Claude Sonday couldn’t be happier with his recent purchase of the 172-acre Galt Airport in Wonder Lake. He and his wife, Diane, previously owned Harley-Davidson stores in Woodstock and throughout McHenry County and said they wanted the airport – which had seen the land on which it sits go into foreclosure prior to their official […]
Woodstock City Councilman Mike Turner would like to see the city take on what he called “eyesores” in Woodstock’s downtown area — houses, many of which he said are multifamily rental units, that have fallen into disrepair as compared to neighboring residences. “I think there are structures in the city that are in neighborhoods with […]
Developer impact fees in Woodstock were reduced by more than 25 percent for most residential properties in what city officials and members of the Woodstock City Council described as an effort to encourage more construction in Woodstock. At its Aug. 20 meeting, the City Council approved the fee reduction by a vote of 7-0 and […]
Terry Pirro is doing well these days, he says, but he knocks on wood for good measure. Why shouldn’t he? The longtime restaurateur closed his namesake business on Main Street about a year ago, not long after being diagnosed with cancer. But today, the man many in Woodstock still associate with Italian cooking is getting […]
After collecting responses from a recent survey, the City of Woodstock Transportation Commission found Woodstock residents want more sidewalks. From a total of 104 respondents, nearly 70 percent indicated Woodstock’s sidewalk system does not meet their needs. Most respondents ranked “construct new walks where none exist” as “extremely important,” with “improve existing walks” ranked second. […]
The Woodstock City Council unanimously approved a search to fill the position of economic development coordinator, a position that has been vacant since 2008. The request to amend the fiscal-year 2013-2014 budget to provide associated funding for the position was brought to the council at its Aug. 20 meeting. “Initially, a large part of the […]
On Aug. 22, 8-year-old Nathan Ruffino became a TV star. A film crew from Fuel TV, recently rebranded as Fox Sports 2, a channel featuring “the world of adrenaline and thrill-seeking sports,” came to the Young Masters Martial Arts studio on the Woodstock Square to film a segment about Nathan, who is a recipient of […]
While many Westerns, like “The Lone Ranger,” have been filmed in the mountains and deserts of Colorado and California, Sebastian Keck decided to set a new standard for the genre by showcasing the diverse landscape of McHenry County in his independent film, “The Last Rider.” After two years in the making, “The Last Rider” will […]
When Linda Pohlman discovered the Woodstock Ballet Studio at 227 E. Calhoun had moved to a spot on Washington Street – a studio where she had taught dance in the 1990s – she decided it was the perfect opportunity to pursue her passion once again. After talking it over with her husband, John, Pohlman started […]
Work recently was completed and other maintenance is ongoing at several of Woodstock’s public parks, including Bates and Haydn parks on the city’s north side and Prairie Ridge Drive Park on the south side of the city. At Bates Park, employees from the Woodstock Department of Public Works installed a new playground, replacing slides and […]
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.
