Plans to host the first Woodstock Ale Fest are brewing. The Woodstock Chamber of Commerce & Industry along with Adult & Child Therapy Services for McHenry County hope to generate interest for the October 2014 festival with a kickoff event from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, in front of the Chamber, 136 Cass […]
In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 Armistice Day to honor veterans of World War I. With approval of an act signed May 13, 1938, the day became a legal holiday. After World War II and the Korean War, at the request of veterans service organizations, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed HR7786 in […]
As Northwood Middle School students, veterans and members of the public poured into the gymnasium for the school’s 13th annual Veterans Day assembly Nov. 7, a living memorial took center stage. Although the students dressed in rain ponchos and helmets with painted faces stood completely still and silent, their representation of the Korean War memorial […]
The city of Woodstock will require special-use permits for medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivation centers if a proposal from the city’s Plan Commission is approved by the City Council. The proposed amendment to Woodstock’s unified development ordinance would limit the location of businesses that grow or sell medical marijuana — allowed under the state’s Compassionate […]
Woodstock’s city property tax bill is expected to increase overall next year if the City Council gives final approval to its estimated tax levy. The council approved a resolution Nov. 5 estimating the 2014-15 fiscal year property tax levy at $9.4 million, an increase of $400,000 — or 4.5 percent — over its final collections […]
A 7-acre dog park at the northwest corner of Bull Valley and Country Club roads will open its gates this month for a trial period. Until March 1, 2014, annual memberships and 50 charter memberships will be available for purchase by Woodstock and Bull Valley residents. The charter memberships are $500 and are valid for […]
On Sept. 10, 1969, 19-year-old Barry Mishler was drafted into the U.S. Army. Assigned to the 101st Airborne Infantry, “The Screaming Eagles,” his outfit reported to Hue, Vietnam, where they slogged through jungle terrain, endured 120-degree in-the-shade temperatures and fought North Vietnamese Army soldiers. In his first experience at Ripcord, a mountain firebase, Mishler witnessed […]
In honor of the organization’s centennial anniversary, the University of Illinois Extension is seeking stories, photos and artifacts from individuals and Extension units throughout the state to include in its online scrapbook. With it’s first annual Hall of Fame celebration Nov. 1, the Extension of McHenry County will have it’s own story to share. “We’re […]
A little over a year after the City Council voted to approve video gaming in Woodstock, few establishments in town have received the necessary licensing to install gambling terminals — but it’s not for lack of interest. Up to 15 Woodstock bars, restaurants, fraternal organizations and other liquor licensees — establishments eligible to host video […]
Three separate companies received contracts from the city of Woodstock for downtown snow plowing and handling services after the Woodstock City Council voted in favor of the bids at a recent meeting. GRO Horticultural Enterprises Inc., Union; Gavers Excavating Inc., Woodstock; and Excavating Concepts Inc., Woodstock, were awarded the annual contracts for snow removal, loading […]
Larry Lough is editor of The Independent and reports local news.
Janet Dovidio has been a freelance correspondent for The Independent for eight years.
Susan W. Murray wrote for The Independent, covering various beats, from 2005 to 2008.
Tricia Carzoli is a freelance writer and photographer that on community news.
