woodstock First United Methodist exporting summer program to South Korea

First United Methodist Church in Woodstock will host its annual Vacation Bible School in both South Korea and Woodstock this year. The church has many ties to Korea. Its pastor, […] …

May 23, 2023

Community Briefs: Kuhn Scholarship winners; Ruth retires as American Community chairman

Three named winners of Kuhn Scholarships Three Woodstock-area women have been named winners of the Frances Kuhn Scholarship from the Woodstock Professional and Business Women. Fundraising efforts thro…

May 23, 2023

Some ideas about doing a green spring cleaning

By Destiny Seaton Spring is officially here in Chicagoland, and that means it’s time for spring cleaning! This year, consider donating unwanted items lying around your house to a good […] …

May 19, 2023

Arts & Entertainment

Visitors look over the “Welcome Spring” exhibit of the Lakes Region Watercolor Guild, which is on display through June 5 in the Community Room of the Woodstock Opera House. The guild says its mission is “to enhance, enrich, and further work in watercolors. ...” The guild has members in McHenry and Lake counties and southern Wisconsin. (Independent photo by Ken Farver)

Arts Briefs: Dickinson’s Little Vaudeville, Historical Society’s 60th anniversary, Friday concert series

Vaudeville show to feature children performers 5-11 Dickinson’s Little Vaudeville, a comedy musical show performed by kids 5 to 11 years old, will be …

May 23, 2023

Anastasia and Chloe Humphrey paint rocks at Holly Adkins’ Art in the Park project on the Square during Woodstock Farmers Market days. (Independent photo by Ken Farver)

‘Kindness rocks’: Kids’ art sprouting on Woodstock Square on Farmers Market days

By Ruth Raubertas news@thewoodstockindependent.com If you are a regular at the Saturday Farmers Market on the Woodstock Square, you might have noticed…

May 16, 2023

State News

Budget vote brings General Assembly’s 2023 spring session to a close: House gives final OK to $50.6 billion spending plan

Speaker Pro Tempore Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, presents a budget bill on the House floor early Saturday morning before lawmakers adjourned for the summer around 3 a.m. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The 2023 spring legislative session came to an end in the early hours of Saturday morning after the Illinois House gave […] Subscribe or Login to continue reading this quality article by The Woodstock Independant …

May 27, 2023

State report: Catholic churches harbored hundreds more abusers than previously disclosed

By HANNAH MEISELCapitol News Illinoishmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Catholic dioceses in Illinois failed to disclose hundreds of abusive clerics before the state opened what would become a years-long investigation into sex abuse within the church, Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced Tuesday. Included in a scathing 700-page report …

May 23, 2023

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Business

independent photo by ken farver
Theater patron Don Hodory of Woodstock displays a beer he bought from Woodstock Classic Cinemas assistant manager Jacob Rightmyer before a May 13 show. The cooler for alcoholic beverages is over Rightmyer’s right shoulder. Woodstock City Council granted the theater a Class E-6 liquor license in early April. The Woodstock location became the 15th of 16 Classic Cinemas theaters to sell alcohol. (Independent photo by Ken Farver)

Cocktail with your cinema? The days of wine and shows premiere at Classic Cinemas Woodstock

No spotlights searched the sky, no red carpet covered the sidewalk, but two members of the press showed up for the premiere of alcohol sales at Woodstock’s Classic Cinemas. After […] …

May 23, 2023

Woodstock North High School senior Kyle Freeman cuts a piece of wood trim as students in the building trades program of Woodstock School District 200 put the final touches on a home that is now open for bid. The home at 1550 Sandpiper Lane has three bedrooms, two tiled bathrooms, an attached garage, and a basement with 9-foot ceilings. (District 200 photos)

Opening career options: D-200’s 43rd building trades home ready for market

Staff Report news@thewoodstockindependent.com Bids are due June 1 for interested buyers of a 1,660-square-foot home built by students in the building trades program of Woodstock School District 200. B…

May 16, 2023

Diners enjoy a warm spring night in the outdoor seating on North Benton Street. This year for the first time, businesses that want to use public sidewalks and streets for outside dining need a Seasonal Outdoor Seating Permit from the city, which comes at a fee per square foot. (Independent photo by Ken Farver)

‘We had one good week in April’: Cool spring weather puts a damper on outside dining in Woodstock

The day that employees at Oliver’s Bar & Grill put tables and chairs on Benton Street for outdoor dining, the temperature reached 83 degrees. “Since then, it hasn’t been warm […] …

May 9, 2023